THARPANA. SANSK. Amongst the Hindu races, a water oblation, an oblation offered to the gods beforo eating, - and• an oblation in honour of the dead. llindus, at the time of bathing, present water daily to the gods, to tho sages, to the yaksha, naga, gandharva, apsarases., asura, vidyadhara, pishacha, siddha, and to their deceased ancestors. The tharpana should be per formed three times a day. Brahmans wash. the -whole body before eating ; the Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra, only the hands and feet ; they then assume the yellow silk wrapper, which covers them from the waist downwards, and is the sole article of dress worn at meals. In Gujerat, each pergola haa a small oblong wooden stool to ait upon, and the food is placed on a similar stool or short legged table. The vessels used are brass or copper, —a flat, round dish, containing bread and preserves, or condiments, and two or three cups of pottage and vegetables. Tho water-veasel, of silver or brtiss, with a small drinking cup set upon it, stands on one side. The second course is com posed of rico and curds, or similar food. On great occasions, however, the fare is more varied aud costly. Ablutions after meals are confined ta the hands and face.
For the first meal the men of the family eat at the same table, then tho women clean the same vessels, and use them for their own break fast The servants take their food after the family breakfast is finished, and they use different Teasels. The men chew betel-nut after meals. They strive to avoid incurring defilement from the touch of a person of lower caste. Such pollution, how ever, when it occurs, is remediable by the use of ' panch gavya,' or the five articles derived from the cow, and by fasting for the remainder of the day. The second meal, which is a lighter one, is eaten at about eight in the evening.
A Brahman traveller preparing for dinner makes a choko,' the floor of which he spreads with cow-dung and earth, moistened with water. When at home, his own rusodo ' or cooking room is the place employed ; but if necessary, the choko may be made under the shade of a hedge by tho wayside, or in any other convenient place. Upon the choko he raises a little temporary stone, vihich he smears in liko manner with cow-dung, and thereupon he cooks his food. The Purbeea;
or eastern Brahmans, carry their exclusive notions upon this point to such a length, that brothers even are forbidden to use the same. choko, nor may one take fire from the stone of another. Hence the saying, Twelve Purbeea and thirteen choko,' because with that number of Brahmans an extra stone would be required for the fire alone.
The Brahman, when his food is ready, be fore eating, performs the tharpana ; that is to say, he fills a copper cup with water, and puts therein a few grains of barley, sonae sesamum, leaves of the sacred basil tree, sandal, etc.; then, holding some sacrificial grass, he fills his joined hands with water, which he pours back again into the cup, saying, I offer (make tharpan of) this water to all the Dev.' He proceeds to make similar offerings of water to men, animals, trees, rivers, seas, to the bhoot, pret, rishi, progenitors, and others. Then he mentions the names, as many as he can recollect, of his father's ancestors, his inother's ancestors, and his own deceased friends. Ile now performs the homa, or fire sacrifice, by throwing a portion of rice and clari fied butter into a little copper or earthen vessel containing fire, repeating, while so employed, the names of the Deva. Tho Brahman sets aside fire portions of food, for cows, beggars, dogs, ants, and sparrows. Ho then takes a little of each dish, and offers it to the Deo, in a vessel con taining five divisions. Ile now sits down to his breakfast ; but before commencing repeats the gayatri over a handful of water, with which be sprinkles his own food, and three portions which 1ln genic& rinfirt. fnr Vighim and Sir* Th.
first five mouthfuls he swallows are for the Panch pran,' or five airs supposed to be in the body and necessary to existence. At the conclusion of his repast, he deposits upon the ground a little of what remains, as an offering on behalf of the spirits residing in hell. Long practice enables the Brahman to acquit himself of the perform ance of this very elaborate and painful. cere monial in less time than is occupied in the description.