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According to Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika the 1 st of the bright fortnight of the month of Karttika (Oct-Nov.) is known as Dipavali. As in other cases, here also, our author records such celebrations as befitting a king. King's prayer to sun-god, bath etc.: Like any other auspicious day, on this day also, the king leaves his bed early in the morning and after finishing the routine ablutions, etc. prays to the

373 the sun-god (bhaskara). At the approach of the time known as samgava (dawn) he is blessed by the priest and then mounts the seat of gold while facing east and praying to his tutelary deity. Then, after a massage of his limbs with scented unguents, he takes his bath in tepid waters (113.2-6). His Offering of three candles, attending the Assembly etc. Now, gaily dressed and wearing upward pundramarks on his fore-head, he worships the tutelary deity and causes three candles to be given to brahmins with suitable donations chiefly, to overcome penury and poverty, to help settle unimpeded prosperity, etc. In the company of royal kinsmen and ministers now, he leaves for the Assembly Hall to appear before other kings, princes, ministers, etc. where his main preoccupation consists of making gift of perfume, musks, etc. to them. Then, he returns to his inner apartments and worships goddess Samrajya-lakshmi after which he is stated to be honoured by the ladies by waving of camphored lamps (nirajana) before him. This, in brief, sums up the morning engagements of the king. At noon he retires after lunch, to a brief nap (7-14).

374 Evening engagements: (Lighting of Palaces temples etc.) In the evening, he is described to witnesses wrestling-bouts and such other entertaining programme. At night-break, we are informed, his entire palace is decorated with a variety of lights and so also, many other buildings of the capital like temples, Assembly Halls, lawns, balconies, auditoria and rows of houses, flanking the streets. These decorations are done by servants who are stated to be rewarded with perfume, betels, clothes, etc, by the king (14-18). Worship of Laksmi and Bali by the king : All these candles are offered to goddess Laksmi by the king while muttering the formula 'Srive jatah (Rg-Veda 9.94.4). Who then keeps all his ornaments on the throne. A gold jar, filled with water and decked with leaves, etc. is kept on a heap of rice, wherein the king invokes Bali, the master and meditates as under : "Bali is conceived as having a stout and large body decked with all ornaments. He, the beloved of Visnu by dint of his austerities he had stolen the glory and power of Indra. He, the gold-hued one and the

375 wielder of sword and shield (carman) is surrounded by lovely ladies and is waited upon by ministers like the renerable Sukra and other demons and monsters" (19-23). Such meditation is followed by worship which is continued while recounting the formula pertaining to his name (namamantra viz., balimaharajaya namah). The worshipper makes an offering of handfuls of flowers while uttering each of the following names. BalIndra, Prahladapautra, Virocanasuta, Mahendra mardana, Danavadhisa, Visnubhakta and Vibhava-prada and prays for the desired objects while reciting the following spell (24-26). art "O Master of the demons, as thou and the overlord of all the worlds, do confer the same glory on me till the time of the great-deluge (abhuta samplava)". With his saying of such a formula, the king concludes the Puja and makes a number of gifts according to his mite, of gold, silver, pearls, gems, etc. to the brahmins. On this occasion, his friends and confidential servants al so are given presents like betels, camphor, etc. by him (27-29).

376 Such a celebration of the festival of light confers a number of merits on the performer prominent among which these are described to be long-life, freedom from diseases, victory and learning (30-31) Observation : The description of pipavall as we find in Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika appears to constitute of elements which preponderently 124 weigh in favour of a Vaisnavite celebration. The dipadanas, here are meant for driving away alaksmI (Penury) (112.13), to propitiate Laksmi-Narayana (113.9) and not for the pitrs (manes) as purported to be mentioned in Vahnipurana nor, in honour of the demon 125 Naraka (Bhavisyottara). Also, the candles which merrity twinkle, lighting the palaces, cross-roads and other buildings are dedicated to LaksmI (113.19). The Bali-Puja, too which is stated to form the main-ritual, points toward that end, in as much as Bali is proclaimed to be Visnu vallabha (113.22). 124. Cf. P.K.Gode "The History of Divali festival", Gode Vol. II Poona, 1960,p.252 where he calls the present Divali rituals, preponderently Vaisnavite' 125. Ibid.

377 Dipaval being a very ancient festival has come to associate itself with various customs and unlike other utsavas, is not celebrated in honour of any particular god or goddess but its speciality lies in 126 Both P.K.Gode and P.V.Kane its composite nature. enlist vast material on this festival from Mahabharata, Puranas and digest works. Gode in hisielearned article is found to record this as a national festival (desasya mahimasrave) while Op. cit. quoting varahapurana. (p.241). At another place (P.242) he mentions a royal procession to inspect illumination from Bhavisyottara purana. The author of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika however, in his treatment of DIpavali neither neveals such a dimension of celebrations to warrant it a national character nor do we find any reference to a royal procession undertaken by our king to inspect the illumination. However, in the description of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika, we observe a kinness to the celebrations of Diwall of recent times. 126. 1 Cf. Kane, Kane Vol. 5.2,p 195 who mentions as many as five elements which are said to form parts of Dipavali celebrations like Narakapuja, Laksmipuja, Balipuja, Gambling and the love and affection between brother and sisters.

378 Illumination and worship to Laksmi which are relevant to-day, were also prominent features of such celebrations during the time of Samrajya-lakshmi-pithika with a difference that during those times such celebrations were patronised by kings and now it has attained a public character. Diwali Lastly, we may add here that while Dia L symbolises different thing to different people%3 B one thing common to all, is the happiness it generates with its gift of light and gaiety to everyday life in the country, as of yore. And possibly because of this, it has almost become a National Festival, with its ever-growing appeal unlike many ancient festivals which are on their wayout, like Navavarsa- mahotsava, Andolaka-mahotsava or Kaumud utsava.