Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 284

DAILY AVOCATIONS
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gods, fills his copper vase with water, and returns to his
house.
Section IV.
A
Brahmin's daily avocations.
On
returning to his house the Brahmin Grahastha
makes the sacrifice of homam, and may then attend to his
ordinary affairs.
II. Towards noon, after having ordered his meal, he
returns to the river to perform the sandhya for the second
time, just as he did in the morning, the prayers only being
I.
different.
III. He returns home, taking the greatest care to remain
undefiled, and avoiding with scrupulous anxiety the touch
For in-
of anything on the road that might defile him.
stance, he would have to return promptly to the river if
by any accident he set foot on a piece of broken glass or
pottery, a bit of rag, hair, or a piece of skin, &c, or if he
was touched by a person of inferior caste. It is necessary
for him to preserve the most absolute purity to be able to
perform the sacrifice which he is about to make.
IV. On his return to his house he proceeds with the
Everything
daily sacrifice due to his household gods.
being ready for this important ceremony, he turns towards
the east or towards the north, and remains some time in
deep meditation. Taking a position below the divinity,
he places the flowers he brought as an offering to the right
Before him is
of the god to whom he is going to do jmja.
placed a vessel full of water, also incense, a lamp, sandal-
wood, cooked rice, and other things of which the sacrifice
is to be composed.
V. He first drives away the giants and evil spirits by
snapping his fingers ten times, and turning round and
round.
By these means he prevents their approach.
VI. He then sets to work to provide himself with a new
I myself am the
body, beginning with these words
'
:
By virtue
divinity to whom I am about to offer sacrifice.'
of these words he unites the individual soul which reposes
in his navel with the supreme soul which reposes in his
breast.
In the same way he unites successively the different
elements of which he is made, the earth to the water, the
water to the fire, the fire to the wind, the wind to the air.