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[Full title: Royal routine (1) At dawn (usahkala)]

The king, as we shall shortly see, is expected to put up hard work in the discharge of his duties. He appears to have devoted most of his time to the administrative work of the state. The day is divided into a number of equal divisions (ghatikas) each of which was utilised by the king for dispatch of the work of a particular kind. The Imperial Programme of daily work as preserved in our text, provides interesting informations regarding the daily routine of a king. At dawn (usahkala): Wakes to sweet music : The day for him begins with leaving the bed at dawn, duly aroused by sweet songs of eulogy, sung by a matron (dhatri). We are informed that while still in bed, he says prayers to his tutelary deity for a while and then listens to the songs of royal-heralders (suta), professional panegyrists (magadha) and bards (bandin) depicting his heroic acts of bravery, coupled with music, played on instruments like lyre, flute, tabors etc. by the maids of the harem. He also listens to prayers and songs (hymns) i

429 in honour of different gods, set to different musical notes by the brahmins (71.11-18). Sighting of auspicious articles : A number of auspicious articles the sight of which in the early morning is said to endow him with great power (Vibhuti) are brought before him. He is beholden to these, while these are carefully brought before him, one by one, by maids of the harem. These include objects like, a milk-filled-jar, a mirror (intended possibly to enable the king to see his face), a parrot (suka), scented, flowers etc. Also, he witnesses a brahmin, learned in the vedic-lore (srotriya), a beautiful cow, another twice-born one, who has built (sacrificial) fire-altar (agnicitadvija) and a couple of brahmins, peacefully reclining on bed. He is now conducted to the toilet and bath chamber by trusted (apta) lady-attendents and is urged to finish his ablutions when it is still 5 brahmamuhurta (19-30). His meditation on Lord Naravana: The king, before proceeding for bath is instructed to meditate for sometime on the, celestial form of Lord Narayana with his consort Laksmi, who is seated on 5. a particular period of time before sun-rise which is held to be very sacred.

430 Garuda, decked with yellow robes, wearing a diadem of gem, Vanamala (a wreath of flowers flowing up to the knees), the Srivatsa-mark embossed on his chest and the Kaustubha jewel lying suspended thereon and who is being showered with praises by guild of great sages like Sanaka etc. (72.4-7). Proceeds to the bath : S At then, he is also reminded of his sacred resolve of the day like performance of religious acts, dana, vrata etc. Now leaving his seat, he proceeds for the royal bath while his path is lighted by candles, carried by a beautiful maid. The robes which he puts on then, is stated to be flowing and gold-hued, spread from neck to knee and a pair of gold foot-wear (8-11). A realistic description awaits the reader here when the author tries to portray the present condition of the king. The king is described to proceed at a slow pace towards the bath while loose locks of hair, though affected by the encircling turban on his head try to spread out. The fore-head-mark (tilaka) is slightly broken and cosmetics 6. A mark or curl of hair on the breast of Visnu said to be white and represented in pictures by a symbol resembling a cruciform flowers. Monier-Williams p.1100.

431 applied to his bosom are half-hidden and half-visible. All these on the whole, are said to depict a form which is still beautiful. The bath : On reaching the bath he is helped to sit on a low and gilded pedestal and remove the ornaments to a goldplate, specially carried by an attendant for the purpose. Another maid takes out the wreaths from his locks of hair and straightens those while combing with her nail-points (nakha-mukha). Still another, pours perfumed and sacred water on him carrying it with small jars of gold. Significantly we observe here that while thus taking his bath, the king has to sit be facing to the east (pranmukha), (12-18). Post-bath activities : After bath water from his body is seaked out by massaging it with a (dry) towel by a maid who then ties another towel around king's head to help dry the drenched hairs. When thus, the king is being bathed by a bevy of beautiful maids, a queen awaits with fresh-wears. The atmosphere is stated to be laden with the fragrance of agaru (Agallochum). Another servant now combs his hairs,

432 spreads out and shampoos those with some fragrant unguent, mixed with antelope musk and then ties those together (nahyeta). Still another, makes a beautiful tuft, tying it with strings of flowers (18-22). The king, now puts on a golden robe and is shown a gem-mirror to ascertain that he can only be compared to himself in this world in matter of physical charm and beauty. Wearing a number of ornaments like bracelets, diadem etc. now, he is conducted to the Audience Hall (asthanakuta). Listening to Pancanga, wearing of caste mark etc. : On assuming his auspicious seat (throne) there, he is described to first listen to the Pancanga (description of determination of time according to the almanac) of the day from the royal chaplain after which he desprinkles his a limbs with sacred waters given by a priest from daksinavarta (conch). The royal Chaplain now gives him mrtsna (a sacred aluminous clay) for making the urdhva pundra mark on his forehead. For this purpose he may use ordinary sandalpaste or gopi-candana also (23-28). 7. A species of white clay said to be brought from Dvaraka and used by Visnu's worshippers for marking the face, (Monier-Williams, p.368).

