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436
SATAPATHA-BRÂHMANA.
below the knee: he thus leaves no room for another. While that (mound) is being made, they hold a bundle (of reed grass) to the left (north, uttaratah) of it,--that is offspring : they thus hold the (deceased's) offspring upwards (uttaratah). Do not let him throw it down either after holding it up, or after bringing it; but let him set it up in the house': he thus sets up offspring in the house.
13. Having prepared it, he sows barley grain (yava), thinking, ‘May they ward off (yavaya) sin from me!' He covers it over with Avaka-plants ' in order that there may be joy (or moisture, ka) for him ; and with Darbha grass (Poa cynosuroides) he covers it for the sake of softness.
Fourth BRAHMANA, 1. They now fix pegs round it 3,-a Palåsa (Butea frondosa) one in front,-for the Palása is the Brahman (n.): he thus makes him go to the heavenly world with the Brahman for his leader ;-a Sami (Prosopis spicigera) one on the left (north corner), in order that there may be peace (sam) for him ;a Varana (Crataeva Roxburghii) one behind, in order that he may ward off (våraya) sin from him ;
* That is, fix it so as to stand upright, by means of a bamba stick to which it is tied. Cf. Kâty. XXI, 3, 37 comm.
• Blyxa (or Vallisneria) octandra (Roxburghii), a grass-like plant with sword-shaped leaves (A. K. Naime, The Flowering Plants of Western India, p. 318), growing freely on the margins of tanks. Cf. VII, 5, 1, 11; IX, 1, 2, 32 (where read · Avaka-plant' instead of lotus-flower').
• According to Katy. St. XXI, the pegs are driven in immediately after the measuring, and prior to the sweeping, of the site of the tumulus; and this must certainly be the case, seeing that the cords by which the site is enclosed (XIII, 8, 1, 19) are fastened to the pegs.
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