Essay name: Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika (Study)
Author:
Artatrana Sarangi
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages
This is a study in English of the Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika (written by Lolla Lakshmidhara) representing an encyclopedic manual for emperors. The Samrajyalaksmipithika encompasses about 3870 verses in addressing topics such as public festivals, governance, warfare (military strategy), and rituals associated with the Tantric worship for the deity Samrajya-Lakshmi.
Chapter 3 - General Ritual mentioned in Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika
39 (of 262)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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182
honoured with presentation of clothes, ornaments etc. and
each of them is given away the idol, worshipped by him.
It is enjoined that gift of an idol should be done while
muttering the formula of that god. These priests are
further entreated with suitable donations which followed
by entertaining the poor, the blind and the destitute
(33-34).
15 are
Now, the Yajamana makes airavalokana (looking
in-to the clarified butter) and invites the brahmins to
a feast (34).
Such a performance is said to expel the fears on
account of bad dreams and brings in good luck, fortune,
beauty and eloquence (35-37).
15.
Aivavalokana literally means 'eyeing or gazing
at the sacrificial butter'. The implication of such a
look appears to be varied. SB (1.3.1.20) informs us
that by looking at the butter, the wife of Yajamana
ensures her participation in the ritual. Whereas at
some
said
fair
蚂
other place through a similar look, the wife is
to pray for offspring (Ap.Ss.2.6.2). Still
in a different context, through the simple gaze, trans-
ference of impurity is said to be effected (Ap.Ss
2.6.6) and so on and so forth. Coming back to our context
we however, feel that the act of 'looking at the butter '
in a santi rite performed for the riddance from the
evils of bad dreams, seems to be directed towards
transference of evils' from the affected person to the
clarified butter and purging him thereby. Also, it is
significant to note that SLP exclsively mentions this act
for Dussvapnasanti rite only. For an exhaustive treatment
of this see J. Gonda Eye and Gaze in the Veda.
