tioned operation, utter the least sound, the omen is most inauspicious. I am told that after flaying the ram and separating the caul the flesh is cut into small pieces and cooked, being made into meat balls with flour. One Brahman informant told me that they swallow these balls whole; another, that they simply apply them to the tip of their tongue. In the Matsya Purána eleven or thirteen kinds of flesh are ordered to be used at the feast to the manes of a Brahman's ancestors. In the Bhashya of this Veda, Kravyáda ("eater of flesh") is conditionally used as the appellation of a holy Brahman; so that there is no innate improbability in the account I have given, though merely on hearsay authority. From the Bhashya it clearly appears that the Vaspá forms a part of the oblation to the gods. It is explained by all the learned Brahmans I have met with as the caul or peritoneum, resembling, as they describe it, a piece of silk paper. All the refuse is collected in a bull's hide (to-twach) and buried at the conclusion of the ceremonies. This is done by express command, as recorded in the Rig-Veda. The moon-plant stalks, when brought into the hall of oblation, are bruised by the Brahmans with stones and then put between two planks of wood, that they may be thoroughly squeezed and the juice expressed. The stalks, with their expressed juice, are then placed over a strainer made of goat's hair, sprinkled with water and squeezed by the fingers of the officiating Brahmans, one or two of which must be adorned with flat gold rings. The juice, mixed with water, now makes its way through the strainer and drops into the Drona Kalasa, the receiving-vessel placed below, and situated at that part of the Yajnyavedi called the Yoni, or womb-a name, I conjecture, given sometimes to the vessel itself, though properly belonging to the place where it rests. The juice, already diluted with water, is in the Drona Kalasa further mixed with barley, clarified butter, and the flour of a grain called by the Maráthas wari, the Sanscrit names of which are nívára and trinadhánya. It is now allowed to ferment till a spirit is formed, after which it is drawn off for oblations to the gods in a scoop called sruch, and in the ladle called chamasa for consumption by the officiating Brahmans. The vessel, scoop and ladle are all made of the wood of the catechu tree (Mimosa catechu). Nine days are mentioned in the Bháshya as required for the purificatory rites. There are three oblations offered daily-one early in the morning, one at noon and one at night. The Soma, when properly prepared, is a powerful spirit: it is said in this Veda to have intoxicated Sukra, to have made even Indra's face turn all awry while he was drinking it, and by its exhilarating principle to have furnished him with that might without which he could not have subdued the enemies of the gods. THE SACRED FIRE. The sacred fire ought always to be kept burning in a Brahman's house. The stricter sort accordingly always keep one fire burning, and some who are rich maintain three. The fire kept alive by all rigid Brahmans is called the Gárhapati, or, "household guardian." It is fed with the palás wood (Butea frondosa), and no other should be used. Twenty-one pieces, each a cubit long, are directed to be got ready against a sacrifice. At the commencement of the Somayága fire is transferred from the Gárhapati to the Dakshina Agni, or "southern fire," and to the Ahavaníya, or "oblation-receiving fire,' oblation-receiving fire," which is the most easterly of the three. Fire from heaven, obtained either from lightning or from the sun, though by what process is not said, should also be added, and fire procured from the arani-wood is to be joined to the other two; so that there are three different kinds of fire in each Kunda, or fireplace. The process by which fire is obtained from wood is called churning, as it resembles that by which butter in India is separated from milk. The New Hollanders obtain fire from wood by a similar process. It consists in drilling one piece of arani-wood into another by pulling a string tied to it with a jerk with the one hand, while the other is slackened; and so on alternately till the wood takes fire. The fire is received on cotton or flax held in the hand of an assistant Brahman. THE HALL OF OBLATION. The common Yajnyasálá is a room in the inner part of a Brahman's house; it has a serpentine wall of between two and three feet high running through it, called the Yajnyavedi. THE AUSTERITIES THAT ACCOMPANY THE SINGING OF THE SÁMA-VEDA. The treatise called the Brahmana of the Sáma-Veda is chiefly taken up in pointing out the austerities that must be practised before commencing and during the singing of this Veda. It is evidently, from its style, a modern work, compared with the ancient hymns that form the Sanhitá, yet probably it is founded on ancient traditions. The first austerity mentioned is the Krichchhra Práyaschitta, which requires for its performance twelve days. During the first three the devotee eats only once, and that during the day; during the next three he eats once, but during the night; for the next three days he eats only provided that some one has given him food without his asking for it; and for the last three days he fasts entirely. There is next the Atikrichchhra Prayaschitta, corresponding to the above, only the penitent eats on no one