1885.] 
of Religion in the Himalaya. 
15 
service is prescribed which must be held by the relatives and be accom¬ 
panied by numerous gifts. 
Bhoj ana-karma. —The observances connected with the preparation 
and cooking of food are classed amongst the domestic ceremonies and are 
known as Balivaisvadeva. After the food has been cooked and before it 
is eaten, the person takes a small portion of it in his right hand and offers 
it as a homa on the fire whilst repeating the mantra* * * § :— Om salutation to 
Agni, the vital air prana ; om salutation to Vayu, the vital air apana ; om 
salutation to Aditya, the vital air vyana; salutation to the same three 
deities, the same three vital airs ; salutation to him who is fire produced 
from water, juicy nectar, Brahma, &c. The gdyatri- mantraf with the addi¬ 
tion of the term svahd after each section is then repeated as often as the 
person wishes. The homa or burnt-offering can only be made where the 
person can procure some clarified butter, where it cannot be obtained the 
homa must be omitted. Water is then taken in the hand aud poured on the 
ground whilst the mantra J is repeated :—‘ If whoever eats remembers that 
Brahma, Vishnu aud S'iva are present in the food impurity cannot accrue 
from eating.’ Where the water has fallen four small portions § of the 
food are thrown one after the other with the following mantra :— 4 Om, 
glory to the lord of the earth ; om, glory to the lord of created things ; 
om, glory, glory to the lord of sprites ; om, glory to all beings.’ Water is 
again taken in the hand whilst a mystical mantra || is recited. The water 
is then drank. Next about a mouthful of the food is taken in the hand 
and thrown away as the portion of dogs, low-caste persons, deceased, 
* Om bhur agnaye prdndya svahd om bhuvar vdyave apanaya svahd om svar adit- 
ydya vydndya svahd om bhur bhuvah svah agnivdyvddityebhyah prdndpdnavydnebhyah 
svahd om dpo jyoti raso ’ mritam brahma bhur bhuvah svah om sarvan, vai purnam 
svahd. Here the three kinds of vital airs are mentioned : prana, that which issues 
from the lungs ; apdna, from the anus and vyana that which circulates through the 
body. The usual number is, however, five and hereafter we have added, samdna- 
that which is common to the whole body, and uddna, that which rises through the 
throat to the head. Svahd has the meaning probably of a good oblation or offering, 
and is here used with the mystical vyahriti mantra. 
f See previous page. 
J The learned use the mantra:— Om nabhydj asid antarihsham sirshno dyauh 
samavarttata padbhyam bhumir disah srotrdt tathd lokdn akalpayan. The verse trans¬ 
lated above is, however, far more common and runs : —Annarn brahma raso vishnuh 
bhoTdd devo mahesvarah evam dhydtvd dvijo bhunkte annadosho na diyate. The ordi¬ 
nary cultivator seldom uses more than the three last words—‘ annadosho na diyate.’ 
§ Om bhupataye namah om bhuvanapataye namah om bhutandm pataye namah 
om sarvebhyo bhutebhyo balaye namah. 
|| Om antascharasi bhuteshu guhaydm visvatomulchah tvam yajuah tvam vashat - 
harah dpo jyoti raso’mritam svahd. The word vashat is an exclamation used in making 
oblations and vashatkdra is the making it. 
