The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Religion
The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Iran -- Religion; Religions
Brahman is next to compress the nostrils, so that the passage of
inhalation and exhalation should be closed up, and recite the prayers
prescribed on the occasion; then he is to stand for some time, turning
his face towards the great luminary, and repeat the necessary formulæ.
Every morning, on rising up and performing duly the offices of nature,
he is to go through the necessary rites which they call _Sandhya_,[98]
the observance of which, three times every day, is equally imperative
on both Brahman and Chattriya: 1. every morning, or from the dawn of
day until the rise of the world-illuminating solar orb; 2. at midday,
from the sun’s meridian altitude to his declination; 3. at evening, or
from one hour before the setting of the world-enlightening sun until
the rising of the stars. These rites are to be accompanied by
_Ghasal_, or “ablution,” except on the Sandhya of the latter part of
the day, when, if it be impossible, the established prayers only are
to be recited. On performing this ablution, the head is to be several
times sprinkled with water in such a manner that it may fall in drops
on it; after which, having gone through the indispensable forms of
prayer, he is to make the _Homa_, that is, he is to light the holy
fire on a pure spot, and place on it thin and fine pieces of wood, and
having chosen the still more delicate splinters of it, and moistened
them with water, he drops pure rice upon them. The fire being thus
lighted, he addresses prayers to his spiritual guide or his
instructor, father, and elders, and laying his head on the ground,
solicits their benedictions; pronouncing during this adoration his own
name, so that it may be heard by them, after this manner: “I, who am
such a one, in profound adoration address my prayers to you, and
prostrate myself in your presence:” the same prostration must also be
performed to his mother. He then repairs to his master, before whom he
stands in an humble attitude and receives instruction: but after this
form, that the instructor should say of himself, “I am now at
leisure:” he is not to command him, which would be accounted great
rudeness. When the pupil waits on his master, he is to appear before
him dressed in costly clothing; but if both master and pupil should be
in indigent circumstances, the latter is to solicit alms, and thus
procure subsistence for his master and himself: he is moreover to
remain silent at table.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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