182 Rajendralala Mitra — Beef in Ancient India. [Ntr. 2, 
The ceremony ensures to the performer long life, wealth, high position, 
great religious merit, and numerous herds and children ; and every house- 
holder is required to perform it at least once in course of liis life ; it being 
reckoned among those which must be performed. A modified form of this 
eeremony is recommended to be performed in a paddock, where cattle are 
piquetted at night, should a murrian break out in the fold. 
If is to be regretted, that the account of the ceremony given in the 
Grihya Sutra, though full in other respects, is entirely silent as to how 
the meat of the animal is to be cooked. The use of the spit or skewer 
and its presence in the chest of the victim whence it is to be withdrawn 
at the conclusion of the ceremony, leaves little doubt, however, as to the 
manner in which the meat was dressed.* 
The next ceremony I have to notice is named GavSmanayana, or the 
sacrifice of the cow, otherwise called JEkisltaicn. It was held for four days 
on the eighth of the wane in the month of Maglia, or for four days, either 
immediately before, or immediately after, the full moon of Phalghna or 
Cliaitra. Its details are in many respects similar to that of the ordinary 
Pas’ubandha, of which some account will be given below. It seems to have 
formed a part of the MaMplava, Do Ada* ‘aha and other ceremonies, and not 
to have constituted a distinct ceremony by itself. 
Several other ceremonies also required a supply of beef for their consum- 
mation. In connexion with the Atiratra ceremony Katyayana recommends 
the sacrifice of a barren cow (a spotted one being preferred)! to the Maruts, 
and seventeen, black, polled, entire oxen to Prajipati, permission being granted 
to dispense with one or two of the characteristics if all the three cannot be 
secured. J I have not yet been able to obtain a Prayoga for the per- 
formance of any of these ceremonies, and am not, therefore, in a position to 
supply all the details which ware observed in performing them. I have, 
however, got three short Prayogas for the performance of the Niruda pas'n- 
handha, from one of which (MS. No. 1552, Sanskrit College of Calcutta) 
I have compiled the following abstract of the ceremony. 
This ceremony should be performed during the six months of the nor- 
thern declension of the sun, when the moon is waxing in one of the Deva- 
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