70 E. T. Atkinson— Notes on the history [No. 
sandhyd closes with the dandavat or salutation* * * § and the dchamana or 
rinsing of the mouth as in the beginning. 
Svasti-vdchana. —The Svasti-vdcliana is seldom read by any class in 
Kumaon. It opens with the direction that the celebrant should at an 
auspicious moment bathe, put on clean clothes, affix the frontal mark 
and seated with his face towards the east in a properly prepared 
place, recite the invocation of blessings.t The Ganesa-pt^ja follows 
and is universally observed on all occasions as the pradhdna-anga or lead¬ 
ing section of every rite. The rubric directs that the celebrant should 
rise early on the morning of the ceremony and having bathed and put 
on clean clothes should, after performing the nitya-karma'l, liglif' a lamp 
and commence the worship of Ganesa, which should precede every 
other rite. 
Ganesa-jpujd. —First adore Vishnu with the following verse:—■ 
‘‘ Thou who art clothed in white, moon-coloured, four armed, of plea¬ 
sing face, the remover of obstructions, the bestower of good fortune and 
victory, what can oppose thee Janardana, of the colour of the lotus, who 
dwellest in the hearts of thy votaries.” Next follows the adoration 
of Ganesa with the verse :—“ 0 Vakratunda, great-bodied, bright like 
a kror of suns, protect me from harm, 0 God, always in every 
work.” 
Arglia-sthdyjana. —Then the ceremony known as argha-sthdpana or 
consecrating the argha^ takes place. Take some powdered sandal-wood 
and draw on the ground the figure of a triangle and arojind it a square 
and again a circle, then place on them sandal, rice and flowers. Next 
place the argha filled with water in the middle and say :—“ In this water 
may the waters of the Ganga, Jamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, 
Sindhu and Kaveri be present.” Next put sandal, rice and flowers in 
the water of the argha. Then set up a brazen vessel on which the 
image of the sun has been drawn (with sandal or red sandars) in the 
form of interlaced triangles, the apices of which will represent his rays 
and a circle around them his form, and before presenting to it the water 
of the argha with flowers recite mentally the dhydna-msuiitT^W and in 
* The hands are clasped in front of the breast whilst this mantra is repeated : 
Om namah sambhavdya cha mayodhhavdya cha namah sanlcardya cha namah iivdya cha 
sivatardya cha etc. 
f The vdchana consists of mimerous verses in praise of the gods. 
J The sandhyd, already noticed. 
§ A small cnp usually made of brass. 
II Arundrunaytanhajenishannah hamate, hhi'tivarau harair dadhdnak svaruchdhita- 
mandalas trinetro ravir dkalpasatdkulo vatdnnah. 
