Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study)
by Maitreyee Goswami | 2018 | 55,000 words
This page relates 鈥榮tudy on the Shakrotthana-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 - A study on the 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补-vrata
[Full title: Study on the Vratas particularly practised in the 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 (E): 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补-vrata]
Author 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补 speaks of relevant codes regarding the performance of the festival the act of raising Indra鈥檚 Banner i.e., 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补. It is a calendric festival usually observed in the twelfth white half of the lunar month of 叠丑腻诲谤补. On that particular tithi, at the first 辫腻诲补 of the 艢谤补惫补峁嚹� asterism, the pole concerned i.e., 艣补办谤补 is prescribed to raise by day. So far its immersion is concerned, the Hindu law suggests to do it at midnight, when 叠丑补谤补峁嚹� asterism attains its last 辫腻诲补 i.e., fourth 辫腻诲补.[1]
Another prescription of raising the pole, suggested by the author is that, the worshipper may raise it in any tithi which falls in between 诲补艣补尘墨 and 辫奴谤峁噄尘腻 of the above said month, provided the expected tithi, bears first 辫腻诲补 of the 艢谤补惫补峁嚹� asterism in the day only.
If the above 诲惫腻诲补艣墨迟颈迟丑颈 does not include the first 辫腻诲补 of the 艢谤补惫补峁嚹� asterism, but the other three or any of it or it covered 惫颈艣惫补 i.e., 鲍迟迟补谤蝉腻诲诲丑腻 or Dhanu i.e., 顿丑补苍颈峁ａ弓丑腻 then, the raising of the pole on the day of the above tithi is found prescribed according to the code of ancient Hindu law i.e., 厂尘峁泃颈.[2]
If there is total absence of these above mentioned three asterisms, on the twelfth white half, then the raising of the pole as well as worshipping will take place on the time of the above tithi on 叠丑腻诲谤补 辫腻诲补.[3] The raising of the banner is acceptable in other tithis also provided it covers the first 辫腻诲补 of the 艢谤补惫补峁嚹� asterism. However, this prescription is not widely accepted by many digest writers as observed by 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补.
But, here in this situation the prescribed injunction is鈥搊ne should not deviate from the act of raising the banner, if the tithi other than the twelfth bright half covers the first 辫腻诲补 of the 艣谤补惫补峁嚹� by day. To him, who does not obey this scriptural prescript Yama鈥檚 injunction on that situation is very effective.
If the worshipper raises the banner at night in the presence of 痴颈艣惫补 or 顿丑补苍颈峁ａ弓丑腻 asterism and emerge the same in the presence of 痴腻箩颈苍墨 or Anala asterism, then the king and the Earth will face total distraction along with its harvest.[4] 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补, refers three conditions from 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 in 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II, specifically to deal with the rising time of necessary zodiacal signs auspicious for raising the 艣补办谤补.[5] Accordingly, when the planets 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈 and 艢奴办谤补 dwell on 迟腻谤腻辫补迟颈 (candra) and when the calm and peaceful planets i.e., candra, budha, 产峁沨补蝉辫补迟墨 dwell on langna, then the raising of the banner of Indra will yield good results. If, the banner is raised in an improper time, then the consequence will be loss of the kingdom as well as the miseries for his subjects.[6] It also forbids the worshipper of 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补m to raise it on Sunday and Tuesday. Again on the occasion of impurity caused by birth and death and on calamity caused by earthquake.[7]
Accordingly when the somya (quite) planets viz., 艢耻办谤补, Budha, and 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈 are dwelling in the lagna of candra, at that very period the worshipper is allowed to raise the banner of Indra.[8]
The Vrataparichaya[9] in respect of the immersion of the 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补, recommended the following suggestions:
(a) On Sunday and Tuesday no immersion could take place;
(b) After attaining purity from birth and death, the worshipper can imerge it;
(c) He can do it at the end of a work in the case of an earthquake.
