Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 750

710
COMPLETING THE PURIFICATION
On entering the house she must take special care that her eyes
rest on her children, for they would thereby be ex-
posed to the greatest danger. She must immediately send
for a Brahmin pztrohita so that he may complete her puri-
fication.
On his arrival this venerable person first plaits
together thirty-two stalks of darbha grass, to make the ring
called pavitram, which he dips in consecrated water that
he has brought with him. The woman then takes another
bath, drinks a little of the consecrated water, places the
ixiuitraju on the ring finger of the right hand, and drinks
some pancha-gavia or some cow's milk. After these cere-
monies her purification is complete.
do not
APPENDIX V
Remarks on the Origin
The Province
situated,
is
is
of the
Famous Temple
of
Jagannath.
which the temple of Jagannath
called in Hindu books Utkala-desa.
Indra-
of Orissa, in
mena, say these books, reigned over the country. Inflamed
with desire to save his soul, the prince saw with dismay that
he had as yet done nothing which would ensure his happiness
This thought troubled him exceedingly, and
after death.
he confided his anxiety to Brahma with the Four Faces, who
was his favourite divinity. Brahma, being greatly touched
by the sincere regrets and fervent piety of the prince,
addressed him one day in the following consolatory terms
Cease, great king, from troubling thyself about thy
future state
I will point out to thee a way of assuring thy
salvation.
On the sea-coast is a country called Utkala-desa,
and therein rises the mountain sometimes called Nila and
sometimes Purushottama, which is a yojana or three leagues
in length.
It is called by the latter name after the god who
formerly took up his abode there. This mountain is a holy
place, and the sight of it has the virtue of taking away sins.
In former yugas there was a temple of solid gold upon it,
dedicated to^Vishnu. This temple is still in existence, but
has been buried in the sand cast up by the sea, which renders
:
'
;
Restore this temple, cause
ancient glory to be revived, renew the sacrifices which
were formerly offered there, and thou shalt thus ensure thy-
self a place of felicity after death.'
it
invisible at the present time.
its