History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c10.14

v1.c10.14

The ordinary Agnihotra, however, still flourished and was generally observed by Brahmins, at least of the priestly profession. How the religious of such worship Brahmins was a blend of the old Vedic sacrifice and the later idol worship appears pleasantly clear from the following passage in the Harsha-Charita (p. 91-92) in which Bāṇa describes the religious ceremonies performed by him at the time of his starting on the most important journey in his life, namely to pay his first visit to the emperor Harsha. अथान्यस्मिन्नहन्युत्थाय प्रातरेव स्नात्वा धृतधौतधवलदुकूलवासा गृहीताक्षमालः प्रास्थानिकानि सूक्तानि मंत्रपदानि बहुशः समावर्त्य, देवदेवस्य विरूपाक्षस्य क्षीरस्तपनपुरःसरां सुरभिकुसुमधूपगन्धध्वजवलिविलेपनप्रदीपबहुलां विधाय परमया भक्त्या पूजां प्रथमहुततरलितत्वाघटनचदुलशिखाशेखरं प्राज्याज्याहुतिप्रवर्धितदक्षिणाचिषं भगवन्त-माशुशुक्षणिं हुत्वा, दत्वा युग्मं यथा विद्यमानं द्विजेभ्यः, प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य प्राङ्मुखीं नैचिकीं, शुक्लांगरागः शुक्लमాల्यः शुक्लवासाः शिखासक्तसिद्धार्थकः,.......आघ्रातः शिरसि कुलवृद्धैः, मौहूर्तिकमतेन कृतनक्षत्रदोहदः.......प्रणम्य कुलदेवताभ्यः कुसुमफलपाणिभिरप्रतिरथं जपाद्भिर्नाद्विजैरनुगम्यमानः प्रथमचलितदक्षिणचरणः प्रीतिकूटाभिरगात्.