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190
RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
Brahma, the great father of all, never, oh Saraswati! lives without thee, so do thou ever be my benefactress." Or, "As the Vedas and all inspired writings, as all the sciences and the arts, are never, oh goddess! independent of thee; so, by thy favour, may my wishes be fulfilled." "In the forms of thy eight impersonations, Lakshmí, Medhá, Dhará, Pushtí, Gauri, Tushti, Prabhá, and Dhriti, do thou, oh Saraswatí! be ever my protectress."
At the end of the ceremony, all the members of the family assemble and make their prostrations—the books, the pens, and ink, having an entire holiday; and should any emergency require a written communication on the day dedicated to the divinity of scholarship, it is done with chalk or charcoal upon a black or white board.
After the morning ceremony, the boys and young men repair to the country for amusement and sport, and some of these games are of a very European character, as bat and ball, and a kind of prisoner's base. School-boys also used to consider themselves privileged, on this day, to rob te fields and gardens of the villages, but this privilege was stoutly opposed, and was all but extinct some years ago. In the evening there are entertainment according to the means of the parties.
aftur ci gfentit gfe: nur yfa: 1 varfu: wife agfureifu#i #rafã ||
See also the Brahmavaivarttapurána, Praktikhańda, c. 4.]
