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DECEMBER, 1883.]
THE RITUAL OF RÅMÉŚVARAM.
317
The Sírpádam carry the image in the the third and fourth fingers and thumb and palanquin. Inside the temple the Siviyars repeats the words :(Sivikaiyárs) bear it,
Oh bất || bà bhutah || Ôà guoistupah || Ônh The Periyamurai bring the curds, milk, &c., mahah | Om jana) || Om tapah | Ogurisatyasan | from the Araivâsal and also light all the dipasand
Om tat savitur varenyain || Bharg3 dévasya give them to the Gurakkal during the pújds. 1 dhimahi || Dhivo vo nah prach3dayat ||
About half-past five, when the cooks have Then he puts his hand to his right ear, and prepared the naivedya (food), the doors of the joining his hands he says :Mahamandapa of the temple itself are opened.
| Sri Sivújñaya Sivaprityarthai suprabhátaThe půjakars or bhattars, sthånikârs, and pújcirin vidhivat tu ahai karishye II dharmakartâ's servants then go to the Mahi- " By Siva's order and for Siva's kind mandapam of the Amman temple with the
acceptance, I perform the sacred rite of the musicians and open the door, and the priest
morning worship as prescribed by rules." presents a camphor light at the bed in which
Then he performs Punydhaváchanam-pourthe images lię, with fruit and betel-nut. A
ing water into a brass vessel after fumigating it sthậnikâr' in a reverential attitude then says
with lighted camphor, he places it on some rice to the image or svâmi:
laid on a raised stone (punydhaváchana kuradu) Udbudhyasva jagat-svámin sarva-182-aika-San
in the floor, having first tied a thread round the kara jagatam upakáráya nitya-pujárn grihána
pot four times over the shoulder and bottom, and bho
putting akshatah (rice grains coloured with tur" Awake, Lord of the Universe, Anthor of
meric) on four sides of it, tying a small piece of good to this whole world! and for the world's
cloth round the neck, putting mango leaves in the benefit be pleased to accept my daily wor- month of it, laying a cocoanut on them, and a ship."
garland over it, he knots together three darbha They then.place the image, which is of gold,
stalks and spreads out the lower ends (darbha in a small palankin and carry it out at the kúrcha) so that it may stand over the cocoanat, south door, and, preceded by musicians and and makes pránáyáma, saying:dancing-girls, two silver sticks, two torches, a
Sivájñayd Sivaprityartham suprabhátakdis silver umbrella and a chámara, it is carried
sthalapátraśuddhyartham punydhavachana round the second prakára by the west, to the
karishya || east entrance of the svåmi temple and placed “By Siva's order and for Siva's kind in the Ardhamandapa or room between the
acceptance I perform the Punyáhaváchana shrine (garbhagriha) and Mahamandapa. The ceremony, for the purification of the place and bhattar next goes into the shrine,' and removes the vessels during the holy morning time the old garlands (nirmálya) from the linga and
(service)." puts them upon the image of Chandikêśvara, He then lays down the cocoanut, and darbhawhich is in a small chapel just behind the kůrcha, and taking the mango leaves, dips the shrine. If this were not done, the pújá would tips of them six times into the water and droplose its merit or be of no benefit to the god. ping it into a smaller vesselsays (1st). Vpid thin,"
The bhattar next performs a short sankalpa, to which the Sadhâchårya answers, astu' ;' the thus-sitting in the Mahamandapam facing the 2nd time he says, 'pushtin,' to which the Sadhaeast he puts a pavitra of darbha grass on the charya again says, 'astu'; 3rd, tushtin," Ans. fourth finger of the right hand, and bending two astu', 4th-drogyam," A. "astu'; 5th-dhaother stalks of darbha round the same finger nadhanyasamriddin'," A. "astu'; and 6thhe makes prináyáma, i.e., holds his nose with góbrahmanébhyah subham," A. "astu.' The
* The Sthanikirs prepare the lights, carry the water, Powers, food, &c. used in the paja, keep the jewels, carry the silver sticks in processions, cook the rice, naivedya, ring the bell during puja, and hold torches to let the Sudras see where they are not permitted to enter.
For these translations I am indebted to Mr. S. M. Natika Sastrl.
As the same ceremonies are gone through in all the four shrines it will be sufficient to confine this account to
the principal shrine.
10 Those from the Amman temples are carried to the image of Chaodikevari.
11 "Increase!" or "May thore be increase !" 11 " Amen," or "Bo it so." 19 "Prosperity!" 16 " Pleasure !"
15 "Health!" 20 Ploaty !" or " Abundance of grain and wealth!" 11 "Good to kine and Brahmaga."