433 8 Other relevant chores of the time are performed by the king while seated on a variegated blanket (citrakambala). These are, the arghya (respectful offering of water), pranayama (control of vital airs), mystical placement of si etc. on different parts of his body and meditation on the presiding deity of a sacred formula with nyasas, mudras and apa (meditative repetition of a formula). All these are performed while assuming a posture in which the eye-lids are half-closed and holding a rosary of pearls. He is stated to be thus engaged till the Sun appears (29-32). The morning-chores : The morning-chores of the king, like those in the brahmamuhurta are described mainly to be consisting of a prayer in honour of the sun-god and performance of ritual either Hari (Visnu) or Hara (Siva) (73.5). Praver to sun-god: worship of The prayer to the sun-god is not only a unique m one but its performance is stated to be somehow magically connected with fulfilment of one's desires and attainment 8. 9. Placing the sacred formula on six different parts of the body like Carana, nakha, pada etc. (See under Chapter II. 3). Name of particular intertwinings of fingers, practised in religious worship and supposed to possess an occult meaning and magical efficacy (Monier-Williams p.822).

434 The of stability of the prosperity of a state etc. In view of its importance, we reproduce below a gist of it. king addresses his prayers in the following manner : '0 aditya, thou art known as tapana, (the one, causing heat, pain, distress etc.). Yet, you also dispel the inner pain and distress of the devotees. Who does (not) know the importance (power) of yours, in this matter'. 'Tell me, O aditya, do the gods who are difficult to worship (duraradhya) bestow any fruit at all? But in the three worlds, thou art the only god who is easily appeased and bestows blessings with even a single salutation (sakrt pranama).' 'Please do tell me, how simultaneously, you could become eyes of Hari and Hara; strange art thine skills'. 'Strange it is that thou, who art the heralder of day and (luminous) mark (tilaka) of the entire assembly of gods, art addressed in this world as paramour (tilaka) of the bride of the eastern horizon only? There might be hundreds of gods but thou art the god of my veneration'. 'Even the three gods (viz. Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara perform worship of your manifestation only'.

435 'Thou shine with some of thy rays that are bright and piercing, O heralder of the day, thou cause showers of rain with some others and with still others thou protect (the beings) by providing them with (drinking) water. Thus, is really justified the multifacetedness of thy lustre (@itrabhanuta)'. 'As it is thy wont to charitably bestow profuse wealth on the devotees, (methink) thine vasu (golden rays) also multiply in a thousand ways.' 'Dost thou daily rise in the eastern horizon, thinking that thou art all disposed for causing prosperity unto thy devotees too' (6-12). Obeisance : Thus praying in still different ways, he recites a few hymns addressed to sun-god from the Vedas while keeping his folded hands on his head. After saying his prayers, he pays his obeisance while prostrating on the floor like a stick, all eight limbs of his body touching 10 the ground (Sastanga) and thus, is concluded his worship to the sun-god (13-15). 10. Performed with eight limbs or a reverential prostration of the body so as to touch the ground with the hands, breast, fore-head, knees and feet (Monier-Williams p.1212).

436 Resolve to worship Harior Hara! Now, firmly seated to his seat, he undertakes a resolve (samkalpa) to worship his tutelary deity and Hari or Hara with a view to get his desires fulfilled, to gain victory etc. (16-18). Details: He, for sometime, meditates on the concerned god at heart and brings him out (apasarana) as it were, through his right nostril in a mystical way and keeps (him) on a flower which is then placed on the golden or silver idol 11 of the said god, who is now invoked by showing a variety of mudras like avahani, sthapani, sannidhapan I, sannirodhakari, 12 sammukhi etc. (19-20). 11. Here the reference, though brief, appears to centre round the tantric mode of consecrating an image. This act of consecration, before the actual worship, involves on the part of the worshipper, bringing his consciousness out of his inner self alongwith exhalation of air through left or right nostril and then injecting it into the idol to be worshipped, by placing it on a flower. Such an act, in tantric parlour is known as Pranasthapana. This act is variously described in tantric texts like Saradatilakam,4.88-89, Parasuramakalpasutra, 4.1 etc. See also Chapter (II.7). 12. Mudras are described to be twentyfour in number which are commonly practised in religious worship and supposed to possess an occult meaning and magical efficacy. (Monier-Williams p.822). For their definition and pictorial representation see Parasuramakalpasutra, appendices II and VI. and also the note thder Chapter II.3 of this thesis.

