________________
232
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1876.
" In the centre of the proposed site, make a pit it is divided into, first, four equal parts, and one cubit in length, depth, and width. Fill it with these again into sixty-four parts. The four parts water. Take a flower in your hand, meditate in the centre are regarded as Brahma's, and the upon the deity, then cast it into the water, and four points are regarded as the region of Ruthiran; if it floats round by the right-hand side to face other four points are regarded as Vishnu's, and the sun it is a sign of great happiness, wealth, all the remaining parts are regarded as perfame, and honour. If, however, the flower taining to the gods of Svarga. Here the author should float by the left-hand side, it is a sign of remarks that there is in the universe and the great affliction, continual anxiety, and unheard- body an apparent fitness, and that the same of misery. A house should not be built on fitness should be discernible between the body such a site."
and the house; and he then adds that the man There are many more omens derived from who, having regard to this analogy, builds a flowers thrown into the pit, with reference to house, shall secure its existence for a hundred the point of the compass at which the flower ages; he shall possess calves, bullocks, and milch. remains motionless :
cattle, increasing day by day, and he shall "If the flower remains motionless at the join in the celestial dance with the glorious north-west, the eighteen kinds of pulmonic dis- Lakshmi, who sits on the cool lotus-lily." ease shall seize the builder of a house on such The following will throw some light on this a site; his wealth shall be taken by others, death shall carry him away, and demons shall convert The Eight Points and their properties. the site into a place for burning the dead! "Indra's place (the east) is the proper con
"If the flower remains motionless at the jugal abode of the householder; Revati's place, north point, the builder will become rich, he S. E. 11° 29-5( Piscium), is the proper place in shall have the blessing of sons and of long life, which to eat food; Yama's place (south) is the he shall be reverenced by the venerable, and proper place in which to keep clothes; in Niruti's being charitable, reverencing him who is called place (south-west, Canis ?) is the proper place in a 'Refuge,' he shall be esteemed a saint!" which to keep water; Varuna's place (west) is the
One might well suppose that now, at least, place proper for devotional exercises; Vayu's the yajamána might commence to build his place (north-west) is the place proper in which to house; but the very spade that is used to mark store grain; Kuvera's place (north) is the place off the site of the proposed building, and the proper to keep gold, &c. &c.; and in Esani's pegs and lines, must give forth their omens- place, N.E. (y or 8 Corvi ?), is the place proper
"If the edge of the spade bends at the first for women of the household to give birth to delve, if the peg flies out of the ground (as the children.” blow is made upon it), or if the marking-line | The author then gives us the rule regarding snaps in two, these are inauspicious omeng. the dwellings of the four castes :The man who builds on such a site, besides "The south for Brabmans, the west for Kshaaffliction and anxiety, must also endure never triyas, the north for Vaiśyas, and the east for ceasing trouble, and eventually become the prey Sudras." of the god of death."
We next have a rule with reference to the disIn the foregoing quotation the "marking-line" position of the householder's property :is mentioned, but it must not be supposed that "Put your ashes to the south of your house), any cord will suit the purpose. The rule is as your straw to the south-west; keep your buffafollows:
loes to the west, and in the north-west keep “For the gods (i.e. temples) the line must be your grain and your cows." of silk and of three twists; for Brahmaņs' "To the north of your house erect your (houses) it must be of dharba grass and of kitchen, to the east keep your sheep, in the two twists; for Kshatriyas it must be of the south-east of your house keep your children. feelers of the banyan and of three twists; for This is ordered." others it must be of cotton thread and of two According to this sastra every house should twists. This much is declared."
have a box, technically termed garbha, in which The site at length having been decided upon to keep the family plate and jewels; and this
