12 E. T. Atkinson— Notes on the history [No. 1 7 
by the usual rinsing of the mouth, after which the verse commencing : 
— £ Yasya , &c.’ is recited. 
Ceremony of the twelfth day. — On the twelfth day the ceremony 
known as Sapindi takes place. The celebrant goes to the ghat as before 
and commences with bathing and dedication to the day’s rite. He then 
makes three altars of the same dimensions as before : to the north, a 
square altar called the Visvadeva-bedi : to the south, a triangular altar 
called Preta-hedi, and to the east a circular altar calldd the Pitdmahddi- 
bedi. Rice is then cooked and whilst it is being made ready, two Brah¬ 
mans are formed from kusa-grass and placed at the northern altar as in 
the preceding ceremony with a formal invitation, during which barley is 
sprinkled over them whilst they are asked to take part in the sapindi. The 
following verse is then repeated :— Akrodhanaih sauchaparaih satatam 
brahmacharibhih, bhavitavyam bhavadbhis cha maydi cha srdddhakarind, 
sarvdyasa-vinirmuktaih kdmakrodhavivarjitaih. Then the southern altar 
is approached and there the bundles of kusa representing the deceased are 
placed. These are addressed as above with the verse—‘ Gato’si, &c.,’ 
to which is added the line :— Pujayishydmi bhogena devavipram niman- 
traye. Then follows the changing of the sacrificial thread to the left 
shoulder and purification by rinsing the mouth before approaching the 
eastern altar. This is consecrated to the ancestors of the deceased for 
three generations in the male line, all of whom are named and repre¬ 
sented by blades of kusa-grass. If a mother is the subject of the cere¬ 
mony the names of the father’s mother, grandfather’s mother, Ac., are 
given here. Next the wife’s ancestors for three generations in the male 
line are invited and some one accepts on behalf of all and their feet are 
washed with the mantra :— £ Akrodhanaih, Ac.’ This also takes place at 
the other two altars and is followed by the celebrant taking the pavitra 
or knot of kusa and sticking it into the folds of his waist-cloth (nivi- 
bandhana) . Each of the altars in order are again visited and a dedication 
is made to the kusa representatives at each with the argha, seat, invi¬ 
tation, sandal, rice, flowers, incense, lights, apparel, betel and a stone on 
which the rice is placed for making the pindas. The placing the stone 
and rice at the northern altar has the special mantra :*— Om agnaye kavya- 
vdhanaya svahd idam agnaye , om somaya pitrimate svadhd idam somdya. 
At the southern altar the celebrant merely mentions the name of the 
deceased and that for him the food has been prepared, and at the eastern 
altar the stone and food are dedicated to the pitris who are named as 
before. The remaining rice is placed on another stone and mixed with 
honey, clarified butter and sesamum is divided into four pindas. A small 
portion of rice is then taken with a blade of kusa in the right hand and 
the hand is closed over the rice whilst this verse is recited :— Asamskrita 
