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
104 (of 262)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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should precede honouring of the brahmins and purandhris
(women folk) and seeking their benediction (7).
Resolve of austerity
Such paraphernalia over, the king now broods over the
journey and takes a vow to observe silence, to practise
celibacy, to eschew articles of enjoyments like betel, oil,
perfume and even slippers and to shun journey by conveyances
of all description. He also resolves to take food for once
a day during the period of peregrination. Besides such
pledges of austerity on the physical level, SLP prescribes the
intending pilgrim to be equally pure in mind. This we
observe, is exemplified in the determination of the king to
develop an anxiety for listening to good things (satkatha)
only (8-10).
Gift and donations :
Such a resolve of the king is aptly followed by an
elaborate ceremony of gift in which the brahmins are given
articles, like rice, cooked in milk, gold, silver, precious
jewels, clothes, perfumes, fruits, flowers, seats, carriages,
umbrellas, fans and foot-wears besides, a variety of food and
drink, followed by suitable donations, comprising of the
things that are craved after in the world (11-15).
