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[Full title: Royal Ceremonies (17) Ghrtakambala]

Ghrita-kambala is an important royal ceremony (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 33) and is performed in addition to other ceremonies like kotihoma It is stated that a king, who is attacked, who desires success and prosperity, who wishes to remove the evil effects of omens, or who, suspecting witch-craft, wants to counteract it, should perform this ceremony (33.2.3-4). This ceremony derives its name from the fact that, in it, the king is wrapped up in a rug (kambala) and is sprinkled with clarified butter. The Ghrtakambala is called the 'eldest son of Brahma' and various ganas of mantras are symbolically represented as his limbs (33.1.9-10). (208) Cf. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 31.7.5, 8.1-3. The clarified butter

415 required for the ceremony is stated to be one drone and one aghaka. The Parisista gives, in this connection, the following table of measurements: 5 krsnalas = 1 masaka 64 masakas - 1 pala 32 palas - 1 prastha 4 prasthas = 1 adhaka 4 adhakas = 1 drona 100 dronas = 1 dronavara 205 by The Ghrtakambala is started on an auspicious day kindling a fire at night outside the city and Nirrti is worshipped at the cross-roads by a person wearing black garments (as described in Santi-Kalpa 2.15). That person then takes bath, wears white garments and sips sauntyudaka. Clarified butter is then offered on the fire with the prescribed 206 mantras . The remnant of this offering is mixed with fourth portion of the clarified butter with the mantras from the krtyadusana, catana, matrnama, and vastospatya ganas 207 The (205) Under one of the constellations: the Pusya, the Rohini, the Mrgasiras, the Sravana, the Revati, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Asadha and Uttara Prosthapada and on Barhaspatya or Abhijit muhurta. (206) They are the maha-vyahrtis, gayatri and Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IV.1.1; Kausika Sutra 97.8; Atharvaveda, Paippalada recension I.39.1; Kausika Sutra 72.14; Rgveda I.1.1; Samaveda I.1; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VII.51.1; XX.17.12. (207) See Atharvaveda-Parisistas 32.2-5. P

416 remaining three portions are retained for being offered in the homa and for being given to the sada syas and to the Purohita respectively. Holy grass, herbs, white mustard and bilva are put into the pot of clarified butter meant for sprinkling and the pot is kept to the west of the fire. After 208 Svastivacana, the king is covered with a rug and is sprinkled with the clarified butter to the accompaniment of the 209 mantras prescribed This rite of Ghrta-kambala includes some abhicara also. 210 An image of the enemy is made of earth and is cut up into 211 pieces with the prescribed mantras Then offerings of clarified butter are made with the mantras from the duhsvapna-nasana, takma-nasana, sarmavarma, rudra and raudra 212 ganas An amulet is prepared of the wood of Sraktya, Asvattha, Audumbara or of conch or pearl and is tied on the 213 king with the pratisara mantras Offerings of clarified butter are made with the mantras of the rudra and raudra panas and the king is made to put on a garment with the (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII-2-16) mantra: yat te vasah The body of the king is besmeared with ghee, pigment as well as guggulu and collyrium is (208) Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 48.50-53. (209) They are: AVPaipp II.24.1; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.33.1; XI.2.17; Kausika Sutra 97.8; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XVII.1.24; VII.89.3. (210) Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 44.21. (211) They are: Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension X.4.25 (XIV.2.69); VII.115.1-4; II.18.1; Vedic Index 119.2. (212) See Atharvaveda-Parisistas 32.8,7,14,16,17. (213) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII.5.

417 applied to his eyes. Then the king looks at his reflection in a mirror and gives away to the Purohita ten cows, a bull and (a fourth portion of) the clarified butter. The Purohita then recites the anuvaka: raksohanam and the mantras 214 a from the sarmavarma gana. It is said that person who performs A the Ghrtakambala cannot be harmed by demons, gandharvas goblins or by cruel people. It is stated at the end of the Parisista that a person, who desires prosperity, should perform the Ghritakambala, Laksahoma, Pusyabhiseka and the 215 216 thirty-three kinds of the Maha-santi (214) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII.3-4 (215) The Santi-Kalpa 2.16 mentions only 30 kinds of the Mahasanti. The Parisistas add 3 more, namely, Salila (31.8.3), Sauryi (70 b.6.5) and Kapota (70掳.29.1). The (216) The Atharvaveda-Parisistas have described about 26 royal ceremonies. Some of these ceremonies are not exactly 'Royal' in nature. Thus, for instance, the Tulapurusa-Vidhi may be performed by any person as is suggested by the mention of materials less valuable than gold. same may be said in the case of Tiladhenu, Bhumidana, Aditya-mandaka, Hastirathadana, Asvarathadana and Vrsotsarga, in connection with which there is no express mention of a king.