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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
shami leaves are then mixed with the muddy cooked food is allowed to fall on the ground earth, and small balls of the mixture are on this day: even the lenvings after meals made. A pice and betel nut are placed in are given away to cows, each ball, and they are presented to the wors When any ceremony is to be performed on shipper as a mark of good luck. Travellers the earth's surface, as much of the spot as carry such balls with them on their journeys is required for the ceremony is cleansed by for luck. Kings carry the same to obtain
watering it and plastering it with cow-dung. success on the battle-field. The Pandavas A betel nut and a pice are then placed on it had such balls with them on the field of as the Chādā or rent of the spot.? Kurukshetra when they obtained a victory On those occasions when dakshina is given over the Kauravas.1 The balls are also to Brāhmans outside the village limits, worused as pastānā.* The javālā in the balls ship of the earth-mother is performed by are taken out and allowed to grow in an 1 pouring milk on the ground, and by placing earthen vessel filled with clay and manure seven betel nuts and seven 'single coppertill they reach a span in heigth, when they pieces thereon. are taken up and used.2
Some ambititions Brāhmans dig earth Earth-worship is performed before bury- from near the roots of a banyan tree after ing treasure underground, and also when a offering prayer to the earth, and out of marriage-procession, at the time of return- it, make an image of Parthishwar-Lord ing, reaches the limits of the bridegroom's of the Earth-hoping thereby to obtain village,
wealth. The same ceremony, if observed In some places, virgins worship the plot near the roots of a pipal tree (ficus of ground on which the Holi is lighted, for religiosa), is believed to confer wealth and about ten or twelve days after the Holi male issue.3 holiday.
When Vishnu killed the demons Madhu Another occasion for earth-worship is the and Kaitabha, the earth was strewn with third day of the bright half of Chaitra (the their flesh and marrow (méda). Therefore sixth month), on which day Vishnu saved the earth is called medeni, and for the same the earth in his Varāha (or Boar) incarna- reason, is unclean, and no holy objects are tion, when it was being carried to the nether allowed to touch it. Another explanation is regions by the demon Shankhäsur.
that the earth was rendered unclean because On the eighth day of the bright half of blood was shed on its surface in the Māgh and also of Ashvin (the fourth and the combat of the demon Vritrasur with the god last month respectively), naivedya (an obla- | Indra.19 tion of food) is offered to the earth-mother, The things polluted by a contact with the and is then used as her prasad (gift). No earth are either objects which are to be
1 Mr. N. D. Vora, Rajpan..
• Mr. Jairam Vasaram, Jodia. * Mr. H. M. Bhatt, Ganod,
• Mr. Talakshi Dharashi, Sagala. * Mr. B. K, Dave. Kotda-Sangani. • Mr. Nandlal Kalidas, Chhatrāsā, and the Schoolmaster of sasdan. The Schoolmaster of Pātanvāv.
• The Schoolmaster of Sultanpur. Mr. Laxmichand Hemji, Vasāvad,
10 Mr. Madhowji Tulsiram, Movaiya. * Some Hindus, when intending to go on a journey, consult an astrologer as to the muhurt or auspicious hour for setting out. If they do not happen to leave their place at the prescribed moment, they put a paständ-some of the articles to be carried by them in their journey-such as a suit of clothes or a box, in neighbogr's house as a token of their having set out at the stated time.---K. D. Desai,
