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Observance of this sacred vow is considered most proficient which enables one to defeat the enemy howsoever strong he may be. It is further stated to ensure victory in war and bless one with eight forms of supernatural powers. The frontal court-yard of the palace of a king who performs such a Vrata, remains crowded with best warelephants and horses that are world-famous (Visva-vikhyata), wealth embodies itself in his palace and kingdom and goddess of wealth remains ever-contended with such a king. To prove the effectiveness of this vrata are narrated various anecdotes of the water-nymphs, city of Virata, the brahmin boy and king Sivadasa, etc. and the author of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika is of the opinion that good kings should imbibe from these narratives and perform this vrata with due sincerity (94.1-10). Time: This vrata begins on the 8 th of the brightfortnight of the auspicious month of Bhadrapada and continues till the 8 th of black-fort-night of the said month (11). Procedure: On the early morning of the said day, a priest is invited by the king and his principal queen to perform

303 the ritual. First is performed the worship of the jar. The priest is sent to a river in a palanquin for the purpose to the sounding of buggles (turi). On reaching the river or lake the priest fills the pitcher of gold, silver or earth with sacred water, decorates it with leaves and garlands of flowers and invokes great rivers like the Ganges etc. into it. Then the jar is covered with a silken piece of cloth and brought to the place of wor ship into the flower-bedecked pavilion which is erected to the N.E. (aisanya) direction of the royal abode and placed on the motiff of an eight-petalled lotus, made with white rice. On it, on a silken piece of cloth is seated the golden idol of Laksmi made with three palas or half of gold (12-19). Description of the goddess : The goddess is described to have four hands holding lotus flowers in each of her two hands, a rosary in the third, while the fourth hand is in the posture of blessing (vara). Seated on the elephant-back in the lotus-posture (padmasana), she wears white robes. The lotus-faced one with lotus-shapped eyes, is in a posture of being bathed by

304 elephants of quarters with pitchers of gold. Wearing ornaments like the precious diadem of gem, bracelets etc. She is depicted to be chewing a betel, rendered fragrant with camphor (20-23). Arrival of the royal couple The priest having installed the idol, informs the king who, with his principal queen, reaches the place of worship before it is noon. The royal couple take their seats while facing east. Now the king takes a resolution that he shall be performing this vrata for fifteen days from 8 th of the bright fortnight to 8 th of the black- to secure prosperity of his state and a number of such other objectives (24-28). The Worship : Now, the royal couple tie gold-ribbons to their hands and offer worship to the goddess with perfume, flowers etc. to the chanting of various puranic formulae and Srisukta by the priest. In a similar fashion, they f perform the worship of ancillary deities also. Then follows offering of Naivedya consisting of fruits and other edibles and the mouth-purifier (mukha-vasa). Thus, the worship is said to be concluded (29-32).

305 As a sequel to worship of goddess Laksmi are now worshipped a number ladies whose husbands are alive (Suvasin) and honoured with presentations alongwith 92 the performing priest. Other details of the ritual consist of an offering of water (arghya) with fruits to the goddess while to the moon is offered an arghya of milk. 93 Next the king ties a string (sudorakam) to his arm and carries on his head the sanctified grains of whole rice, given by the priest and after a brief prayer, he offers the handful of flowers (33-35). Concluding Worship, gift of idol etc : Such ritual worship continues, as indicated earlier, till the 8 th of the black-fort-night. At the n strike of mid-bight on the concluding day or at noon, 92. 93. Worship of the moon while worshipping, Mahalakshmi is indicative of their relationship in-as-much as both are said to have originated together from a common source, from the ocean of milk, at the time of Samudra-manthan a In digest works like Nirnaya sindhu (153-154), Smrtikaustubha (231-239) as quoted by Kane, Kane, Vol. V.1, p.377 it is observed that such a string has as many as sixteen knots signifting possibly, the number of years the worship is to be performed.

306 the king takes his ablutory bath (avabhrtha) and orders for the celebration. Besides the regular worship now, the deity is offered upacaras (articles of worship such as Asana, light etc.) to the tune of musical instruments. When this is over, the performing priest after being honoured with his wife, is given away the idol of the goddess followed by donations. The destitute, the blind and the poor are also satisfied with presents etc. And after pleasing the Suvasini ladies, the king is said to partake of his food with members of his family and friends (36-40). Observation : We observe in connection with the worship of the important thing which lies in goddess of wealth one C observe celibaly king's worship of the goddess in the most austere manner. He is advised to eschew pleasure and also (41-42). Also it is seen that Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika confirms to the opinions of other writers to the effect that such observances once begun, should be continued for a period of sixteen years and as such, it appears to be a Kamya (optional) vrata in contrast to the Nitva (obligatory) vratas like Dipavali etc.