The Masculine Cross: A History of Ancient and Modern Crosses and Their Connection with the Mysteries of Sex Worship; Also an Account of the Kindred Phases of Phallic Faiths and PracticesAnonymous
Religion
The Masculine Cross: A History of Ancient and Modern Crosses and Their Connection with the Mysteries of Sex Worship; Also an Account of the Kindred Phases of Phallic Faiths and Practices
Anonymous
Crosses; Phallicism
Then taking a lump of sugar and a copper vessel in his left hand, biting
the sugar and spitting it out again, the priest sips water. Afterwards
putting his hand into the third vessel, he meditates the gayatri and the
four prayers above cited, interposing this: May Indra and Varuna [the
regents of the sky and of the ocean] accept our oblations, and grant us
happiness; may Indra and the cherishing sun grant us happiness in the
distribution of food; may Indra and the moon grant us the happiness of
attaining the road to celestial bliss, and the association of good
auspices.
It is customary immediately after this lustration to give away a vessel of
tila, and also a cow, for the sake of securing the passage of the deceased
over the Vaitarani, or river of hell: whence the cow, so given, is called
Vaitarani-dhenu. Afterwards a bed, with its furniture, is brought; and the
giver sits down near the Brahmana, who has been invited to receive the
present. After saying, "Salutation to this bed with its furniture;
salutation to this priest, to whim it is given," he pays due honour to the
Brahmana in the usual form of hospitality. He then pours water into his
hand, saying, "I give thee this bed with its furniture;" the priest
replies, "give it." Upon this he sprinkles it with water; and taking up
the cusa grass, tila, and water, delivers them to the priest, pouring the
water into his hand, with a formal declaration of the gift and its
purpose; and again delivers a bit of gold with cusa grass, &c., making a
similar formal declaration, 1.--This day, I, being desirous of obtaining
celestial bliss for such a one defunct, do give unto thee, such a one, a
Brahmana descended from such a family, to whom due honour has been shown,
this bed and furniture, which has been duly honoured, and which is sacred
to Vishnu. 2. This day I give unto thee (so and so) this gold, sacred to
fire, as a sacerdotal fee, for the sake of confirming the donation I have
made of this bed and furniture. The Brahmana both times replies "be it
well." Then lying upon the bed, and touching it with the upper part of his
middle finger, he meditates the gayatri with suitable prayers, adding
"This bed is sacred to Vishnu."
With similar ceremonies and declarations he next gives away to a Brahmana,
a golden image of the deceased, or else a golden idol, or both. Afterwards
he distributes other presents among Brahmanas for the greater honour of
the deceased. Of course, all this can only be done by rich people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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