Widows and women are required to sleep on the ground during their monthly courses. Women whose husbands are away are also to do the same.[124] In the Ratnágiri District Katkaris, on the day on which they wish to be possessed by a particular deity or spirit, are required to sleep on the earth.[125] When people are on the point of death, they are made to lie on blades of darbha grass placed on the earth.[126] The performer of a sacrifice as well as one who has observed a vow are to sleep on the ground.[127] The following articles should not be allowed to touch the earth, viz. pearls, the Sháligram stone, an image of the god Vishnu, the linga of Shiva, a conch shell, the sacred thread of a Bráhman, flowers intended for worship, basil leaves, and Govardhan.[128]
The following lines are repeated in the morning before setting foot to the ground[129]:—
O Goddess! who is clothed (surrounded) by the sea, whose breasts are mountains, and who is the wife of Vishnu, I bow down to thee; please forgive the touch of my feet. O Goddess Earth! who art born by the power of Vishnu, whose surface is of the colour of a conch shell and who art the store house of innumerable jewels, I bow down to thee.
Some women of the Thána District worship the earth daily during the Cháturmás (four months of the rainy season), at the end of which they give a Bráhman a piece of land or the money equivalent of it.[130] Persons who perform a particular rite, e.g., the Solásomavár-vrata (a vow observed on sixteen successive Mondays) are required to sleep on the bare ground.[131] At the sowing and harvest time, farmers appease the earth by offering it cocoanuts, fowls, rice mixed with curd, etc.[132] The blood of a king and the balls of rice given to the manes of the dead are not allowed to touch the ground. People convey to a distant place the water of the Ganges, without placing it on the ground.[133]
The earth is required to be worshipped before taking a portion of it for sacrificial purposes.[134] A vessel containing water over which incantations have been repeated is not allowed to touch the ground.[135] On the 15th day of the bright half of Ashvin every farmer prepares some sweetmeats in his house, and takes them to his farm. There he gathers five stones, worships them, and offers the sweetmeats to the earth. Afterwards he takes a portion of the food and scatters it over the farm. His family then gather there and take a hearty meal. In the evening the person who carried the food to the farm, picks up some grains of barley and puts them into a basket. On return home the grains are thrown over the house.[136]
Various conflicting notions are entertained regarding thunder and lightning. The people of the Ratnágiri District believe that the clouds are animals that roar. When these animals emit water it bursts forth on account of the circular motion of the winds called Chanda and Munda. This bursting is supposed to produce thunder and lightning.[137] Somewhere thunder and lightning are said to be the signals given by the god Indra, to birds, beasts, etc., of the setting in of the rainy season.[138] Some people believe that the god Indra sends rain through his elephants who, being excited, make a noise like thunder.[139]
Others regard the thunder as the roaring of the elephant of the gods, while sucking sea-water. The thunder is also believed to be the roaring of the god Varuna, the king of the clouds.[140] The boys of the Ratnágiri District believe that thunder is a sign of the wedding ceremonies performed in the heavenly houses of the gods.[141] Some Mahomedans believe that an angel called Mekail has control over the rain. To cause a fall of rain Mekail strikes the clouds with a whip of lightning. The clouds then utter a cry, and this is the cause of thunder.[142] Some people of the Thána District believe that there are big stones in the sky which strike against each other owing to the force of the wind, and produce thunder. The dashing of these stones against each other also generates lightning.[143]
In the Kolába District it is believed that thunder is the military band of the king of clouds and lightning is his banner.[144] Lightning is said to be produced by the fighting of celestial elephants; while thunder is heard when they pour out water.[145] Some people think that thunder is the noise of the feet of the elephants (clouds) that give rain; lightning is also said to be generated from their foot fall.[146] The clouds are supposed to be the messengers of gods, lightning being the manifestation of Divine power. The gods are said to confine these messengers from the nakshatra of Ardra to the nakshatra of Hasti, in which latter nakshatra they again begin to roar.[147]
Thunder is supposed to take place when the god Indra draws his bow; while lightning is said to be produced when the same god strikes his adamant against a mountain.[148]
In the Ratnágiri District it is believed that earthquake occurs whenever the thousand headed Shesha shakes its head.[149] It is said that at one time a demon named Gayásur became very troublesome, and all the gods held him down by standing on his body. Thereupon the demon requested all the gods to remain on his body for ever. Occasionally this Gayásur shakes his body and this causes the earthquake.[150] Some people believe that the earth trembles of its own accord when sins accumulate upon it.[151] Others hold that the earthquake takes place in the hollow parts of the earth.[152] Some people, however, believe that since the earth floats upon water, it naturally quakes at times.[153]