437 This over, the god is offered padya (water for washing the feet), arghya (water for respectful reception) acamaniya (water for sipping), madhuparka (a mixture of honey, milk etc), pancamrta (five kinds of divine of food (vid. milk, coagulated milk, butter, honey and sugar). Now, the god is bathed, given cloth and as sacred thread to waar alongwith articles like sandal paste, flowers of sorts and leaves of tulasi (Holy Basil). When the offerings are over, one thousand or one hundred and eight names of the Lord are recited with devotion, which is followed by acts of further offering of articles like incense, light, food stuff and a betel at the end. The worshipper, now goes round the idol, prays and performs the nirajana by adoringly waving of lights before the idol. Also, are offered at this stage, articles that are prescribed in case of a royal worship (raiopacara) (21-26). 13 Thus, when the main-worship is over, the king mixes tulasi (Basil) leaves to all sacred waters and himself takes a draught (culuka) of it, collects a tulasi leaf, offered to the god and reverentially places it on his head (27). 13. Articles enumerated in this context are, a mirror, foot-wear, an umbrella, two chowry-fans, a fan, a small swing (andolika) and blowing of a conch. See. Bodhayaniya-Brahmakarma-Samuccaya (ahnikakanda), p.52.

Gifts 438 Such worship to the Lord is followed by acts of reverence to a tawny cow which is then gifted away to a suitable brahmin with pouring of water. Sesame and 14 the galagrama stone etc. are given as donations (daksina) on this occasion. The king satisfies a number of other brahmins also with gifts and donations who, when satisfied, shower grains of benedictory rice on his head and the king is described to carry these with utter reverence who now, prepares to listen to the recitation of Purana (28-31). He listens to purana-recitation. Listening to recitation of sacred texts like Purana (here, Mahabharata and Bhagavata) is also considered meritorious by our author and as such, the king is instructed to include it as a part of his daily-chores. The time suitable for listening to recitation of Bharata 14. A sacred stone worshipped by the Vaisnavas and supposed to be pervaded by the presence of Visnu. It is a black stone which contains a fossil ammonite and is chiefly found in the bed of river Gandaki (Monier-Williams p.1067).

439 is said to be the hour, when morning has already crossed two hours, while listening to the Bhagavata is earmaked for the evening. It is also mentioned that while attending to such sessions, the king, is accompanied by some old and learned people and also members of his harem (74.2-3). Honouring the Pauranika: During such sessions, it was the prevalent custom to honour the Pauranika (the reciter) in the likeness of Vyasa the original author of eighteen original Puranas, while making him seated on a high platform while facing east and offering him perfume, flowers etc. We learn further that the sacred book was kept before him on a small but sanctified pedestal of wood known as Sarasvatapitha which, together with the book, was worshipped with garlands of flowers etc. in the manner of a deity (4-6). Mode of recitation etc : Usually, the king listened to such recitation while sitting on a lower platform. Possibly, it was the custom to cover two or three Chapters of the text at a stretch after which the reciter was disposed of with suitable donations. And, the king's morning worship was concluded with 'honouring the fire' (analamupasya) (7-10).

440 Now, the king puts on various ornaments, his limbs are smeared with sandalpaste, that is already offered to Visnu and in full royal uniform, he is now ushered to the Assembly Hall where he, for sometime stays in the company of the poets, singers and the learned men of the Royal Assembly (11-17). King's audience to the learned, poets and singers : The king, for his own fame, should spend, soon after the purana-session, one ghatika (about twentyfour minutes) with the learned and the wise, in healthy intellectual discussion (disquisitions). Various learned men described in this connection are the grammarians, logicians and those, specialising in Philosophical systems like Vaisesika, Mimamsa, Vedanta, Yoga and Sankhya (75.2-4). Learned discussions and king's participation Such disquisitions, we are told, take place in the form of wordy exchanges while the king is in the chair, deeply and actively participating in the discussion, his excellent performance often eliciting praise from the audience in the shape of nodding of heads and interjections like 'Sadhu', 'Sadhu' (correct, very correct).

