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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
The 4th, 9th and 14th days of a month are When a man is on the point of death the inauspicious,
floor is cowdunged and an offering of sesamum Some hold that if the 1st, 4th, 12th, 14th seeds, Durva grass (cynadon dactylon) and and 30th day of a month fall on a Saturday Java (barley) is made to the deities. Next, they are good; otherwise bad. 2
water of the Ganges or the Jumna is dropped The 1st, 13th or 14th day of either the
into the mouth of the dying man and the name bright or dark half of a month, as well as the
of Ram is whispered in his ear, as this is full-nwon and new-noon day, are considered
believed to turn his consciousness to God and unfavourable to patients, The 2nd, 14th and the last day of a month
thus facilitate his way to the owner world, are considered unlucky. Those days on which
When a patient is convinced that his case there is a panchak-a grouping of constellations is hopeless, he distributes money or other lasting for five consecutive days are very valuable articles among Brahmans, as this is inauspicious for comniencing auspicious believed to make his way to heaven easy. acts.
When life is extinct, the corpse is placed on A belief prevails that any one dying in a the cow-dunged floor and then carried on a panchak draws five companions to heaven, bier to the burning ground with the cries of that is, his death is followed by the death of “Shrị Ràm”, “ Ràu”, “ Ràm nàm sata four others of the same village, 5
hai", or " Jaya Shri Krishna”. In the fuel A son born on the full-moon day is believed with which it is burnt is put Tulsi (sweet to turn out brave, but is supposed to forebode basil) Pipal and sandal wood and cocoanuts, cvil to the parents.
The bones and ashes are collected and preIf a girl is born on the 2nd, 7th or 12th
served, to be thrown into the Dämodar kund, day of a month falling on a Tuesday or
(pool of water) at Gaya or other holy waters. *Saturday in the dshlesha, Kritika or Shut
For three days after death, holy water and bhilla nakshatra, she loses her husband, The Mul nakshatra falling on the 1st day
milk is offered to the spirit of the deceased. of a month, Bharani on the 5th, Kritika on
On the 10th, 11th and 12th day after death, the 8th, Rohini on the 9th and Ashlesha on the
on all the days of every month in the first 10th, has an effect like a volcano. A girl born year corresponding to the day of death, and on on the 1st, 6th or 11th day of a month falling every anniversary of the death, Shraddha is on a Saturday, Tuesday or Sunday in the performed. Shraddha is also performed Kritika or Mrigshar nakshatra is like poison, annually on the day corresponding to the day She is supposed to cause the death of herself, of death in the dark half of the month her husband, or all the members of her father's
of Bhadrapad. family.8
The ceremonies mentioned above are believed Some of the Hindu holidays are considered
to make the passage of the soul to the other auspicious for performing certain deeds, while inauspicious for perfornying certain others. world easy. For his final emancipation a man
The ceremonies described below are per- must renounce all pleasures of the senses and formed to help the spirit to the other world. I all egotism.10
i The School Master of Moti Parabadi. . 2 The School Master of Charadva. 3 The School Masters of Ganod and Vannd. • The School Master of Kolki. 5 Mr. K. D. Desai.
& The School Master of Mota Devalia. 7 The School Master of Limbdi.
8 The School Master of Zinzuvada.
Mr. K. D. Desai. "The Dame of Ram is alone true" meaning all else except God is illusion. • The School Master of Dhank and Mr. K. D. Desdi.
