having been prepared he sets fire to it, and occasionally throws on it clarified butter and other combustibles. When the body is consumed he washes the ashes into the river; the attendants bathe, and presenting a drink-offering to the deceased, return home: before they enter the house, however, each one touches fire and chews some bitter leaves, to signify that parting with relations by death is an unpleasant task."
The rites for the repose of the soul, the offerings made in a person's name after his decease, and the ceremonies which take place on the occasion, are called his shraddh[)u]; which the Hindūs are very anxious to perform in a becoming manner. The son who performs these rites obtains great merit; the deceased is satisfied, and by gifts to the Brahmāns in his name he obtains heaven.
The Hindū shastr[)u]s teach that after death the soul becomes prét[)u], a departed ghost,—namely, takes a body about the size of a person's thumb, and remains in the custody of Y[)u]m[)u], the judge of the dead. At the time of receiving punishment the body becomes enlarged, and is made capable of enduring sorrow. The performance of the rites for the repose of the soul, delivers the deceased at the end of a year from this state, and translates him to the heaven of the Pitrees, where he enjoys the reward of his meritorious actions, and afterwards in another body, enters into that state which the nature of his former actions assign to him. If the shraddh[)u] be not performed the deceased remains in the prét[)u] state, and cannot enter another body.
There are three shraddh[)u]s for the dead: one, eleven days after the death; another, every month; and another, at the close of a year after a person's decease. During the ten days of mourning the relatives hold a family council, and consult on the means of performing the shraddh[)u]; on the last of these days, after making an offering for the dead by the side of the river, they are shaved. On the next day after the performance of numerous ceremonies, and offerings made to the priests, the son goes into the house, and placing a Brahmān and his wife on a seat, covers them with ornaments, worships them, and adding a large present of money, dismisses them. After this the son of the
