ABSTRACT
To settle which are lucky or unlucky days on which to begin or put off an undertaking or expedition; to avert, by mantrams and suitable prayers, the curses, spells, or other evil influences of the planets and elements; to purify persons who have become unclean; to give names to newly-born children and draw their horoscopes; to bless new houses, wells, and tanks; to purify dwellings and temples which have become polluted, and also to consecrate the latter; to animate idols and install in them their particular deities by the power of their mantrams : these are but a few of the duties which come within the province of the Brahmin 'fYUrohitas, whose services are indispensable on such occasions. The most important of their duties, however, is the celebration of weddings and funerals. The ceremonies on these occasions are so numerous and complicated that an ordinary Brahmin would never be able to get through them all; they can only be learned by special study. Besides, there are mantrams and formulas connected with them which are known only to the 'fYUrohitas, and which are described in books of ritual which they take great care to hide from the eyes of all persons outside their own sect. The father makes his son learn these formulas by heart, and thus they descend from generation to generation in the same family. The purohitas are not actuated by any pious motives in taking this jealous care of their knowledge and surrounding all their doings with so much mystery; their fear is that rivals may step in who. would share the profit.s which these religiol1R exercises yield.
