To drive away an evil spirit from the body of a person, a conjuror, Vānjha, Koli, Vāghri, Atit, Fakir or other exorcist is engaged to set a dānklān[91] and to offer a victim and frankincense to the evil spirit, which is supposed to drive the spirit out by the same route by which it entered the body.[92][93]
Another method of driving away an evil spirit from the body is as follows:—
As soon as it is ascertained that a man is possessed by an evil spirit, somebody catches hold of the top-knot of the man or ties it into a knot. Next he is lashed with a whip or chain until the ghost in him cries out “Please don’t beat me. I shall leave the body and shall never return.” Then the ghost is told that it is a liar, that it said a thousand times that it would leave the body and not return, but it did not do it. No faith, therefore, would be put in its word. After a haggling dialogue of this kind and on the ghost’s confirmation of its offer never to return by some satisfactory oath or assurance, the top-knot is unloosed and the ghost disappears.[94]
A third method is to subject the person possessed to the fumes of red chillies or of black wood, or to tie a sacred thread round his elbow.
After one of these processes has been performed to expel the ghost, the victim gives a deep yawn, and it is said that the ghost goes out in the yawn. Next the relieved person is given water to drink, and an exorcist is engaged to take measures to prevent the possibility of the ghost’s return.[95]
In a book entitled Brāhman Nighanta Ratnākar is described the method of driving away an evil spirit from the body of a man by an offering of dhup or frankincense. The dhup to be used for this purpose must be made of gugal, and it must be offered with honey and clarified butter, repeating the following mantra:—
“Amen. Bow to the divine Lord of the evil spirits, the Lord whose teeth, jaws, and mouth are fierce, by whose three eyes the forehead is ablaze, whose lustre is marked by irresistible anger, who holds a crescent moon on the forehead and matted hair on the head, whose body is besmeared with ashes; whose neck is adorned by the poison of the fierce lord of the cobras. Oh! may success attend to thee! Oh! Great one! The Lord of spirits! manifest thy form, dance, dance; move, move; tie with a chain, tie; terrify by a neigh, terrify; kill, kill by the adamantine wand; cut, cut off by a sharp weapon; tear off, tear off by the point of a spear; reduce, reduce to atoms by the bludgeon; remove remove, all the evil spirits Swāha.”[96]
There are various superstitious beliefs entertained by people regarding sneezing.
According to one belief, if a person sneezes face to face with another who is about to begin an auspicious act, such as starting on a journey, decking his person with ornaments, performing a marriage ceremony, and the like, it portends misfortune to the latter; but a sneeze on his right or at his back foretells good. A sneeze in front of a person starting to perform an auspicious act is supposed to mean that a blow has been struck on his forehead, suggesting that the act should be stopped. If, in spite of this warning, the act is commenced, evil consequences are sure to follow.
A sneeze at a man’s back confirms the unobstructed fulfilment of the act taken in hand, as it is believed to have patted the man on his back or shoulders in token of approval.