The Orion, or Researches into the Antiquity of the Vedas c9.46

c9.46

‡ These services are required at the funeral ceremony. It may be here noted that the hymn in the Rigveda which describes Yama's dogs (Rig. x. 14) is still recited at the time of burning the dead body of a Hindu. Every Brâhman has also to give, every day, two small offerings of cooked rice to the two dogs of Yama, Shyama and Shabala, at the time of the Vaishvadeva sacrifice. The offerings are placed on the ground in the form of a circle, beginning with the eastern point. The offering to Shyama is placed outside the circle at the south west and that to Shabala at the north-west point. In other words, Shyama and Shabala are placed on each side of the western point, in the same way as the dogs appear in the heavens on each side of the Milky way.