DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.641#0150
THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY. 143
After this, the son of the deceased washes the tail of the
male calf, and with the same water presents a drink-offer-
ing to his deceased ancestors; and afterwards marries the
male calf to the four female calves, repeating many for-
mulas, in which they are recommended to cultivate love
and mutual sympathy. The son next liberates the female
calves, forbidding any one to detain them, or partake of
their milk in future. In liberating the male calf he says,
'I have given thee these four wives4; live with them.
Thou art the living image of Yumu; thou goest upon four
legs. Devour not the corn of others, go not near a cow in
calf, Sec' The female calves are generally taken by bram-
hiins u: the male calf is let loose, to go where he pleases1.
To this succeeds what is peculiarly termed the shraddhu.
The river side, or the cow-house, or some retired place, is
chosen; after cleansing which, they collect all kinds of
eatables, cloth, sesamum, flowers, &c. and place them in
dishes made of the excavated trunks of the plantain tree.
The son then washes his feet, and sits with his face towards
the east, with a shalgramii before him, and repeats many
incantations to purify himself; he then worships the shal-
gramii ; presents to his deceased parent the seven dishes
placed to the east, repeating various incantations; and
worships Gunga, Vishnoo, and the household gods, adding
an offering to the ancestors of the king, as an acknowledg-
' Here the Hindoos marry cattle! In another part of this work
the reader will find an account of the marriage of monkies!!
u Yet the receiving of these and other gifts at shraddhiis is supposed
to disgrace a person.
* These bulls wander about, and are treated by the Hindoos with great
respect. No one can claim any redress for the injury they do, and no
Hindoo dare destroy them. In large towns they are often mischievous.
The English call them bramhunee bulls.
After this, the son of the deceased washes the tail of the
male calf, and with the same water presents a drink-offer-
ing to his deceased ancestors; and afterwards marries the
male calf to the four female calves, repeating many for-
mulas, in which they are recommended to cultivate love
and mutual sympathy. The son next liberates the female
calves, forbidding any one to detain them, or partake of
their milk in future. In liberating the male calf he says,
'I have given thee these four wives4; live with them.
Thou art the living image of Yumu; thou goest upon four
legs. Devour not the corn of others, go not near a cow in
calf, Sec' The female calves are generally taken by bram-
hiins u: the male calf is let loose, to go where he pleases1.
To this succeeds what is peculiarly termed the shraddhu.
The river side, or the cow-house, or some retired place, is
chosen; after cleansing which, they collect all kinds of
eatables, cloth, sesamum, flowers, &c. and place them in
dishes made of the excavated trunks of the plantain tree.
The son then washes his feet, and sits with his face towards
the east, with a shalgramii before him, and repeats many
incantations to purify himself; he then worships the shal-
gramii ; presents to his deceased parent the seven dishes
placed to the east, repeating various incantations; and
worships Gunga, Vishnoo, and the household gods, adding
an offering to the ancestors of the king, as an acknowledg-
' Here the Hindoos marry cattle! In another part of this work
the reader will find an account of the marriage of monkies!!
u Yet the receiving of these and other gifts at shraddhiis is supposed
to disgrace a person.
* These bulls wander about, and are treated by the Hindoos with great
respect. No one can claim any redress for the injury they do, and no
Hindoo dare destroy them. In large towns they are often mischievous.
The English call them bramhunee bulls.