441 Such sessions used to conclude with narratives of some famous ancient kings (5-6). Company of poets : The next ghatika the king spends in the assembly of poets. Here we get a picture of a highly developed state of Sanskrit poetry which was zealously patronised and cultivated. For, we come to know from Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika that such assemblies used to boast of poets who were quite adept in composing and interpreting most abstruse poetic elements which characterised sanskrit compositions of the age, as represented in the works of Bharavi, Dandin and SrIharsa. We see that some poets of such assemblies were polyglots, proficient in making their compositions in as many as six languages, while others are shown to 15 be excelling in the four-fold art of making poetry and some others, possessing the capacity to compose one hundred verses in a ghatika (7-9). 15. Perhaps, here is a reference to Kavyadarsa, 1.32 which enumerates Samskrta Prakrta, Apabhramsa and misra as the four-fold medium of literary compositions and Anguttaranikava, Kavisutta (2.245) describes Cinta, Suta, Attha and Patibhana kavis as four classes of poets. 1

Variety : 442 There are others, who are adept in composing verses on one hundred topics simultaneously which are mentioned to them for once only the verses, inlaid with riddles a number of Samasyas (poetic plays) like, part of a stanza L hidden or given for completion. In some cases, two or three lines (pada) of a stanza are required to be filled 16 in by others while, some poets excel in projecting dati through their compositions. Some others are skilled in filling their compositions with an overdose of poetic riddles (prahelika) and in other poets' compositions, remain hidden, the verb, object or subject (krivakarmakartrgupta). Some poets prefer to make the entire meaning of a verse riddle-like L expressed or completely hidden (bahirlapi and antarlapi). Some of the poets specialise in the use of pun or double entendre (lesa), others, boast of compositions that are replete with suggestive shades of meanings (dhvani) and still others, exhibit cases of hidden_conjugation (samdhi), both in realms of prose and poetry (10-14). 17 16. 17. Jati is described to be a figure of speech in rhetoric which consists in so arranging words that they may read the same in Sanskrit and Prakrta Apte, Monier-Williams p.733. Various facets of poetic compositions are found in Bhoja's Sarasvatikanthabharanam (Chapter 2) and also Subhasitaratna-Bhandagaram, pp.181-195.

443 From the above references it is not very difficult to discern that at such sessions, there used to be practical demonstration also, of poetic talents at the spur of the moment. Such a session was concluded with listening to narration from compositions of old poets of fame (15). Company of musicians : Now, the king switches over to the company of the musicians, both instrumental and vocal. The description of such sessions also clearly points to a highly developed and exalted state in which music was placed during the time of our author. The session, Expertise, variety etc : The music-sessions are described to be highly pleasing in which the artists, both instrumental and vocal, vie with one another to exhibit their talent before the king, whose encouragement they received, by his active participation. The lyre-players are described to be highly proficient in playing their instruments so much so that the notes produced by them are said to have a balmy effect on the listeners, in the likeness of the soothing They are further stated to be experts in the moon-beams.

444 essence of the gamut of musical notes (svaramandala-tattvaina). Others playing on Kinnara, produce such flawless and melodious notes that these could be compared to the dulcet melody of the kinnaras (celebrated celestial musicians). Still others, play on a kind of stringed musical instrument known as Ravanahasta while, the vocal singers keep on singing in different modes. The king also is stated to produce all the thirtytwo variety on play, the Rudravina and of musical modes quite flawlessly. He exhibits his rare skill in handling the instrument - each note perfectly reflecting in conveying its favourable effect. Most appropriately, he also handles Kinnarasvana and Ravanahasta and is able to raise the notes to an impassioned height a particular note capable of exciting a particular emotion 18 or affection (15-20). With the conclusion of the session of song and music the king is described to attend to the royal which begin with his consultation with the ministers. chores, 18. darsayan rudravinayam dvatrinsadgItacatur Im/ svaranukulvam vividham sphutayan svaramandale // svatanamanam kalayan kinnare kinnarasvanam / yantre ravanahastakhve raniayan raktipateram // (75.18-19).