day more than a single mouthful; and, as if this were not a sufficient trial of Brahmanical endurance, there is next the Krichchhra Krichchhra, during nine days of which life is sustained by once drinking water, while on the three last even this simple beverage is denied. The singing of various sacred verses is to accompany these fasts. The first of these penances purifies, it is said, from common sins; the second, from deadly sins; and the third makes a man pure even as the gods. Such is the initiatory rite of this book of austerities, but it is a trifle to the concluding one, in the performance of which the devotee is commanded to live on milk during four months; then, having gone to the jungle and having built for himself a shed, he is to enter it with his Kamandalu, or vessel for bathing, and fast twenty-one days without even drinking water. Should such voluntary abstinence be indeed possible, our physiologists will require to remodel their systems. Since the English occupation of the Marátha country the Somayága has been three times performed within its boundaries -once at Násik, once at Puna and once at Sáttara. out austerities the sacred verses lose all their power; and, since it is hardly to be supposed that privations like those above recorded were on these occasions submitted to or are ever again likely to be endured, the votaries of Hindooism have a ready answer for those who ask why their sacred rites are not now attended with the effects ascribed to them in ancient times. As each of the penances mentioned in the Brahmana has a different object, it is probable that during the Somayága a selection may be made, and that the whole are not required. CONCLUSION OF THE SOMAYÁGA. The Brahmana declares that with- | these and similar expressions, however, nothing definite can be learned about the particular scheme of Hindoo philosophy taught in the Vedas. Vishnu's Vámana Avatára is several times alluded to or mentioned, but none of the rest. Vishnu is but the younger brother of Indra, and inferior to him. Agni, the god of fire, Indra, the personified firmament, Mitra, the sun, and Váyu, the wind, are the principal deities worshipped. After these come Vishnu; then the sun, under the names Varuna, Púshá, Áditya, etc.; Varuna, as god of ocean; Yama, god of the infernal regions; the Aswini Kumáras-i. e., Beta and Gamma Arietis; the female divinities, Aditi, Saraswatí, Yamuna-i. e., the river Jumna, called Ansumatí; the waters generally; the wife and sisters of Agni; the Ribhu, deified Brahmans; the deified eagle, Garuda; the genii of various sacrificial vessels and utensils and the genius of sin. There is no mention of Brahmá, the creator, and none of Siva, unless, as the author of the Bháshya is inclined to think, Siva is but a form of Agni, to whom the name of Rudra is given in the Vedas. So greatly has the system of Hindooism been modified since these ancient hymns were composed that the divinities adored as primary in them. have sunk down into a secondary rank, and others inferior or unknown in those ancient times have been raised to the place they once held. The moon-plant sacrifice is not considered perfect unless there be a feast, and a distribution of presents to Brahmans at its conclusion. The viands of which the feast is composed are rice, sour curds mixed with barley-flour, cakes made with butter and sugar, along with potations of the moonplant beverage. Cows, gold, horses and provisions are the principal gifts mentioned as necessary to be given to the officiating Brahmans. THEOLOGY OF THIS VEDA. The theology of this Veda differs considerably in detail from the modern systems of Hindooism, while yet its basis is the same. Soma, identified with the uncreated spirit, holds the place of Brahmá in the more modern Vedanta; he is said to be Indra, Agni and all the gods. All the gods perish, it is said, at the great Pralaya; Soma alone remains, and becomes the originator of a new world. At the Pralaya it is said that the womb of Ocean contains all the gods. From USE OF THE RIK IN THE SÁMA-VEDA. The Rig-Veda is a collection of ancient hymns arranged according to their authors; the Sáma appears to be a collection of verses arranged according to their subjects. I am of opinion that most of the verses, if not the whole, are taken from the Rik. The commentator for about two-thirds of the first part mentions the author. I have searched in the Rik for all the verses ascribed to Madhuchhanda, Jetá and Sunahsepha, and found the whole. I feel persuaded that a similar search would have given the same result in regard to the others, as I have throughout the whole found verses I recognized as having seen in the Rig-Veda. THE AGE AND AUTHORS OF THE VEDAS. It may be asked, What light do these hymns throw on the age and authors of the Veda? On the general subject of Hindoo chronology they throw but little light, only the age of man is spoken of as being limited by about one hundred years. Comparatively, however, Yayáti and Turvasa, who stand near the top of the list in the Soma dynasty, were ancients when some of the verses were written. Colebrooke's conclusion also as regards the authors is confirmed; for not only do we find the names of the Rishis prefixed to the texts, but in some instances introduced into the sacred Mantra itself. Viswamitra, Vasishtha and the other names famous in Indian history then were