DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0431
The Bali-harana Service. 421
our living men, on our cows and horses; destroy not our
brave men in thy anger; we invoke thee continually, bringing
thee oblations.' (Rig-veda 1.114. 8.)
Then, with the prayer, ' May I enjoy the triple life (try-
ayusham) of Jamadagni1, of Kasyapa, of Agastya, of the
gods ; may I altogether live for a hundred years,' ashes are
applied to the forehead, the neck, the navel, the right shoulder,
the left shoulder, and the head respectively.
Another prayer to the god of fire concludes the Vaisvadeva
portion of the service, thus :—
' O bearer of the oblations, give me happiness, faith, understanding,
fame, wisdom, learning, intellect, wealth, strength, long life, dignity, and
health. I salute him whose name, when remembered and mentioned,
makes incomplete religious services complete 2. Let the deity who par-
takes of the sacrifice and has the form of Agni-narayana be pleased with
this ceremony. Let it be regarded as offered to the true essence of
the Supreme Being (Brahma).'
The Bali-harana Service.
But the Vaisvadeva ceremony is not complete without the
Bali-harana, or- offering of food to all gods and all creatures,
including all kinds of animals and spirits. This act is identical
with Manu's Bhuta-yajna, or homage to all creatures (Manu
III. 70. 81-IV. 21). The offering to all animals is sometimes
called Kaka-bali, because crows are practically the chief
devourers of the offerings. In fact, the Vaisvadeva and Bali-
harana are complementary of each other, and are generally
regarded as one ceremony.
The worshipper begins by placing small mouthfuls of cooked
rice in a circle on the ground between himself and the fire-
receptacle, allotting separate portions to all the gods to whom
offerings have already been made in the fire, as well as to
other beings outside the circle, in regular order, saying:—
1 Compare White Yajur-veda (Vajasaneyi-S.) III. 62.
2 According to the manual I have followed, a Sruti enjoins that if any
part of the ceremony has been carelessly omitted, it is held to be com-
pleted by remembering and repeating the name of Vishnu.
our living men, on our cows and horses; destroy not our
brave men in thy anger; we invoke thee continually, bringing
thee oblations.' (Rig-veda 1.114. 8.)
Then, with the prayer, ' May I enjoy the triple life (try-
ayusham) of Jamadagni1, of Kasyapa, of Agastya, of the
gods ; may I altogether live for a hundred years,' ashes are
applied to the forehead, the neck, the navel, the right shoulder,
the left shoulder, and the head respectively.
Another prayer to the god of fire concludes the Vaisvadeva
portion of the service, thus :—
' O bearer of the oblations, give me happiness, faith, understanding,
fame, wisdom, learning, intellect, wealth, strength, long life, dignity, and
health. I salute him whose name, when remembered and mentioned,
makes incomplete religious services complete 2. Let the deity who par-
takes of the sacrifice and has the form of Agni-narayana be pleased with
this ceremony. Let it be regarded as offered to the true essence of
the Supreme Being (Brahma).'
The Bali-harana Service.
But the Vaisvadeva ceremony is not complete without the
Bali-harana, or- offering of food to all gods and all creatures,
including all kinds of animals and spirits. This act is identical
with Manu's Bhuta-yajna, or homage to all creatures (Manu
III. 70. 81-IV. 21). The offering to all animals is sometimes
called Kaka-bali, because crows are practically the chief
devourers of the offerings. In fact, the Vaisvadeva and Bali-
harana are complementary of each other, and are generally
regarded as one ceremony.
The worshipper begins by placing small mouthfuls of cooked
rice in a circle on the ground between himself and the fire-
receptacle, allotting separate portions to all the gods to whom
offerings have already been made in the fire, as well as to
other beings outside the circle, in regular order, saying:—
1 Compare White Yajur-veda (Vajasaneyi-S.) III. 62.
2 According to the manual I have followed, a Sruti enjoins that if any
part of the ceremony has been carelessly omitted, it is held to be com-
pleted by remembering and repeating the name of Vishnu.