Text 17] The Lord Incarnates as Mohini-marti 13

TRANSLATION

The demigods and demons then observed a fast. After bathing,
they offered clarified butter and oblations into the fire and gave
charity to the cows and to the brahmanas and members of the
other orders of society, namely the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sidras,
who were all rewarded as they deserved. Thereafter, the demigods
and demons performed ritualistic ceremonies under the directions
of the brahmanas. Then they dressed themselves with new gar-
ments according to their own choice, decorated their bodies with
ornaments, and sat facing east on seats made of kuSa grass.

PURPORT

The Vedas enjoin that for every ritualistic ceremony one must first be-
come clean by bathing either in the water of the Ganges or Yamuna or in
the sea. Then one may perform the ritualistic ceremony and offer
clarified butter into the fire. In this verse the words paridhaya ahatani
are especially significant. A sannydsi or a person about to perform a
ritualistic ceremony should not dress himself in clothing sewn with a
needle.

TEXTS 16-17

megagaey ay ftir 4
HARTA gerd meee Neal
TA ATH BWAVVITHS-
ape a Sa |
Ml ad sanagaada
FATA SIATAMAATT — 112i

pran-mukhesipavistesu
suresu ditijesu ca

dhitpamodita-salayam
Justayam mdlya-dipakaih

tasyam narendra karabhorur usad-dukiila-
Sroni-tatalasa-gatir mada-vihvalaksi
