________________
Reviews
1563 preserved in Rajasthan Prācyavidyā Pratişthāna, Jodhpur No. 5354. The Introduction by Shri Vinaya Sagar gives information about not only all the commentaries on Kalp.1-ātra but also of the printed editions of the saine,
Dalsukh Malvania A Dictionary of the Vedic Rituals based on the Śrauta and Grhya Sūtras, by Chitrabhanu Sen, published by Concept Publishing House, Delhi, pp. 30+172, 2 plates, 9 plans, price Rs. 100- $20
The work under review is a dictionary of the terms pertaining to the Srauta and Grhya rites. It is divided into two sections, Srauta and Gehya. It enlists and explains nearly 2000 terms. The author does not claim it to be exhaustive. But he has made every attempt to include all significant terms,
The author gives not only the bare meaning of terms but also their application in public as well as domestic rites. Explanations of the terms pertaining to domestic rites are interesting as they throw light on social customs and secular beliefs. While explaining the term 3728747, the author writes: ‘rite of collecting bones, done after the 10:h tithi from the death or on a tithi with an odd number, of the dark fortnight; collec. ted in urns having male or female sex marks according to the sex of the deceased. The performers go round the cremation spot three times in prasavya direction, and sprinkle milk mixed with water on it with a samī branch; gathering begins with the feet first, head last; bones are purified with a winnowing basket, and the urn is put into a pit; a lid is placed over the urn ( kumbha ) ; without looking back they go away and bathe in water and perform a Sraddha. Áśv Gr. IV. 5'. Under falta term the explanation given is: 'the three nights during which the newly married couple should refrain from sexual intercourse ( brahmacarya ), though they are to sleep together on the same bed on ground ( adhaḥśayyā, q. v. ) the sleeping place being interposed by a staff ( danda) of udumbara) wood, anointed with perfumes and wrapped round
