DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0082
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. fit
services paid to him, among which she makes him partake
of a good dinner, she walks round him seven times, and
then retires.
Aduru-singhasunu-vmtu is observed every day in Voish-
akhii for one year. During the thirty days, thirty women,
the wives of bramhuns, are entertained; a different female
each d(ay. When the bramhunee arrives, a seat is given
her on the porch, and the mistress of the house washes her
feet, fans her, anoints her head with oil, combs her hair,
ornaments her forehead with paint, anoints her body with
perfumes, and employs a female barber to paint the edges
of her feet. After this she conducts her into the house,
where she is fed with all the dainties the house can afford,
and dismissed with a gift of kourees. On the last of the
thirty days, in addition to this entertainment, a piece of
cloth is presented to a bramhunee. The benefit expected
from this vrutu is, that the female who thus honours the
wives of bramhuns shall be highly honoured by her hus-
band in another birth.
It would be easy to multiply examples, for almost every
Hindoo female performs one or another of these vrutusk:
but this will be sufficient to give the reader an idea of these
ceremonies j from the merit ef which some expect heaven,
others children, others riches, others preservation from
sickness, &c.—The vrutiis are a very lucrative source of
profit to the bramhuns.
k Vrfitus are unconditional vows to perform certain religious ceremo-
nies ; but what is called munimu (see a preceding artiele) is a conditional
vow, promising to present offerings on condition that the god bestow inch
or such a benefit.
L 2
services paid to him, among which she makes him partake
of a good dinner, she walks round him seven times, and
then retires.
Aduru-singhasunu-vmtu is observed every day in Voish-
akhii for one year. During the thirty days, thirty women,
the wives of bramhuns, are entertained; a different female
each d(ay. When the bramhunee arrives, a seat is given
her on the porch, and the mistress of the house washes her
feet, fans her, anoints her head with oil, combs her hair,
ornaments her forehead with paint, anoints her body with
perfumes, and employs a female barber to paint the edges
of her feet. After this she conducts her into the house,
where she is fed with all the dainties the house can afford,
and dismissed with a gift of kourees. On the last of the
thirty days, in addition to this entertainment, a piece of
cloth is presented to a bramhunee. The benefit expected
from this vrutu is, that the female who thus honours the
wives of bramhuns shall be highly honoured by her hus-
band in another birth.
It would be easy to multiply examples, for almost every
Hindoo female performs one or another of these vrutusk:
but this will be sufficient to give the reader an idea of these
ceremonies j from the merit ef which some expect heaven,
others children, others riches, others preservation from
sickness, &c.—The vrutiis are a very lucrative source of
profit to the bramhuns.
k Vrfitus are unconditional vows to perform certain religious ceremo-
nies ; but what is called munimu (see a preceding artiele) is a conditional
vow, promising to present offerings on condition that the god bestow inch
or such a benefit.
L 2