Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c11.51

c11.51

The ancient funeral ceremonies are still preserved wholly or in part among the Brahmans and other castes¹, as for example the train of mourners led by the nearest relative as the "performer" (kartā) of the obsequies, the cremation of the corpse to the accompaniment of Mantras, turning round the heap of woods keeping it to the left side or from left to right, the water libation and the purificatory bath, the return of the mourning party and the halt at the door, chewing of Nim (Nimba) leaves, the offering of water and Piṇḍa and the hanging of a water-vessel on the following days up to the 10., the collection of bones, which is even now called asthisamcayan,—mostly on the 3. day—in a pot, in order to throw them later into the Ganges when possible, non-cremation of children (below 3 years of age), the belief that the deceased successively receives back his limbs through the Piṇḍas and recital of consolatory Mantras, particularly out the Garuḍapurāṇa. During the period of impurity, which as a rule extends over 10 days, it is forbidden to cook, to take sugar, milk or meat, to use ointments, sandal power or betel-leaves, to wear the turban or the shoes, to go out, to have the hair cut or to be shaved, to study the Vedas or to perform the service of the household god; moreover, one shall take only the foods sent by the relations and shall sleep on earth alone. Already Alberuni 2, 165—170 mentions some of these usages. Defilement through touching (Sparśadoṣa) a man of low caste, a menstruating woman, a dog etc. is still always expiated for by a bath. Women in child-bed shall remain one month and a menstruating woman 3 days in the "birth chamber" giving up all intercourse with men. That earthen and wooden vessels were thrown away after being used once and that metal vessels used to be rubbed after every meal, is mentioned already by Hiouen Thsang ¹, and even now a similar distinction is made between earthen and other vessels ². Also the use of cow-dung and cow's urine is very often resorted to for cleansing purposes ³. Regarding the defilement caused by fatty substances it may be remembered what a part the cartridges besmeared with tallow had played in the insurrection of 1857.