142 THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.
given, amidst much confusion among the receivers, the
sesamum, the morsel of gold, the metal, a large bason full
of kourees, and a couch or two, as well as the sixteen dif-
, ferent gifts; after which the assembly breaks up. The son
then goes into the house, and placing a bramhun and his
wife on a seat, covers them with ornaments, worships them,
and, adding a large present of money, dismisses them.
After this, the son of the deceased requests five bram-
huns, of some note for learning, to offer a male calf; in
doing which they take two cloths each, four poitas, four
betle-nuts, and some kourees, provided for'the purpose,
and go with the company to a spot where an altar has been
prepared, one cubit high, and four cubits square. Four of
the bramhuns sit on the four sides of the altar, and there
worship certain gods, and offer a burnt-sacrifice. Near the
altar are placed the shalgramu, four female calves, a male
calf, and a vilwu post. The fifth bramhun reads certain
parts of a pooranii, to drive away evil spirits. The female
calves are tied to four vilwu posts, and the male calf to a
post called vrishu postr. To the necks of the female calves
four small slender baskets are suspended, in which are
placed, among other things, a comb, and the iron instru-
ment with which the Hindoo women paint their eyebrows
black. A sheet of metal is placed under the belly of the
male calf; on the back a sheet of copper: the hoofs are
covered with silver, and the horns with gold, if the shraddhu
be performed by a rich man5. On the hips of the male
calf marks of Shivii's trident are impressed with a hot iron.
' Vrishu is the name for a bull. A rough image of one of these animals
is carved in the middle of the post, which is afterwards set up in a public
road till it rots or falls down. It is often full of rough carved figures.
A good one costs about four roopees.
» If by a poor man, imitations of these things are used.
given, amidst much confusion among the receivers, the
sesamum, the morsel of gold, the metal, a large bason full
of kourees, and a couch or two, as well as the sixteen dif-
, ferent gifts; after which the assembly breaks up. The son
then goes into the house, and placing a bramhun and his
wife on a seat, covers them with ornaments, worships them,
and, adding a large present of money, dismisses them.
After this, the son of the deceased requests five bram-
huns, of some note for learning, to offer a male calf; in
doing which they take two cloths each, four poitas, four
betle-nuts, and some kourees, provided for'the purpose,
and go with the company to a spot where an altar has been
prepared, one cubit high, and four cubits square. Four of
the bramhuns sit on the four sides of the altar, and there
worship certain gods, and offer a burnt-sacrifice. Near the
altar are placed the shalgramu, four female calves, a male
calf, and a vilwu post. The fifth bramhun reads certain
parts of a pooranii, to drive away evil spirits. The female
calves are tied to four vilwu posts, and the male calf to a
post called vrishu postr. To the necks of the female calves
four small slender baskets are suspended, in which are
placed, among other things, a comb, and the iron instru-
ment with which the Hindoo women paint their eyebrows
black. A sheet of metal is placed under the belly of the
male calf; on the back a sheet of copper: the hoofs are
covered with silver, and the horns with gold, if the shraddhu
be performed by a rich man5. On the hips of the male
calf marks of Shivii's trident are impressed with a hot iron.
' Vrishu is the name for a bull. A rough image of one of these animals
is carved in the middle of the post, which is afterwards set up in a public
road till it rots or falls down. It is often full of rough carved figures.
A good one costs about four roopees.
» If by a poor man, imitations of these things are used.