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 2 - Rituals connected with Samrajya-lakshmi
2 (of 90)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
IN TRODUCTION 56 It is too well-known to repeat here that rituals
form an essential part of every religion and that these are
intended to function as an appropriate medium for bringing
in the divine grace into the orbit of human reach so as to
serve the desired ends. We have already indicated in the
General Introduction that SLP contains a huge mass of material
on rituals, addressed to various god-heads in general, and
others, that are connected with the tantric worship of
goddess SL, in particular.
This chapter intends to deal with
such details which belong to the latter category.
At the out-set, we propose to introduce the
goddess through her meditative and anthropomorphic portraiture
as recorded in SLP. Other elements of her worship like the
mantra (formula), yantra (diagram), etc. are described
here alongwith graphic representations of her yantra,
vastucakra and grahadevatamandala according to SLP
tradition. Details of a host of ancillary rituals like
propitiation of planets, pacification of unnatural
startling phenomena (utpatasanti) etc. are also incorporated
here as parts of the Grand Pacificatory Rite (mahasanti)
performed in her honour besides of course, the instructions
and procedural details of her Great Worship (mahapuia).
