Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/438

 396 The Principles of Fasting.

his house ; whence this day is called Jipa-vasatha. Now, as it would even be unbecoming for him to take food before men who are staying with him as his guests have eaten ; how much more would it be so, if he were to take food before the gods who are staying with him have eaten : let him therefore take no food at all." ^ It is hardly probable, however, that this is the original meaning of the abstinence in question. It occurs about the time of new moon and full moon ; according to some native authorities the abstinence and sacrifice take place on the last two days of each half of the lunar month, whilst the generality of ritualistic writers consider the first day of the half-month — that is, the first and sixteenth days of the month — to be the proper time for the sacrifice.^ We shall presently see how frequently fasting is observed on these occasions, presumably for fear of eating food which is supposed to have been polluted by the moon ; hence it seems to me by no means improbable that the vrata has a similar origin, instead of being merely a rite preparatory to the sacrifice which follows it. But at the same time the idea that spirits or gods should have the first share of a meal is certainly very ancient, and may lead to actual fasting in case the offering for some reason or other is to be delayed. A Polynesian legend tells us that a man by name Maui once caught an immense fish. Then he left his brothers, saying to them : — " After I am gone, be courageous and patient ; do not eat food until I return, and do not let one fish be cut up, but rather leave it until I have carried an offering to the gods from this great haul of fish, and until I have found a priest, that fitting prayers and sacrifices may be offered to the god, and the necessary rites be completed in order. We shall thus all be purified. I will then return,

^ Satapatha-Br&hmana, i. i. i. 7 sq. Eggeling, in Sacred Books of the East, xii. i sq. Oldenberg, Die Religion des Veda, p. 143, n. i. 2 Eggeling, in Sacred Books of the East, xii. i.