Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/481

 deceased requests five Brahmāns to offer a male calf, in doing which they take two cloths each, four poitas, four betel-nuts, and some kourees, and go with the company to a spot where an altar has been prepared, one cubit high, and four cubits square. Four of the Brahmāns sit on the four sides of the altar, and there worship certain gods, and offer a burnt sacrifice. Near the altar are placed the shalgram[)u], four female calves, a male calf, and a vilw[)u] post. The fifth Brahmān reads a portion of a pooran[)a], to drive away evil spirits. The female calves are tied to four vilw[)u] posts, and the male calf to a post called vrish[)u] post. To the necks of the cow-calves four small slender baskets are suspended, in which are placed, among other things, a comb, and the iron instrument with which Hindū women blacken their eyelids. A sheet of metal is placed under the belly of the bull-calf,—on the back a sheet of copper: the hoofs are covered with silver, and the horns with gold, if the shraddh[)u] be performed by a rich man. On the hips of the bull-calf marks of Shivu's's?] trident are impressed with a hot iron. After this the son of the deceased washes the tail of the bull-calf, and with the same water presents a drink-offering to his deceased ancestors: and afterwards marries the bull-calf to the four cow-calves, repeating many formulas, in which they are recommended to cultivate love and mutual sympathy. The son next liberates the cow-calves, forbidding any one to detain them, or partake of their milk in future. In liberating the male calf, he says, "I have given thee these four wives, live with them! Thou art the living image of Y[)u]m[)u]; thou goest upon four legs. Devour not the corn of others, &c." The cow-calves are generally taken by Brahmāns, the bull-calf is let loose, to go where he pleases: these bulls wander about, and are treated by the Hindūs with great respect; no one can claim any redress for the injury they do, and no Hindū dare destroy them. The English call them "Brahmanī bulls." There are various other rites too numerous to detail, and the sums are enormous which at times are spent on the shraddh[)u].

The funeral rites of the Romans and those of the Hindūs are not very dissimilar. The Romans paid the greatest attention to