the authors of the Vedas. They lived before the time of Ráma Chandra; so that if Bentley's calculations approximate anything near to the truth, we may say that some of the principal parts of these hymns were composed between one thousand and twelve hundred years before the Christian era. It is not till all the mysterious records of Hindooism have been brought to light that we shall be able to take a comprehensive view of the Brahmanical system as a whole. REV. J. STEVENSON, D. D. ADHYAYA OF THE SAMA-VEDA. O FROM THE ORIGINAL SANSCRIT. PURIFYING SOMA, the all-pervading, beloved, heaven-descended, milky streams of juice are being produced over the. receiving-vessel, and the creative priests purify thee, so that thy large drops fall down through mid-air, O thou who art the portion of the Rishis! The life-preserving streams of the unchangeable purifier proceed in all directions to both the worlds, when the green plant is purified in the holy place, and sit on the receiving-vessel over the spirit-generating womb. O beholder of all things, the mighty beams of thee, the ever-increasing, proceed on all sides to the universal mansion (the bodies of the gods); whilst thou, O allpervading Soma, art in thy indestructible juice poured forth pure and reignest supreme over every land. The purifier, sprung from heaven all-wondrous like a flash of lightning, appears in a mighty flame called Vaiswánara (the friend of all men). O brilliant purifier, the Rákshasa-dispelling, inebriating esssence of thy juice is flowing down purified through the goat's-hair strainer. The happiness-conferring, shining juice of thee, our purifier, displays its splendor, and thou, the seer of all things, spreadest thy light all abroad. As cows cheerfully go (to the cow-house), so do these quick-moving, shining, ever-advancing moon-plants, stript of their black skins, (go to their place). We praise the Rákshasa-restraining, difficultly-obtained, enduring, inebriation-generating, bark-divested stalks of the present excellent moon-plants. The voice of the mighty purifier is heard descending like a shower of rain, and his rays shine in the heavens. O Soma, strain out pure for us abundance of food, joined with abundance of cows, of gold, of horses and heroic sons. Do thou, O beholder of all things, distil out pure for us thy juice, and satisfy the two extended worlds, as the Sun by his rays distils the morning. O Soma, do thou with thy golden streams encompass us on all sides as the earth is encompassed on all sides with water. O Soma, possessed of an exalted mind, having assumed thy body, beloved by the gods, go on all sides, saying, “(I go) wherever the gods are." Consecrating the unconsecrated and providing food for the people, send down showers of rain from heaven. He who moves with speed to the highest heavens distils floods of water while seated in the holy place. When pressed, thou comest quickly into thy holy state, accompanied with thy might, possessed of radiance, seeing all things and enlightening (the gods). When pressed, whether near or at a distance, (Soma), enveloping, protects us. The honeyed Soma is being strained out pure for Indra's drinking. The everywhere-going sister-consorts (the fingers), desirous of the mighty work (of bruising the plants), thrust (under the stones) the magnanimous lord, the mighty (moonplant) Indu. O purified divinity, who shinest with ray after ray, when pressed for the gods, do thou bring among us all thy treasures. O purifier, pour down on us rain worthy of our praises, to enable us to serve the gods, and let it come gathering around us to provide for us food. The preserver of men, the ever-watchful Agni, the possessor of wonderful might, was produced to cause prosperity anew to the worshippers, and the pure and shining god, lighted up by the priests with clarified butter, shines with an intense heaven-embracing flame. O Agni, Angiras Rishi found thee out when concealed as in a cave under the cover of every tree in the forest, and thou camest forth on being churned by his mighty strength. Hence, O emitter of heat, thou hast been called the Son of Strength. The priests cause thee, Agni, the lighter up of the sacrifice, the first-born, who of old wast placed in thy sacred recess, and travellest with thy chariot in the same line with Indra and the gods, to shine forth in the mirthful assembly. Let, then, (Agni), the herald of the gods, and the prosperer of our religious acts, sit down on the sacred grass to partake of the sacrifice. O Mitra and Varuna, prosperers of sacrificial rites, these moon-plants have been pressed for you; therefore in this sacrifice hear my invocation. O possessors of radiance, without hate, immovable, most excellent, who enter the hall of assembly, which has a thousand supporting pillars, (come hither). They two, the universal monarchs, whose food is melted butter and moon-plant juice, sons of Aditi, the givers of wealth, serve the guileless (performers of sacrifice). Indra, who utters not a word against his worshippers, slew with the bones of the Rishi Dadhícha ninety times nine of his foes. Desirous of the Rishi's horse-head, which had its locality among the mountains, he there discovered it in a lake. When the time of the departure of the ever-moving sun arrives, the light proceeds to take up its abode in the mansion of the moon. This copious song of praise was produced |