10 E. T. Atkinson —Notes on the history [No. 1, 
to Brahmans with the verse :—‘ Yasya, &c.,' as in the preceding 
pargrapli. 
The scape-bullock. —The loosing of the scape-bullock ( vrishotsarga ) 
is seldom observed in Kumaon, though the ritual for it is given. First 
an altar is erected of earth and the fire is lighted thereon and Agni is 
installed and worshipped. The altar is then dedicated to the rite of the 
pradhdna-homa. This homa is begun by throwing clarified butter into 
the fire with the mantra :— Om iha ratis svdhd idam agnaye, om ilia 
ramadhvatn svdhd idam agnaye, om iha dhritis svdhd idam agnaye , om 
svadhritis svdhd idam agnaye , om iha ramasva svdhd idam agnaye ; and 
again Om prajdpataye , indr ay a , agnaye , somaya svdhd. Next curdled 
milk is thrown on the fire and the eight gods are saluted :—Agni, 
Rudra, S'arva, Pasupati, Ugra, I'sana, Bhava, and Mahadeva, all old 
names. Then comes the Paushnacharu-homa or oblation of rice barley 
and pulse boiled in milk and clarified butter and presented with the 
mantra: — -Om pushdga anvetu nali pushd rakshasva sarvatah , pushd 
vdjdn sanotu nah svdhd ; and again Om agnaye svishtakrite svdhd, om bhu 
svdhd, om bhuvah svdhd, om svah svdhd. In these mantras the ancient 
deities Pushan and Agni are invoked. A bell is then suspended from 
the neck of the bullock and small bells are tied round its feet, and it is 
told that it is to be let go in order to save the spirit of the deceased from 
the torments of hell. The following mantra is then whispered it its 
ear:— Vishnur hi bhagavdn dharmah chatushpddah prakirtitah, vrinomi 
tarn aham bhaktyd sa mam rakshatu sarvada. Then follows the verse :— 
‘ Om ritam clia, &c.,’ as in the sandhyd. The bullock i& addressed as the 
fourfooted representative of the Supreme and asked to preserve for ever 
his votary. The bail-gayatri is then recited :— Om tikshnasringaya vid- 
mahe vedapasaya dhimahi tan no vrishabhah prachodaydt. Sesamum, 
kusa, barley and water are taken in the hand and also the bullock’s tail, 
whilst water is poured over all with the mantra 11 To fathers, mothers 
and relations both by the mother’s and father’s side, to the purohita, 
wife’s relations and those who have died without rites and who have not 
had the subsequent obsequial ceremonies performed, may salvation arise 
by means of the unloosing of this bullock.’ The bullock will then be 
loosed with a dedication. The right quarter is sometimes branded with 
a trident and the left with a discus and the animal becomes the property 
of some of the low-caste people in the village. 
Ekadasaha-sraddha .—The ekddasdha-sraddha commences with a bath- 
* Om svadhd jpitribhyo mdtribhyo bandhubhyas cha triptaye, mdtripdkshas cha ye 
kechit ye kechit pitripakshajah , gurusvasurabandhundm ye chdnye kulasambhavdh, ye 
pretabhdvam dpanndh ye chdnye srdddhavarjitdh vrishotsargena te sarve labhantdm 
triptim uttamdm. 
