Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study)
by Maitreyee Goswami | 2018 | 55,000 words
This page relates 鈥楧iscussion on Shivaratri-vrata鈥� of the study dealing with the Vratas (vows) depicted in the Gangajala鈥攁 Smriti-Nibandha, i.e., a text belonging to the Kamarupa School of Dharma-shastra literature which deals with social topics, religious rites and local traditions. The term Vrata refers to ritual vows aimed at spiritual and moral purification. This essay explores its socio-religious implications reflecting medieval Assam.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 3.5 - Discussion on 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈-vrata
[Full title: Discussion on certain important Vratas dealt with in the vrataviveka-pariccheda of the 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II (E): The 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈-vrata]
Time of the ritual: 14th tithi of the black fortnight in the months between 尘腻驳丑补 and 辫丑腻濒驳耻苍补.
Duration: Lasts for a single day including 耻辫补惫腻蝉补/辫腻谤补峁嘺
Cycle: Yearly festival
Significance: The significance behind the observance of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata is the attainment of one鈥檚 desire or attainment of 艢颈惫补产丑腻惫补 or 艢颈惫补濒辞办补 i.e., every man wants to be 艢颈惫补.
| Month | 笔补办峁 | Tithi | Yoga | Result |
| 笔丑腻濒驳耻苍补 | 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 | 14th | 艢颈惫补yoga | Fame, well-being, purity, greatness, salvation. |
The 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata is regarded as the most auspicious night for worshipping 艢颈惫补. On that particular night 艢颈惫补 is worshipped not only in the temple but also in the private houses of the devotees. In the 266th chapter of 狈腻驳补谤补办丑补峁囜笉补 of 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata is praised thus鈥揳s among the rivers no river is as sacred as the Ganges, like that among the deities no one is as pure as 艢颈惫补. Similarly no vrata can be compared with 艣颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈惫谤补迟补 in context with purity, greatness, uniqueness and result.[1] 狈腻谤补诲补 advised the devotees to perform this 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata for the kali yuga, expecting long life, desired result, salvation and thereby attain 艣颈惫补濒辞办补.[2] 惭补丑腻艣颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈, appears to have been the most popular form of vrata in the early as well as modern India. It is a calendric festival.[3]
In 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补, it is found observed both by the tribal and the non-tribal people since past. Most of the royal dynasties of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补, were great devotees of Lord 艢颈惫补. In some, 艢颈惫补 temples like 鲍尘腻苍补苍诲补, 碍别诲腻谤补, 叠颈濒惫别艣惫补谤补 etc., animal meat is offered to 艢颈惫补 whereas in some others, the castrated goats or goats who are strangled to death are found offered to 艢颈惫补 on the occasion of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata as special as special offering. Afterwards a huge feast takes place and the meat curry is plentifully served to the devotees. This practice of animal sacrifice was recorded by Gait in his work entitled 鈥楢 History of Assam鈥� in the 1st decade of the last century and later by Barua and Neog.[4] 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补 suggests the proper timing for the worship of Lord Siva when 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 becomes a 测耻驳尘补峁璱迟丑颈. In that case if 补尘腻惫补蝉测腻 does not touch 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 by day time, then leaving the conjoint period of 迟谤补测辞诲补艣墨, the 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 should be performed even though in succeeding period 补尘腻惫补蝉测腻 is going to touch it.[5] Again if 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 happens to exist at night even for a while then also the author strongly recommends observance of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata on 迟谤补测辞诲补艣墨 if it goes to conjoint with 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨, because this particular tithi is considered to be the best tithi for worshipping Lord 艢颈惫补. If 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 covers the whole day and night, then it will be more fruitful for worshipping Lord 艢颈惫补.[6]
顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补 made another noticeable observation when 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 falls in between the month 尘腻驳丑补 and 辫丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺 conjoint with 艣颈惫补测辞驳补[7] the result is definitely favorable. 艢颈惫补ratri should be forsaken on the c膩ndra辫丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺 month accepting only the c膩ndra尘腻驳丑补 or saura辫丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺.
The 莫艣补苍补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, it is said that the 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata besides destroying the sins of its performer it bestows upon them bhukti and mukti provided they worship 艢颈惫补. It suggests two forms of 艢颈惫补肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨vrata based on the nature of its performance. Of these the first form i.e., uttamo峁弓ama. Caturda艣墨 is that 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 which begins just after the setting of the sun. It is particularly related to the month of 辫丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺.[8] The second form is 尘腻驳丑补k峁涐梗峁嘺肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 which should occur at the middle of the night.
