Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India.djvu/439

Rh hands, and in this incarnation they became Hanuman and his warriors. But, in the eighth incarnation, which was that of Krishna, the tulsi plant took the form of a woman Rādha, and wedded the gay and warlike lord of Dwarka. The Shōdasopachāra, or sixteen acts of homage, are next performed in due order, viz. —


 * 1. Āvahana, or invocation of the gods.


 * 2. Āsanam, or seat.


 * 3. Pādhya, or water for washing the feet.


 * 4. Arghya, or oblation of rice or water.


 * 5. Āchamanam, or water for sipping.


 * 6. Snānam, or the bath.


 * 7. Vastra, or clothing of tulsi leaves.


 * 8. Upavastra, or upper clothing of tulsi leaves.


 * 9. Gandha, or sandal paste.


 * 10. Pushpa, or flowers.


 * 11. 12. Dhūpa and Dhipa, or incense and light.


 * 13. Naivēdya, or offering of food.


 * 14. Pradakshina, or circumambulation.


 * 15. Mantrapushpa, or throwing flowers.


 * 16. Namaskāra, or salutation by prostration.

While the five stones already referred to are bathed by pouring water from a conch shell, the Purusha Sūktha, or hymn of the Rig Vēda, is repeated. This runs as follows: — " Purusha has thousands of heads, thousands of arms, thousands of eyes, and thousands of feet. On every side enveloping the earth, he transcended this mere space of ten fingers. Purusha himself is this whole (universe); whatever has been, and whatever shall be. He is also the lord of immortality, since through food he expands. Such is his greatness, and Purusha is superior to this. All existing things are a quarter of him, and that which is immortal in the sky is three quarters of him. With three quarters Purusha mounted upwards. A quarter of him was again