474 NOTICE OF 



aversion of all evilsj the preservation of health, and the attainment of fortune. 

 Most of the allusions have been already explained, and others belong to Brah- 

 manical Hinduism. The name of the Lokadhdiu, or division of the universe, 

 Saha, is applicable apparently to the Himalaya range, and includes Kashmir^ 

 as we know from the Raja Taringini.* 



The ceremonial of the Tantras, is distinguished by the repetition of 

 mystical syllables, the employment of Yantras, or diagrams, a -superabun- 

 dance of gesticulations, the adoration of the spiritual teacher, or Guru, and 

 the fancied identification of the worshipper with the divinity worshipped. 

 In all these, as well as in the order and naturd of the presentations, the 

 Ashtami Vidhdna is as applicable to Calcutta as to Kathmanda ; the only dif- 

 ference being in the objector objects addressed: in the present case, the princi- 

 pal person propitiated is Amoghapasa, apparently the same with Swayambhu 

 Natha ; but prayers are made, and offerings are addressed to all the person- 

 ages of the Baiiddha Pantheon, and to a great number of the divinities of the 

 Hindus, especially to the terrific forms of Siva and Sakti, and to all the BhU' 

 tas, or spirits of ill, and the Yoginis and Ddkinis, the perpetrators of all mis- 

 chief : a few passages will substantiate the accuracy of these assertions. 



In the hall where the ceremony is held, various Mandalas,\ or portions 

 are marked off and appropriated to the different objects of the rite, and a com- 

 plete course of worship is addressed to each. The following is that directed 



* See A. R. Vol. XV. p. 110, where Cashmir is termed, in the Ndgari text, Sahalokadhdtu, 

 rendered erroneously, ' the essence of the world,' the admissible, although not the technical purport 

 of Lohadhdtu, in composition with Saha, no available information then suggesting the latter to be 

 a proper name, and the former, a division of the Universe in Bauddha Geography. 



f The Mandala is sometimes an imaginary circle on the body of the worshipper ; but it is 

 defined here to be made with various substances, according to the means of the performer of the 

 rite, as with gold dust, or pounded gems, or stone. 



