OTHER FUNERAL CEREMONIES 495
receives two pieces of cloth, a white blanket, and a chembu.
Then they all take part in the repast prepared for them.
At its conclusion the heir puts some rice and oil in a dish, and moulds four balls, which he places on the ground after performing the necessary formalities. One of these balls is intended for the deceased, a second for the deceased ' s father, a third for his grandfather, and the last for his greatgrandfather. Taking the deceased ' s ball, he says
:
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Till now thou hast preserved the hideous appearance of a corpse: from this moment thou shalt clothe thyself in the divine form of thy ancestors; thou shalt inhabit with them the pitri-loka( abode of the ancestors) and there enjoy every sort of happiness.'
He then divides this ball into three portions and mixes one portion with each of the remaining three balls.
In the same way he tears the little strip of cloth which represents the triple cord of the deceased into three pieces and puts one on each ball. To all of these he makes offerings and libations. After this, comes a further distribution
of dasa-dana. Finally, the balls and offerings are thrown to the cattle.
When all this long and monotonous ceremony is ended, the chief mourner anoints his head with oil, takes a bath, and returns home well covered up in a cloth. He embraces his relatives and friends, addressing words of consolation to each in turn. He paints his forehead with sandalwoodpaste and akshatas, resumes his turban and ordinary clothes,
and distributes presents according to his means.
The purohita also recites a great many mantrams, and
sprinkles all the corners of the house with holy water, by which means it is purified, together with all those who
inhabit it \
On the thirteenth day the heir performs homam in the accustomed manner in honour of the nine planets.
A ceremony something like that of the twelfth day takes place on the twenty-seventh; but only three Brahmins take part in this, representing respectively the deceased,
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The same kind of ceremony took place amongst the Romans on the tenth day, named denicales feriae. As may have been observed, this is not the only feature of resemblance between the funeral ceremonies of the Romans and those of the Hindus. Dubois.