History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c43.116

v3.c43.116

*Brahmāṇḍa* :—(Matsya 276). In this dāna, two vessels (pans) of gold are to be prepared resembling the two halves of a hemisphere (to represent the dome of heaven above and the earth below). The two halves are to be made of gold weighing from 20 palas to a thousand according to the donor's ability and their length and breadth should be from 12 to 100 fingers; the pans should have (golden) figures of the eight diggajas, the vedas and six aṅgas, of the eight lokapālas and of brahmā in the middle of them, of Śiva, Viṣṇu, the sun on their top, of Umā and Lakṣmī, of Vasus, Ādityas and Maruts inside; the two should be covered with a silk garment and placed on a heap of sesame; eighteen kinds of corn should be arranged round them. Then in the eight quarters from the east golden images of Anantaśayana (Viṣṇu lying on the snake), Pradyumna, Prakṛti, Saṁkarṣaṇa, the four vedas, Aniruddha, Agni, Vāsudeva should be respectively arranged. Ten jars covered with cloth should be placed near; gifts of ten cows with golden-tipped horns, with copper vessels (for milking them) and covered with garments should be made and gifts of sandals, umbrellas, seats, mirrors should be made and the golden pans (called Brahmāṇḍa) should be addressed in *paurāṇika* verses and the gold should be distributed to the guru and priests (2 parts to the guru and one part to each of eight priests).