Indian Antiquary Vol 26

SR No.: 032518
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 56

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1897.
So saying, they called in the neighbours. The neighbours came and saw the buffaloes, and said to the master of the budu :-"This looks as if it were the trouble of some Bhuta; the buffaloes are vomitting white foam. If you go to some fortune-teller and ask him and do as he bids you, it will be all right; but you will have to spend about ten pagodas."
So saying, they departed. Then the master turned his face to the east and said :“O Lord God, I will do just as told by the fortune teller. I will not fail."
So saying, he removed the hasks of two cocoanuts, leaving a tuft at the top, and taking these cocoanuts with him went straight to the house of the fortune-telling Bhatta. At that time he was worshipping the god. He went to his house and sat on the verandah. Then the Brahmani went to the well to bring water. Then the master of the budu said to her :"O Brahmaņi, is your master at home "
She replied:-"Yes."
Then he took courage and said :-"O madam, let the Bhatta come out for a little while; I want to consult him. It is getting late for me; let him do me this favour. It will be a great merit for him."
Then the Brahmani quickly went in and told her husband :- Behold, you are requested to go out for a little while. The master of the budu is calling you ; be quick, some fortunetelling is to be done; please go out quickly."
When she said this, he made haste and went ont. Then he, who was sitting on the verandah, stood up, and, joining his hands, said :- Sir, Sir."
Then the Bhatta said :-“Come, come, what business has brought you here? You come very rarely."
Then the master of the budu said :-"O Bhatta, in my budu, my racing-buffaloes are aiting. They are at the point of death. Whatever I do is of no avail. They never hnd such sickness before. Please, therefore, discover the cause and use some means to stop the disease. You only can do it; there is no other way."
So saying, he stood clasping his hands. Then the Brahman said to him :-"Well, I will do so and tell you what I come to know."
So saying, he went in and brought a bag of kauris to the verandah, and, keeping a low stool before him, he placed on the stool a number of kauris for each of the twelve signs of the zodiac, commencing from Mêsha, and said: "O Lord God, shew to me everything just as it is; the man is poor."
Thus prayed the fortune-telling Bhatta, and then said to the man :-“Now, place your present before these signs of the zodiac."
At this he untied the knot in his cloth and took half-n-rupee and placed it together with the two tufted coconnuts before the signs of the zodiac, and, clasping luis hands devoutly, said:" Lord God.”
The fortune-telling Bhatta saw the present which he had placed, and made his calculations and came to know that there was great distress in his honse. Then he told the man:-“Yon see, there is great distress in your house. But because the present which you have placed has come forth at the sign of Mêsha, I can say it is a Bhata with a hog's face. Yet he seems to have come recently. Before this he was not in your house. Now he asks sacrifice from you. And not only a sacrifice, but he asks to have a stána built for him, and sac.ifices offered. And farther he says that he will not leave you without your building a stána for him. Such is the case."
At this the master of the budu again asked:-“ Bhatta, I will cause & stana to be built for the Bhate, and I will believe in him, but the he-buffaloes must get well this minute. Then I will do just as you tell me. What do you think? Tell me, do you think the buffaloos will got well this minuto, if I beliovo po