Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c12.s13.t8: Popular Worship

c12.s13.t8.1

There were temples where people worshipped images, and Kauṭilya names a number of popular deities in worship in his time. The temples (koṣṭhas) were in the north-west part of the city for gods and goddesses like Aparājita, Apratihata, Jayanta, Vaijayanta, Śiva, Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera), Aśvins and Śrī (Lakṣmī) (II. 4). Deities of Vāstu (site) and Dik (quarters) were adored (II. 4), and to ward off natural calamities or to invite natural benefits, people made offerings and oblations and incantations of peace, worshipping Fire. Rivers, Indra, Gaṅgā, Seashore, Forests (Vanayāga), Mountains, and Caityas of Rākṣasas (IV. 3). People went on pilgrimages to holy places, Puṇyasthānas (II. 35-36, III. 9-10) and Tīrthāyatanas (II. 35). Nāga-pratimās or Snake-images and Dhvaja-pratimās or flag-staffs standing for some deities were objects of worship. Persons who practised inferior magical arts invoked Bali, Śambara, Vairocana, presiding deities of several Narakas, sages like Nārada, Devala, Sāvarṇi and Gālava, Manu, Devas and Devalokas, Vedic scholars, Siddhas, Tāpasas, Brahmā, Brahmāṇī, Paulomi, Tantukaccha a great Asura, and others of his class (XIV. 1).