When the 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨峁璱thi becomes 辫奴谤惫补惫颈诲诲丑腻 then question will arise regarding the observance of the 耻辫补惫腻蝉补 and 辫腻谤补峁嘺 in the minds of the devotees. Here, the author鈥檚 suggestion is the vratin has to observe 耻辫补惫腻蝉补 on the 迟谤补测辞诲补艣墨峁璱thi and he can break down his fast on the following day i.e., on the 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨峁璱thi. However, breaking of fast on the 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨tithi is regarded as excellent. At the same time breaking of the fast on the day of 补尘腻惫补蝉测腻 is considered as intermediate one.[9] Further, 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补 presents an important aspect regarding the observance of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata current in Assam. According to him, if the 诲颈苍补办峁测补 诲辞峁 occurs on 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨峁璱thi conjoining with two or three tithis on the same day in the month of 辫丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺 then also observance of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata is considered as auspicious.[10]
Again the black 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 occurs between 尘腻驳丑补 and 辫丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺 in spite of its touching with the 础苍补峁単补 i.e., 迟谤补测辞诲补艣墨tithi should be accepted for worshiping 艢颈惫补. The same rule will be applicable if it is concerned with 闯补测腻-yoga.[11] It is stated that by the performance of 惭腻驳丑补k峁涐梗峁嘺肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨vrata the devotees could earn merits like 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补测补箩帽补.[12] On this tithi, as stated in the 莫艣补苍补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 the greatest God takes his birth in the form of 艣颈惫补濒颈峁単补.[13] 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, suggested that, 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata should not be performed by a vratin in the first 辫腻诲补 of the 颁补迟耻谤诲补艣墨迟颈迟丑颈. 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 suggested that the proper time for the observance of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata is the night time.[14] 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata is both nitya and 办腻尘测补.[15] Persons will rotate his birth cycle for time infinite if one neglects to observe 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata in 颁补迟耻谤诲补艣墨迟颈迟丑颈. On the contrary one will get an excellent birth if he worships 艢颈惫补 with great devotion with 耻辫补惫腻蝉补 and 箩腻驳补谤补峁嘺. The 莫艣补苍补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 directs the person to perform 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata for a period of twelve years continuously resulting freedom from all kinds of sins, miseries etc. This will lead to the attainment of heaven.[16] Ram膩n膩th Vidy膩la峁卥膩ra mentioning about Devala draws the concept of 苍颈艣墨迟丑补 to be equivalent to 尘补丑腻苍颈艣腻.[17] In the 124th chapter of the 辫奴谤惫补-办丑补峁囜笉补 of 骋补谤耻岣峚辫耻谤腻峁嘺 lord 艢颈惫补 himself told 骋补耻谤墨 about the exact time for the observance of lord 艢颈惫补 on k峁涐梗峁嘺 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨 that occurs between 惭腻驳丑补 and 笔丑腻濒驳耻峁嘺 consecutively for twelve years or in each of the above tithi for the whole year will and it will certainly bring forth fame, wealth, son, kingdom and finally 艣颈惫补濒辞办补.[18] For this purpose 耻辫补惫腻蝉补, 箩腻驳补谤补峁嘺 and 辫奴箩腻 with devotion have utmost necessity.[19]
The importance of 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata, its procedure, the time of observation all are beautifully depicted in most of the Puranas. For example the 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 骋补谤耻岣峚辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 惭补蝉迟测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 etc., added elaborate discussion on this vrata. In these text though minor differences exist[20], yet the main outline of the 艢颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈vrata remains intact throughout India. Today a large number of devotees including mendicants assemble together in the place of worship to offer their prayer to the deity. A big fare is also arranged on this occasion in certain places where there is prominent Siva shrine in Assam. After that, the worshiper offers an amount of money and some edibles to the officiating 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 as 诲补办峁峁嚹� to mark the closure of the festival.[21]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
Ibid., 266.39
[3]:
[5]:
[6]:
nis墨thasamyukta y膩 tu k峁涐梗峁嘺pak峁 肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨/ 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, I.I.33.82
[7]:
骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II, p.13
[8]:
Ibid., p.13
[9]:
艣ivar膩trou 迟谤补测辞诲补艣测腻峁� ca caturda艣ya峁� tu 辫腻谤补峁嘺m/
耻迟迟补尘补峁� kalpamity膩hur膩m膩vasy膩峁� tu madhaymam// 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II, p.14
[10]:
ph膩lgune 艣ivar膩tristu trisp峁浥浤乸i pra艣asyate/
dinak峁膩dido峁stu yougike'tra na vidyate//
Ibid.,p.15
[11]:
anangena 蝉补尘腻测耻办迟腻 办补谤迟补惫测腻 蝉腻 蝉补诲腻 峁璱thi鈥︹�︹�︹��.jay膩yogo yad膩 bhavet p奴vaviddhe 办补谤迟补惫测腻 艣颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈岣� 艣颈惫补辫谤颈测补颈岣�// 狈颈谤峁嘺测补蝉颈苍诲丑耻,336
[12]:
补谤诲丑补谤腻迟谤颈测耻迟腻 yatra 尘腻驳丑补 尘腻驳丑补k峁涐梗峁嘺肠补迟耻谤诲补艣墨/
艣颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈惫谤补迟补峁� tatra ca a艣vamedhaphala峁� labhet//
Ibid., p.335
[13]:
m膩ghe k峁涐梗峁嘺caturda艣y膩峁� 膩didevo mah膩n墨艣i/
艣颈惫补濒颈峁単补tayodlbh奴ta岣� ko峁璱suryasamaprabha岣�//
Ibid., p.318
[14]:
ata eva 艣颈惫补谤腻迟谤颈惫谤补迟补sya r膩triprodhanyamukta峁� skandapur膩峁噀/ History of 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补, Vol. V., Pt-I, p. 229
[15]:
nitya办腻尘测补rupasyasya vratasya sarv膩dhik膩rikattvami艣ansa峁僪it膩mukttam//
Ibid., p.228
[16]:
[17]:
苍颈艣墨迟丑补 p膩dena mahani艣膩 ucyate// 骋补峁単腻箩补濒腻谤迟丑补辫谤补惫别艣颈办腻峁玨腻, p.13
[18]: