DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0406
394 Religious Services.
(regarded also as an act of homage to all those saints and
sages to whom the Veda was revealed); 4. Tarpana, or the
threefold daily oblation of water to the secondary gods, to the
sages, and to the Pitris; 5. Homa, or sacrifice to fire by fuel,
rice, clarified butter, etc., already described; 6. Deva-puja, or
the daily worship of the gods in the domestic sanctuary.
There is, moreover, the Vaisvadeva1 service before the mid-
day meal, with offerings of food (called bali-harana) to all
beings (bhuta), including animals. There is the daily homage
to men by the offering of food, etc. to guests and beggars.
There is the daily visit to the neighbouring temple, not
necessarily for prayer or praise, but simply for bowing before
the idol or for merely looking at it (darsana) after its decora-
tion by the idol-priest. There is the observance of solemn
fasts twice a month, and on other special days. There is the
reading of passages from some of the Puranas2, held to be
a highly meritorious act. There is the performance, if circum-
stances permit, of a pilgrimage to some holy shrine. Finally,
there is the last great Sanskara performed at death, called the
last sacrifice (antyeshti), when the body ought to be burnt by
the same sacred fire which was originally kindled by husband
and wife on the domestic hearth. This is an outline of an
orthodox Brahman householder's life in modern times.
I now proceed to fill in the details of some parts of the
picture more fully.
In the first place, then, the orthodox Brahman must rise from
his bed before sunrise. And be it observed that his wife must
be up and stirring long before him. She may have to light a
1 Parasara does not include the Vaisvadeva in his account of the daily
duties. According to him there are only ' shat karmani,' six acts which
are nitya or ahnika acts, to be performed every day. These are—I. Snana,
2. Sandhya-japa, 3. Svadhyaya, 4. Pitri-tarpana, 5. Homa, 6. Devata-
pujana. A Brahman's six duties as enjoined by Manu (X. 75) are
different. They are—I. repeating the Veda, 2. teaching it, 3. sacrificing,
4. conducting sacrifices for others, 5. giving, 6. receiving gifts.
2 Especially the Durga-mahatmya of the Markandeya-purana.
(regarded also as an act of homage to all those saints and
sages to whom the Veda was revealed); 4. Tarpana, or the
threefold daily oblation of water to the secondary gods, to the
sages, and to the Pitris; 5. Homa, or sacrifice to fire by fuel,
rice, clarified butter, etc., already described; 6. Deva-puja, or
the daily worship of the gods in the domestic sanctuary.
There is, moreover, the Vaisvadeva1 service before the mid-
day meal, with offerings of food (called bali-harana) to all
beings (bhuta), including animals. There is the daily homage
to men by the offering of food, etc. to guests and beggars.
There is the daily visit to the neighbouring temple, not
necessarily for prayer or praise, but simply for bowing before
the idol or for merely looking at it (darsana) after its decora-
tion by the idol-priest. There is the observance of solemn
fasts twice a month, and on other special days. There is the
reading of passages from some of the Puranas2, held to be
a highly meritorious act. There is the performance, if circum-
stances permit, of a pilgrimage to some holy shrine. Finally,
there is the last great Sanskara performed at death, called the
last sacrifice (antyeshti), when the body ought to be burnt by
the same sacred fire which was originally kindled by husband
and wife on the domestic hearth. This is an outline of an
orthodox Brahman householder's life in modern times.
I now proceed to fill in the details of some parts of the
picture more fully.
In the first place, then, the orthodox Brahman must rise from
his bed before sunrise. And be it observed that his wife must
be up and stirring long before him. She may have to light a
1 Parasara does not include the Vaisvadeva in his account of the daily
duties. According to him there are only ' shat karmani,' six acts which
are nitya or ahnika acts, to be performed every day. These are—I. Snana,
2. Sandhya-japa, 3. Svadhyaya, 4. Pitri-tarpana, 5. Homa, 6. Devata-
pujana. A Brahman's six duties as enjoined by Manu (X. 75) are
different. They are—I. repeating the Veda, 2. teaching it, 3. sacrificing,
4. conducting sacrifices for others, 5. giving, 6. receiving gifts.
2 Especially the Durga-mahatmya of the Markandeya-purana.