The 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, which is a milestone of the socio-cultural and religious documents of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 made a long and elaborate discussion on the topic 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补. The 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II both bear certain common issues in respect of raising the 艢补办谤补诲惫补箩补. This may be justified from the internal evidences of both the works in hand. For example, 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 suggests as is done by 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II, the first quarter of the 艣谤补惫补峁嚹� asterism for raising the Indra鈥檚 banner. It suggests the twelfth tithi and day time besides the same asterism i.e., 艣谤补惫补峁嚹� for raising. In the matter of immersion also, 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 suggested that, it should be performed at night when 产丑补谤补峁嚹� asterism is in the fourth 辫腻诲补.[10] Both these works refer impurity caused by both birth and death that necessitates formulation of new injunctions for immersion of the banner.[11] [12]
Accordingly, both these works suggest first, expiry of the impurity period and secondly, extension of one week period from the date of its early scheduled period to make one able to immerge the banner of Indra. Upto this, both these works share similar views. But so far the days are concerned regarding immersion, they exhibit minor dissimilarities. The 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II, does not prescribe immersion of the banner on sunday and tuesday. On the contrary, the 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 restricted it both on Tuesday and Saturday.[13] It discards importence of Sunday in 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II and also of Saturday in 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺[14]
顿腻尘辞诲补谤补 惭颈艣谤补鈥檚 prescript regarding the raising of 艣补办谤补 is found also in 狈颈谤峁嘺测补蝉颈苍诲丑耻[15] which the author of the later, quoted from Garga鈥檚 Apar膩ka. Both these work suggested 叠丑腻诲谤补padam膩sa, 艢ukla pak峁, 诲惫腻诲补艣颈迟颈迟丑颈, asterism viz.,-痴颈艣惫补, 艢谤补惫补峁嚹� and 顿丑补苍颈峁ａ弓丑腻, 鲍迟迟补谤补蝉腻诲丑补, 艢谤补惫补峁嚹� and 顿丑补苍颈峁ａ弓丑腻 serially.[16]
That the practice of 艢补办谤辞峁弓丑腻苍补 festival was prevalent in ancient 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 can be proved from the Howr膩ghat plate of Balavarma iii. This 艢补办谤辞迟迟丑腻苍补 festival as 础产诲补辫奴箩腻 was celebrated during his stay at H膩ruppe艣vara.[17]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
Ibid., p.51
[3]:
[4]:
惫补艣惫别 dhane 惫腻 yadi r膩tribh膩ge uth膩pana峁� devapateh kad膩cit 惫颈蝉补谤箩补苍补峁� 惫腻jini c膩nale 惫腻 苍峁沺补峁� sa艣asy膩峁� vinihanti p峁泃h墨m//
Ibid.,p.52
[5]:
[6]:
[7]:
sauri bh奴mijayor惫腻re s奴take m峁泃ake'pi 惫腻/
bh奴mikamp膩dikot p膩te 艣补办谤补峁� naiva pra惫腻sayet//
Ibid., p. 53
[8]:
(a) Ibid., p. 52
[10]:
[11]:
(a) sauri bh奴nijayar惫腻re s奴take m峁泃ake'pi 惫腻/
bh奴mikamp膩dika墨 p膩te 艣akkramnaiva pra惫腻sayet// 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II,52
[12]:
s奴take tath膩 sa峁僷r膩pte vyatite s奴take p奴na岣�/
yasmin tasmin dine caiva s奴tak膩nte visarjjyet// 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺,LXXXVII, 87.52
[13]:
(a) 惭颈艣谤补 顿腻尘辞诲补谤补, 骋补峁単腻箩补濒补 II, p.53
[14]:
碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, LXXXVII,50-51
[15]:
atraiva 艣akrodhayoth膩panamuktamapar膩rke garge峁嘺// 狈颈谤峁嘺测补蝉颈苍诲丑耻, p.203
[16]: