Note 13 — III. The Soothsayer’s Son.
Reading edition
The elder brother was a devout worshipper of Gaṇapati.13 That was a Friday, a day very sacred to that god. The elder brother took the corpse to the nearest Gaṇêśa14 temple and called upon him. The god came, and asked him what he wanted. “My poor brother is dead and gone; and this is his corpse. Kindly keep it in your charge till I finish worshipping you. If I leave it anywhere else the devils may snatch it away when I am absent worshipping you; after finishing your pûjâ15 I shall burn him.” Thus said the elder brother, and, giving the corpse to the god Gaṇêśa, he went to prepare himself for that deity’s ceremonials. Gaṇêśa made over the corpse to his Gaṇas,16 asking them to watch over it carefully.