1885.] 
of Religion in the Himalaya. 
5 
well known as the pretapinda. Each pinda sliould have its proper dedi¬ 
cation with definition of time, place, and person ( [mritisthdna , dwdra , Sfc.') 
First some water is thrown on the ground with a dedication, and then 
the pinda is taken in the hand and after the recital of the dedication, it ? 
too, is thrown on the ground and again water is sprinkled on the same 
place with a third dedication. This is repeated at each of the five places. 
The wood of sandal, cedar, bel, or dhdk , mixed with ghi, are laid on the 
body, which is placed on the pyre with the head to the south. The son, 
or nearest male relative, bathes and dedicates the rite to the release of 
the soul of the deceased from the company and region of sprites and its 
exaltation to the heaven of the good, after which the kukshi-pinda is 
offered. 
Office for cremation .— The fire is next applied by the nearest male 
relative to the wood at the feet of the corpse, if the deceased be a female, 
and to the wood at the head, if a male, with the mantra :—“ Om mayest 
thou arrive at the blissful abodes, thou with thy deeds whether done ill 
purposely or unwittingly hast become an inhabitant of another world, thy 
body encompassed with its load of desire and ignorance, weighted with 
its deeds of right and wrong has been completely resolved into its five 
elements.” Then comes the Tilamisra-ajydliuti or lioma with sesamum 
mingled with clarified butter accompanied by the mantra r —Om loma- 
bhyah svdhd , om twache svdhd , om lohitdya svdhd , on mdmsebhyali svdhd , 
om medobhyah svaha , om tvagbhyah svdhd , om majjdbhyah svdlid , om retase 
svdhdy om roditeb hyah svdhd. —‘Hail salutation to the hair, epidermis, blood, 
* # marrow, skin, the essential element of the body, the semen, and to 
him who is bewailed.’ Then follows the sutra directing the circumam- 
bulation of the pyre whilst sesamum* is sprinkled over the burning body 
with the mantra : — ‘ Om, glory to the fire of the funeral pyre.’ When 
the body has been almost entirely consumed, a small portion of the flesh, 
about the size of a pigeon’s egg, should be taken and tied up in a piece 
of cloth, and flung into a deep pool. Then the person who conducted 
the ceremony puts out the fire and bathes, anointing himself with the 
pancha-gavya and places a seat of /r^sh-grass for the spirit of the deceased 
with a dedication followed by water, a pinda and again water, each 
accompanied by its proper dedication. 
Bali-ddna. —Next the bali-ddna y consisting of rice, sandal, &c., is 
offered to the goblins and sprites of the burning-ghat with the prayer 
that they will accept it, eat it and be appeased. Whoever wishes to pre¬ 
serve a portion of the bones, to cast them into the sacred stream of the 
* The rich throw sandal, tulsi, sesamum and clarified butter on the pyre whilst 
the relatives cry out with a load voice so as to attract the notice of the dweller in 
paradise. 
