55. The preceptor should then, with mantras, sprinkle water, and having bound a thread upon the hand, should present the coloured rice also consecrated with mantras.

50-57. Then he should have Brahmins fed with various pleasant sweetened foods, and he should give them presents, and twelve pots with water and food.

After the feeding of the twice-born, water, a weapon, scales, and a rod should be touched severally by the castes, who are respectively thus purified.

58. The Sapinda ceremony having been thus performed, the cloths worn during the rite should be cast off; and white cloths having been donned, the gift of a bed should he made.

59-64. All the Devas, headed by Indra, extol the gift of a bed. Therefore a bed should be given, during life or else after death.

Made of the choicest wood, delightful, painted in beautiful colours, strong, canopied with silken cloth, ornamented with gold leaves,

Having beautiful pillows stuffed with swans' down, together with a coverlet made fragrant with the scent of flowers,

Well-bound with bright bands, broad and pleasant: such a bed as this being made, it should be placed on the ground covered with cloth.

An umbrella, a row of silver lamps, an oxtail fan, a seat, a vessel, a water-pot, a mirror, and a canopy of five colours,

And all the other accompaniments of the bed he should place round it, in their proper places.

65-66. On it he should have placed a golden Hari, together with Laksmi, with all the ornaments, weapons and clothes.

And, in the case of women, having placed them on the bed, he should have the red dye, saffron, clothes, ornaments, and all the other necessary things.

67-68. Then a Brahmin, with his wife adorned with fragrances and flowers, with ear and finger ornaments and golden necklaces,

Wearing a turban and an upper cloth and jacket, should be seated by him on the comfortable bed, in front of Laksmi and Narayana.

69-71. He should worship Hari and Laksmi with saffron and flower-garlands, and adore the Guardians of the World, the Planetary Spirits and Vinayaka.

Facing north, and holding flowers in his palms, he should pronounce this mantra, standing in front of the Brahmin:

"Just as, O Krisna, your bed is the ocean full of milk, may this likewise be not empty in my future births."

72-74. Thus he should place the handsful of flowers before the Brahmin and the image of Hari, and then the bed-gift with its accompaniments, according to the rite.

He should give it to him who observes vows, is a teacher, and tells about Brahmin, and say, "O Brahmin, receive these. How seldom does any one so give!"

He should rock the twice-born and Laksmi and Hari, seated on the bed, and then, having walked round and bowed, give them leave.