Page:The Sundhya, or, the Daily Prayers of the Brahmins.djvu/14



having performed all the figures contained in Plates 4 and 5, the Brahmin proceeds to the Pranayama, taking an inward view of Vishnoo Bhagwan, and Mahadeo; the first, "Preserver of the Universe," the latter, "The Destroyer of all." This ceremony is performed in the following manner: 1st, he presses in the right nostril with the fourth finger of his left hand, repeating the name of each Deity; and counting them nine times over upon the joints of the fingers of his right hand with great rapidity, half closing his eyes the while, and drawing in his breath; then gently pressing in the left nostril with the thumb, as in fig. 2, he breathes out, repeating the same name as many times over. Then releasing the right nostril, and still pressing in the left with the thumb, as in fig. 3, he terminates the Pranayama. These names, &c., are not uttered aloud, but merely by the movement of the lips.