[21]
ces with "Markandeya said 'Savarni surya tanayo' &c." and ends with "Savarni bhavita manu" so many times every day.
Varana.—Then comes the Varana or appointment of the officiating priests. The yajamana, to sit with his face towards the east and the priests facing north. The yajamana says, Om you are sadhu, the priests reply, Om we are sadhu and we are seated. The yajamana says, Om I wish to propitiate you; the priests reply, Om do so. Then the yajamana anoints the priests with chandan and offers them flowers, clothes, ornaments, &c., and holding their right knee repeats, Vishnur om tat sat, to-day in the month of Asvina and in the Pratipada tithi of the bright fortnight I, so and so, of such and such gotra, do hereby appoint you who are duly homaged with chandan &c., so and so, of such and such gotra, to perform my promised annual autumnal Durga Puja. The priest replies, om I am appointed, and then the yajamana says, do you perform the same according to the Sastras, to which the priest rejoins, I shall perform the same according to my knowledge. Similarly the Tantradharakar,(14) the hota, the reader of the Devimahatmya and other officiating priests are appointed. As soon as all the officiating priests are so appointed, the yajamana
