now called Mungka laddu in the
bazars of Indian towns.

214. The unccha vow consists of subsisting upon grains of corn picked up
after the manner of the pigeon from the field after the crops have been
cut and removed by the owners.

215. The day of 12 hours is divided into 8 divisions.

216. A prastha is made up of four Kudavas. A Kudava is equal to about
twelve double handfuls.

217. This verse is rather obscure. I am not sure that I have understood
it correctly. The sense seems to be this: thou art capable of enduring
much. Indeed, by barely living, thou art capable of earning
religious merit, for life-breath is a great deity. He should not be cast
off. Thy life is at stake, for if this guest be not gratified, the
thought of it will kill thee. Do thou, therefore, protect thy life by
gratifying this guest with my share of the barley.

218. The sense is this: for the sake of those auspicious results after
which every family should strive, the daughter-in-law should be well
treated. How then can I deprive thee of food?

219. The Diksha consists of the initiatory rites undergone by one
desirous of performing a particular sacrifice or completing a particular
vow. Some auspicious day is selected. Mantras are uttered and the purpose
is expressed in words. There were many long-extending sacrifices which
were partly of the nature of vows. Till their completion the performer or
observer is said to undergo the period of Diksha.

220. The first line of 20 is differently read in the Bombay text. It
runs,--'steadfastly observing my vow, I shall make arrangements for many
sacrifices, creating the articles I want by thought alone (or fiats of my
will).'

221. Probably, the sense is this: If a Brahmana produced extraordinary
results by his penances, a portion of his penances was supposed to be
destroyed. The Rishis did not like that any portion of Agastya's penances
should be spent for completing his sacrifice.

222. It is difficult to resist the conviction that as much of this
section as relates to the mongoose is an interpolation. The Brahmanas
could not bear the idea of a sacrifice with such profusion of gifts, as
that of Yudhishthira, being censurable. Hence the invention about the
transformation of the mongoose. Truly speaking, the doctrine is noble of
the gift of a small quantity of barley made under the circumstances being
superior in point of merit to even a Horse-sacrifice performed by a king
with gifts in profusi