Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c9.34

c9.34

monies which take place are just the antithesis of the ceremonies of excommunication. A new pot of clay or gold is brought, it is filled with water out of a sacred tank or river and then it is overturned or poured upon him while his relations too bathe in the same water. Mantras from the Veda, presents to Brahmans and the same festivities which take place at the consecration of a new-born child accompany this sacred ceremony. Yet before the excommunicated person is taken into society another test shall take place : he offers grass to the cows as fodder ; now only if the cows eat this grass he is again considered to be fit for mixing in society (Y. 3, 300, M. 11, 197). After his re-acceptance into the caste he can no longer be kept down in any way; everybody must have intercourse with him in every respect (Y. 3, 296). Vas. 15, 18 contains a remarkable statement: people should walk before those who re-admit a person into society gamboling and laughing and walk before those who excommunicate a person weeping and sorrowing.