DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0100
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. S3
flesh, (of any animal,) spirituous liquors, rice, fish, and
many other offerings; with nine females of different casts,
(one of which must be a bramhun's daughter,) and nine
men, (brumhuchareSs;) with one female for the priest, and
another f^or himself. The priest next takes nine pans of
water, and places on them branches of different trees, and
sets up some plantain trunks around them; after which the
person to be initiated presents a garment to the priest, and
intreats him to anoint him. The priest then offers to the
goddess, an intoxicating beverage made with the leaves of
hemp; of which all present, both women and men, partake.
He next rubs on the foreheads of the persons present some
red lead, and worships the goddess, the guardian deity of
the person to be initiated, making the latter repeat it; and
worships the men and women who are present, presenting
to each a piece of cloth and other offerings. Next the
priest gives to the women spirituous liquors, in cups made
of the cocoa nut, or of human skulls. What they leave is
taken out of the cups, mixed together, and given to the .
men. The women then arise one by one, and, dipping the
branches into the pans of water, sprinkle the person to be
initiated, repeating incantations. This action is repeated
by the priest, who changes the name of the disciple, and
gives him one expressive of the state into which he is en-
tering, as, Aniindu-nat'hu, i. e. the lord of joy. If after
this the disciple should become a religious mendicant, he
is called a Vyuktavu-dhootu: if he continue in a secular
state, he is called a Gooptavu-dhootii b. All the persons
present continue repealing the names of their guardian
b The first of these two names implies, that the person makes no secret
of his being in the order into which he is initiated. He therefore becomes
a religions mendicant, and publicly drinks spirits and smokes intoxi-
cating herbs. The latter, after initiation, continues in a secular state,
and drinks spirituous liquors in secret.
flesh, (of any animal,) spirituous liquors, rice, fish, and
many other offerings; with nine females of different casts,
(one of which must be a bramhun's daughter,) and nine
men, (brumhuchareSs;) with one female for the priest, and
another f^or himself. The priest next takes nine pans of
water, and places on them branches of different trees, and
sets up some plantain trunks around them; after which the
person to be initiated presents a garment to the priest, and
intreats him to anoint him. The priest then offers to the
goddess, an intoxicating beverage made with the leaves of
hemp; of which all present, both women and men, partake.
He next rubs on the foreheads of the persons present some
red lead, and worships the goddess, the guardian deity of
the person to be initiated, making the latter repeat it; and
worships the men and women who are present, presenting
to each a piece of cloth and other offerings. Next the
priest gives to the women spirituous liquors, in cups made
of the cocoa nut, or of human skulls. What they leave is
taken out of the cups, mixed together, and given to the .
men. The women then arise one by one, and, dipping the
branches into the pans of water, sprinkle the person to be
initiated, repeating incantations. This action is repeated
by the priest, who changes the name of the disciple, and
gives him one expressive of the state into which he is en-
tering, as, Aniindu-nat'hu, i. e. the lord of joy. If after
this the disciple should become a religious mendicant, he
is called a Vyuktavu-dhootu: if he continue in a secular
state, he is called a Gooptavu-dhootii b. All the persons
present continue repealing the names of their guardian
b The first of these two names implies, that the person makes no secret
of his being in the order into which he is initiated. He therefore becomes
a religions mendicant, and publicly drinks spirits and smokes intoxi-
cating herbs. The latter, after initiation, continues in a secular state,
and drinks spirituous liquors in secret.