"them who are detained in all the hells and places "of torment, this water is prefented by me.' 3d. "May thofe, who are, and thofe who are not, of "kin to me, and thofe who were allied to me in a "former existence, and all who defire oblations of "water from me obtain perfect contentment. The firft text which is taken from the Samaveda differs a little from the Yajurveda. "Gods, benevolent genii, huge ferpents, nymphs, demons, wicked beings, "fnakes, birds of mighty wing, trees, giants; and "all who traverse the ethereal region, genii who che"rifh fcience, animals that live in water or traverse "the atmosphere, creatures that have no abode, and "all living animals which exift in fin or in the prac"tice of virtue; to fatisfy them is this water presented "by me." Afterwards, the priest fhould wring his lower garment pronouncing this text: " May thofe "who have been born in my family, and have died, "leaving no fon nor kinfman, bearing the fame name, "be contented with this water which I prefent by wringing it from my vefture.' Then placing his facrificial cord on his left fhoulder, fipping water, and raifing up his arms, let him contemplate the fun, reciting a prayer inferted above: "He who tra"vels the appointed path; &c." The priest fhould afterwards present an oblation of water to the fun pronouncing the text of the Vishnu purána which has been already cited, "Salutation to the fun," &c. He then concludes the whole ceremony by wor fhipping the fun with a prayer above quoted: "Thou "art felf-exiftent," &c. by making a circuit through the fouth while he pronounces, "I follow the course "of the fun;" and by offering water from the hollow of his hand while he falutes the regents of space and other Deities. "Salutation to fpace; to the re"gents of space, to BRA'HMA, to the earth, to falutary herbs, to fire, to fpeech, to the lord of fpeech, “to the pervader, and to the mighty Deity."

66

C. E. CAR

C. E. CARRINGTON, ESQ.

SIR,

Secretary to the Afiatick Society.

THE facrifice of human and other victims, and the facrificial rites celebrated by the Hindus, having being reprefented to me as a fubject of curious inveftigation, which, from a comparison with the ceremonies ufed on fimilar occafions, by other ancient nations, might perhaps be interefting, as well to the Society, as to the learned in Europe, I procured the Calica Puran, in which I was given to underftand, I should meet with full information on the fubject. To effect this purpofe, I tranflated the Rudhirádhyayă or fanguinary chapter, which treats of human, as well as of other facrifices, in which blood is fhed. I hope alfo in my next communication, to lay before the Society, a full account of the Goddefs CALI, to whom thefe facrifices are made, and of the Bhairăvăs, fons of SIVA, to two of whom the chapter is addreffed by SIVA.

I am, &c. &c. &c.

W. C. BLAQUIERE.

Calcutta, August 15th, 1796.

XXIII. THE

7

I

XXIII.

THE RUDHIRADHYAYÅ,

OR SANGUINARY CHAPTER;

TRANSLATED FROM THE CALICA PURAN,

BY W. C. BLAQUIERE, ESQ.

SALUTATION TO CALICA.

[Shivă addreffes Betál, Bhairava, and Bhairăvă.]

Will relate you, my fons, the ceremonies and rules to be obferved in facrifices, which being duly attended to are productive of the divine favour.

The forms laid down in the vaifhnăivi Tentră, are to be followed on all occafions, and may be observed. by facrificers to all Deities.

Birds, tortoifes, allegators, fish, nine fpecies of wild animals, buffaloes, bulls, he-goats, ichneumons, wild boars, rhinocerofes, antelopes, guanas, reindeer, lions, tygers, men, and blood drawn from the offerer's own body, are looked upon as proper oblations to the Goddess Chandica, the Bhairavas, &c.

It is through facrifices that princes obtain blifs, heaven, and victory over their enemies.

tortoifes is of one month's duration, and three from that of a crocodile. By the blood of the nine fpecies of wild animals, the Goddefs is fatisfied nine months, and for that space of time continues propitious to the offerer's welfare. The blood of the wild bull and guana give pleasure for one year, and that of the antelope and wild boar for twelve years. The Sărăbha's blood fatisfies the Goddess for twenty-five years, and buffalo's and rhinoceros's blood for a hundred, and that of the tyger an equal number. That of the lion, rein-deer, and the human fpecies produces pleasure, which lafts a thousand years. The flesh of thefe, feverally, gives the Goddess pleafure for the fame duration of time as their blood. Now attend to the different fruits attending an offering of the flesh of a rhinoceros or antelope, as alfo of the fish called rohita.

The flesh of the antelope and rhinoceros pleases the Goddess five hundred years and the rohita filh and Bardhrinafa give my beloved (i. e. the Goddess CALI delight for three hundred years.)

A fpotlefs goat, who drinks only twice in twentyfour hours, whofe limbs are flender, and who is the prime among a herd, is called a Burdhrinafa, and is reckoned as the best of Håvyăs, (i. e. offerings to the Deities); and Cavyas, (i. e. offerings to deceafed progenitors.)

The bird whofe throat is blue and head red and legs black with white feathers, is called alfo Bardhrinafa, and is king of the birds, and the favorite of me and VISHNU.

By a human facrifice attended by the forms laid down, DEVI is pleafed one thousand years, and

* Sarabhas, an animal of a very fierce nature, said to have eight feet.

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