Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s3.t10: J. Purificatory Ceremonies
Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s3.t10
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J. Purificatory Ceremonies
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That foreign travellers not conversant with the customs and manners of the Hindus could be superficial in their observation is evident from the remarks of Pimenta, who, writing about the Nāyaka of Gingee, in A.D. 1599, thus describes the orthodox surroundings of that ruler. "The Naicus shewed us his golden stuffe, amongst which were two great Pots carried on their shoulders full of water for the King to drinke. The Jogues which had returned by land from Bengala, brought in such vessels water from Ganges for the Courtiers, they were encompassed with filthie base clothes, which they kissed as holy vessels notwithstanding."³
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How far Nicholas Pimenta could be trusted in connection with this detail can be seen by examining a few epigraphs which deal with this kind of water. An inscription, dated Śaka 1428 (A.D. 1516-17) of the times of Vira Narasimha Bhujabala Mahārāya, informs us that a gift of gold for a lamp was made for bringing a pot of water from the Kāvēri for the sacred bath of the god Ratnāchalēśvara at Ratnagiri, Trichinopoly district, and for offerings in the mornings.¹ There is reason to believe that there was an official who was in charge of the "holy water" from the Ganges, from the following inscription dated A.D. 1524. This record deals with the grant of Marayanahaḷḷi, rechristened Daṇāyakapura, for the chief evening offering of the god Varadarāja of Kalu-ūr, by Kōnapa Nāyaka, who was the "bearer of Ganges water to Kṛiṣhṇa Dēva Mahārāya."²
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¹ 147 of 1914.
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² E. C., IX., Ma. 82, p. 61.
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The anxiety which the people felt for performing purificatory ceremonies of temples is illustrated in an epigraph dated A.D. 1432. In the reign of Dēva Rāya II, when the champion over three kings, Hiriyakaṭṭige Amareya Nāyaka's sons Guṇḍappa Nāyaka and Amareya Nāyaka were ruling Vijaya-Sōmanāthapura which is Nuggiyahaḷḷi, the manager of his (Hiriyakaṭṭige Amareya Nāyaka's ?) house, the Eḷanhaṅkanāḍ-prabhu (with epithets) Jāla Bhīma Śeṭṭi's son Chikka-Bhīmaṇṇa, assembling the Brahmans of Nuggiyahaḷḷi, caused the samprōkshaṇa of the god Sadāśiva to be performed.³
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³ E. C., V., P. I.. Cn. 241, p. 226.
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The instance of minister Mallarasayya, as is related in an epigraph stated about A. D. 1500 which we have already seen, of the times of the Mahānāyakāchārya Yallappa Odeyar, coming to Beṇṇagere, stopping the daily allowance at the Nārāyaṇa temple, having proper prōkshaṇa (or purification) performed for the god, and granting a śāsana regulating the worship and ceremonies,⁴ only proves the care which the people and the State took to maintain the precints of a temple holy. We cannot determine for want of evidence the nature of the incident which led to the stopping of the daily allowance at the temple, the purification ceremony which it entailed, and the consequent regulation of worship and ceremonies.¹
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⁴ E. C., VIII., Sb. 323, p. 55, op. cit. Supra, Volume I, pp. 182, 376.
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¹ For some more notices in connection with orthodoxy, e.g., *grihapravēśa*, read Taylor, *O. H. M. SS.* II., p. 153, where it is said that Tirumalai Nāyaka built a palace called after own name, and that in "the *Sittari* month of the *Bava* year the ceremony of entering to reside in the new edifice, as is related in an inscription, dated A. D. 1670, see *E. C.*, XII., Pg. 46, p. 122. Subramiah Pantalu relates some incidents relating to the blind beliefs of Tātāchārya, *I. A.*, XXVII, p. 324.
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We cannot think of ending our observations on the orthodox surroundings in and outside the great capital without having the pious personality of Annamarādhya *alias* Kompalli before us once again. In a record dated A. D. 1429-30 we have the following about this devout personage :
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"...the descendant of the Kauṇḍinya-*gōtra*, the follower of the excellent Āpastamba-*sūtra*,
"who is glorious, the student of the Yajuś-*śākhā*, who is brilliant in virtue,
"who is the son of the Brahman Mallikārjuna, who is of unlimited spiritual power,
"who is intent on the performance of the deeds prescribed by the *Srautas* and the *Smārtas*, who is intelligent,
"who is a fit person for receiving gifts of land, who is the foremost of Brahmans,
"who is modest, distinguished, famous and high-souled,
"who has studied the four Vēdas and understood them by the Śaiva scriptures; he is the lord of the northern gate at Śrīśaila, and is renowned on earth,
"He placed the *mantra* consisting of five letters (*Nama-Śivāya*) and a Rudrākhsha having one face on one scale (and he himself sat on the other). Oh wonder ! he went up!"²
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² Butterworth-Chetty, *Nellore Ins.*, I., p. 16.