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OF THE HINDUS.
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a public manner, and agreeably to the Vaidik or Pauránic ritual', it does not comprehend the impure practices which are attributed to a different division of the adorers of SAKTI, and which are particularly prescribed to the followers of this system. In this form it is termed the Dakshina, or right hand form of worship? The only observance that can be supposed to form an exception to the general character of this mode is the Bali, an offering of blood, in which rite a number of helpless animals, usually kids, are annually decapitated. In some cases life is offered without shedding blood, when the more barbarous practice is adopted of pummelling with the fists the poor animal to death: at other times blood only is offered without injury to life. These practices, however, are not considered as orthodox, and approach rather to the ritual
i The peculiarities of this sect are described in the Dakshinachára Tantra Rája, a modern summary of the system, by Kášináth: according to this authority:
दक्षिणाचारतन्त्रोक्तं कर्म तच्छुद्धं वैदिकम् । “The ritual declared in the Tantras of the Dakshinácháras is pure and conformable to the l'edas.”
वामागमो मदुक्तो ऽयं सर्वशूद्रपरः प्रिये। ब्राह्मणो मदिरादानाद्ब्राह्मण्येन वियुज्यते ॥ न कर्तव्यं न कर्त्तव्यं न कर्त्तव्यं कदाचन।
इदं तु साहसं देवि न कर्त्तव्यं कदाचन ॥ “The Váma ritual, although declared by me, was intended for Sudras only. A Brahman, from receiving spirituous liquor, forfeits his Brahmanical character – let it not be done- let it not ever be done. Goddess, it is brutality, never let it be practiced."
