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[Full title: Royal Ceremonies (9) Hiranyagarbha-vidhi]

In the Hiranyagarbha-vidhi (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 13) the king is symbolically identified with the Sun. This ceremony, which is said to remove all sins, is to be performed in the udagayana, in the bright fortnight of the months, under an auspicious constellation, at the time of an eclipse or when a man is urged by faith, as in the case the Tulapurusa-vidhi. The v/ king and the priest get shaved and have their nails pared. The priest churns out the fire before sunset by means of the aranis of Asvattha, to the accompaniment of the mantras: agne jayasva 104 etc. The body of the performer is besmeared with oil as well as perfumes and collyrium is applied to his eyes. A golden chain is hung around his neck with the 105 mantras: agneh prajatam ...and yad abadhnan 106 (103) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XVII.1.1-5 (104) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XI.1.1-4. (105) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.26.1. (106) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.35.1.

394 Protection is sought for him with raksantu tva 107 and both the priest and the performer sleep that night on the sacred darbha grass spread out on the ground. 110 108 The next day under the abhijit muhurta a small circular pot, of the size of navel, together with a lid is prepared of gold. The purastat homa is performed and oblations are offered to the Sun with the formulas: hiranyagarbhaya svaha etc. The king is made to sit on a golden seat, he is bathed with water poured out from golden pitchers 109 to the accompaniment of the hiranyavati mantras. Water, pancaravya and the remnants of the oblations offered in the homa are put into the little golden pot with the prescribed mantras. The king is said to have thereby become symbolically one with the golden embryo. He is asked to restrain his speech and control his senses and to meditate upon the Hiranya-garbha. When the king is about to rise, he is pressed with a golden disc and the same is thrown away, with the 111 mantra: yas tva mrtyuh , to dispel evil. The king is then asked to get up, saying that he is now favoured by Hiranya-garbha. Oblations are offered with the mantras from (107) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII.1.11. (108) For an explanation regarding the muhurtas, see the sequel. (109) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension I.33. (110) Pancagavya is a mixture of the fire products of a cow: milk, curds, clarified butter, urine and dung. (111) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension 滨滨滨.11.8掳

395 the apratiratha hymn (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.13) and Varuna is praised with apsu te rajan 112 After taking the bath, the Sun is prayed to and the ceremony is brought to a close by giving away ten thousand coins to the Brahmanas by way of daksina. An excellent village also is to be given away. The ladle, the spoon and other implements used in the Hiranyagarbha-Vidhi are given to the sadasyas and the Brahmanas are fed to satisfaction. At the end of this Parisista, Brahmanas are praised highly and their blessings are said to make a king the greatest among the subjects. One who performs the hiranyagarbhaVidhi is said to enjoy in the company of god Brahma in the next world and to go to the luminous satya-loka, never to return again.