कृषि-पाराशर (महर्षि पराशर - प्राचीन भारतीय कृषि, मृदा-परीक्षण, वर्षा-पूर्वानुमान व बीज-संस्कार)

86 KṚṢI-PARĀŚARA
it is conducive to the increase of crops, in Pauṣa it causes loss of
crops.
220. By men, desiring their own welfare, should never be made
a medhi of Kapittha¹ (Feronia elephantum), Bilva (Aegle marme-
los), bamboo (Bambusa tulda), and Tṛṇarāja.²
Now the description of (the ceremony called)
Puṣyayātrā in Pauṣa
221. Then people should together perform Puṣyayātrā near the
field, on an auspicious day in Pauṣa when the paddy is not (yet)
harvested.
222-224. Feed all men in due order starting with the old, with
pāyasa³ after nicely presenting it on banana-leaves with curries, fish,
meat, vegetarian dishes and also with palatable courses (prepared) with
Asafoetida (hiṅgu) and pepper along with curd, milk, ghee, (other
preparations of milk), beverages, various fruits, roots and plenty of
sweetmeats and cakes.
225. Then having rinsed off (hands and faces) there, besmear
one another with sandal-paste, catuḥsama⁴ and perfumed oil.
226. Then, having put on new cloths, (they should) feed one
another with nice fragrant betel-leaves perfumed with camphor.
227. Being adorned with flowers, and saluted Lord of Śacī,
perform great merriments there with music, both vocal and instru-
mental, and dance.
228-232. Then all, being delighted, should look at the sun, and
with folded hands, read the incantation consisting of the four verses : —
(i) In the field, with paddy not yet harvested, due to the
infulence of Puṣya-yātrā, may she,⁵ the bestower of wel-
fare and looked upon by us all with regard, protect us !
1 Modern Bengali 'Kayed bel'.
2 May mean cocoanut-tree, a kind of bamboo or sugarcane. (vide Skt-
Eng. Dict., op. cit.)
The last one cannot obviously be intended here.
3 A preparation of milk, rice and sugar.
4 "An unguent of 4 ingredients—sandal, agallochum, saffron and musk."
(M. Wms.).
5 Lakṣmī (?).