a necklace of flowers; incense of three kinds, and a lighted lamp, with incantations. After the bloody sacrifices, the offerings are presented, comprising rice, split peas, different kinds of peas, shaddocks, pomegranates, pine-apples, netted custard-apples, another species of custard-apples, bread fruit or jakŭs, mangoes, water-melons, cucumbers, plantains, oranges, ginger, cocoa nuts, almonds, raisins *, guavas, dates, jambŭs, jujubes, wood-apples, melons, sugarcanes, radishes, sweet-potatoes, késoorů, water, milk, curds, another sort of curds, cream, butter, sour-milk, clarified butter, sugar, sugar-candy, &c. &c. After presenting the offerings, the person repeats the name of a god for some time, and then prostrates himself, (the spectators doing the same;) putting the cloth round his neck, and joining his hands, he offers praise to the god, and prostrates himself again. The dinner follows, consisting of fried greens, and several other dishes made up of kidney beans, varttakēē, cocoa nuts, &c. fried together; split peas, and several kinds of fried herbs or fruits; four kinds of fish; boiled and fried goats' flesh, venison, and turtle; different fruits prepared with treacle; rice and milk boiled with sugar; things prepared with pounded rice; curds, sweetmeats, &c. The fish, flesh, fried greens, and every thing of this kind is eaten with boiled rice. A dish called kéchooree, consisting of rice, split peas, clarified butter, turmeric, and spices, boiled together, is also presented; and then water to drink. With every article of food a separate prayer is offered. Water is next presented to wash the mouth, and a straw to pick the teeth, with prayers;

* These and several other articles are imported from foreign countries; and though they have been prepared by the hands of the unclean, yet the Hindoos make no difficulty in presenting them to their gods, and afterwards eating them.

The root of scirpus maximus.

R Solanum molongena.

then the burnt-offering is made, and a present of money given. At last the person prostrates himself before the object of worship, and then retires to feast on the offerings with other bramhůns. This is a detail of the form of worship on a large scale, at which time it occupies the officiating bramhun two hours.

SECT. X.-Meditation, (Dhyanŭa.)

In this act of devotion, the worshipper (of Shivů for instance) closes his eyes, places his arms before him, and repeating the names of the god, ruminates thus :-'His colour is like a mountain of silver; his body shines like the moon; he has four arms; in one hand he holds an ax, in another a deer, with another bestows a blessing, and with the other forbids fear; he has five faces, and in each face three eyes; he sits on the water-lily; the gods surround him, and celebrate his praise; he is clothed with the skin of a tyger; he was before the world; he is the creator of the world; he removes fear from every living creature.' While he meditates on the offerings, he proceeds thus:-"Oh! god, I give thee all these excellent things;' (recounting in his mind the names of all the offerings, one by one.)

Both these forms of meditation are constantly used at the time of worship, (põõja.) Many things are related in the pooranus respecting the meditation known to ascetics, who, by the power of dhyanu, discovered things the most secret.

* From dhyoi, to think.

SECT. XI.-Repeating the Names of the Gods, (Jupi1.)

THE Hindoos believe that the repetition of the name of God is an act of adoration; some add that the name of God is like fire, by which all their sins are consumed: hence repeating the names of the idols is a popular ceremony among the Hindoos.

In this act the worshipper, taking a string of beads, repeats the name of his guardian deity, or that of any other god; counting by his beads 10, 28, 108, 208, and so on, adding to every 108 not less than one hundred more. This act is not efficacious, however, unless the person keep his mind fixed on the form of the idol. Many secular persons perform jupů without beads, by counting their fingers.

It is said that a persón obtains whatever he seeks by persevering in this act of adoration. If he be desirous of a wife, or of children, or of money, (say a lack of roopees;} or seek recovery from sickness, or relief from misfortune; he begins to repeat the name of his god, and believes that he soon becomes subject to his wishes. Jupů makes an essential part of the daily worship of á Hindoo: some mendicants continue it day and night, year after year, except when eating, sleeping, bathing, &c.

The Tuntru-sară contains the following account of the consecration of the bead-roll :-The person sits down on the floor of his house, and taking some green, red, black, yellow, and white paint, draws a water-lily on the floor, upon which he places a small brass dish; and upon this, nine

To speak.

leaves of the ushwůt'hŭ tree, and upon the leaves a string of beads, cow's urine, cow-dung, sour-milk, milk, and clarified butter, mixing them together, and repeating an incantation: he then places honey, sugar, sour-milk, milk, and clarified butter, upon the bead-roll, repeating another incantation; then some red lead and spices; and then, with incantations, he gives the bead-roll a soul, (pranŭ,) and according to the usual forms worships it, and offers a burntoffering to the god whose name he intends to repeat with this string of beads.

SECT. XII.-Forms of Praise to the Gods, (Stuvů.)

FORMS of praise to the gods constitute a part of the daily worship of the Hindoos. They spring not from emotions of gratitude, but are repeated as acts of merit, to draw down favours on the obsequious worshipper.-In this act, the person draws his upper garment round his neck, joins his hands in a supplicating manner, and repeats the forms of praise with a loud voice. Examples: Oh! Shivă! thou art able to do every thing! Thou art the preserver of all! Thou art the fountain of life!'-To Kartiků: Thou art the god of gods; therefore I come to thee, to enquire how I may repeat the praise of Shēētŭla, that she may remove swellings on the body.'-To Sheetula: 'I salute Sheetŭla, the goddess, for she can remove the fear of boils.'

The Hindoos say, that by praise a person may obtain from the gods (who are fond of flattery) whatever he desires. The forms are taken from the shastrů, though on some occasions a person may recite words of his own invention.

SECT. XIII.-Forms of Prayer to the Gods, (Kuvichů.)

THESE prayers are principally found in the Tuntrus; a few in the pooranus. They relate to the welfare of the petitioner here and hereafter; and are given by a spiritual guide to his disciple. Examples:- O! Hunooman! when I go eastward, do thou preserve me! O! son of Půvănă ! when I proceed southward, do thou keep me. O! beloved son of Késhŭree! when I go westward, do thou preserve me. O! Kamŭgnud! keep me from danger when I go northward. O! Saguru-parugue! save me when I descend. O! burner of Lunka! (Ceylon,) deliver me from all danger. O! counsellor of Soogrēēvů! preserve my head.' In this manner the person addresses petitions to this monkey-god, as for his head, so for the preservation of every member of his body, from the forehead to the toes.

He who repeats this form twelve times beneath the ŭrků tree, will obtain long life, be the strongest man on earth, and the goddess of fortune will never forsake his dwelling. If he repeat this kŭvůchů seven times, at midnight, standing in water, he will be able to drive away from his body every kind of disease: if at any time, in any place, he will obtain beauty, eloquence, wisdom, strength, victory, patience, and be free from fear and disease. If any one bind

• Késhůréé was married to the mother of Hunooman, (if marriages take place among monkies,) and Hunooman was the illegitimate son of Půvůnů.

This monkey-god is called by this name, as the destroyer of evil desire; from kamů, desire, and hun, to destroy.

Sagŭrů, sea, parůgů, the crosser; alluding to his leaping across the sea to Ceylon.