Malatimadhava (study)
by Jintu Moni Dutta | 2017 | 52,468 words | ISBN-10: 8120813057 | ISBN-13: 9788120813052
This page relates ‘Worship of gods and goddesses� from the English study on the Malatimadhava of Bhavabhuti:—A Prakarana type of Drama in ten acts revolving around the love-story of Malati (from Padmāvatī) and Madhava (from Vidarbha). This study discusses the history of its author and the literary, social, religious, historical and cultural aspects of the Malatimadhava.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 1.1 - Worship of gods and goddesses
During ūپ’s time there was religious passion. No religious discrimination occurred during his time.Although he was an orthodox Hindu by birth but the Buddhist religion became the second popular religion during his time.
In the ī, ūپ has given the reference to the worship of different gods and goddesses.In the very beginning of the ʰ첹ṇa,through the benedictory verses ūپ worshipped lord Ś, ҲԱś as well as the Sun to prevent obstacles.[1] In the 1st act of the ī, ūپ had mentioned that his ancestors were performers of Vedic rituals and sacrifices.[2] In the same act it was found that ܻ峾ī had attained miraculous power by practising the vow of 첹, a religious sect who worshipped Ś in the terrific form in the mountain Śrī.[3]
During ūپ’s time the Śپ, the consort of Ś attained a great predominance. People worshipped the goddesses Śپ with sacrifices of animals and occasionally also human beings. In the ī, ūپ has given the reference of worshipping goddess , who was known as 峾ṇḍ[4] the name of ī in her terrific form.In the 5th act it was found that ǰṇṭ commanded ṇḍ to collect the materials of worship to offer to the goddess , [5] where ǰṇṭ promised to offer a womankind to the goddess for the attainment of miraculous power.[6] Thus, it appears that people of ūپ’s time used to worship different god and goddess.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
ī,I.1,2,3
[2]:
Ibid., I.p.7
[3]:
bhagavati sā saudāminyadhunā samāsāditāścaryamantrasidhiprabhābhā śrīparvate kāpalikavrata� dhārayati /
Ibid.,I.p.18
[4]:
[5]: