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their local patron god and the deity of their particular calling in life.’
‘In praying to the gods the blessings which each has it in his power to bestow are to be mentioned in a few words, and they are not to be annoyed with greedy petitions, for the Mikado in his palace offers up petitions daily on behalf of his people, which are far more effectual then those of his subjects.’
‘Rising early in the morning, wash your face and hands, rinse out the mouth and cleanse the body. Then turn towards the province of Yamato, strike the palms of the hands together twice, and worship[1], bowing the head to the ground.’ The proper posture is that of kneeling on the heels, which is ordinarily assumed in saluting a superior.’
Prayer.
“From a distance I reverently worship with awe before Ame no Mi-hashira and Kuni no Mi-hashira, also called Shinatsu-hiko no kami and Shinatsu-hime no kami, to whom is consecrated the Palace built with stout pillars at Tatsuta no Tachinu in the department of Heguri in the province of Yamato.”
“I say with awe, deign to bless me by correcting the unwitting faults which, seen and heard by you, I have committed, by blowing off and clearing away the calamities which evil gods might inflict, by causing me to live long like the lard and lasting rock, and by repeating to the gods of heavenly origin and to the gods of earthly origin the petitions which I present every day, along with your breath, that they may hear with the sharp-earedness of the forth-gallopping colt.”
The two deities who are here addressed are the god and goddess of wind. Their first names mean Pillar of Heaven and Pillar of Earth, and are given because the wind pervades the space between Heaven and Earth and supports the former, as a pillar supports the roof of a
- ↑ The word rendered here ‘worship’ is wagamu, which Hirata derives from wori-kagamu, a compound verb signifying ‘to bend.’ If this etymology is correct ‘bow down’ would be a closer rendering.
