History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c44.56

v3.c44.56

*Punaḥ-pratiṣṭhā* :—(Re-consecration of images in temples). The Brahmapurāṇa quoted by the Devapratiṣṭhātattva and the Nirṇayasindhu says 'when an image is broken into two or is reduced to particles, is burnt, is removed from its pedestal, is insulted, has ceased to be worshipped, is touched by beasts like donkeys or falls on impure ground or is worshipped with mantras of other deities or is rendered impure by the touch of outcasts and the like—in these ten contingencies, god ceases to indwell therein.' When an image is polluted by (contact with) the blood of a brāhmaṇa or by the touch of a corpse or the touch of a *patita* it should be re-consecrated. If an image is broken in parts or reduced to particles it should be removed according to *śāstric* rules and another should be installed in its place. When an image is broken or stolen a fast should be observed. If images of metal such as of copper are touched by thieves or cāṇḍālas they should be purified in the same way in which polluted vessels of those metals are purified and then they should be re-consecrated. If an image properly consecrated has had no worship performed without pre-meditation (i.e. owing to forgetfulness or neglect) for one night or a month or two months or the image is touched by a śūdra or a woman in her monthly illness, then the image should have water *adhivāsa* (placing in water) performed on it and it should be bathed with water from a jar, then with *pañcagavya*, then it should be bathed with pure water from jars to the accompaniment of the hymn to Puruṣa (Rg. X. 90) repeated 8000 times, 800 times or 28 times, worship should be offered with sandal-wood paste and flowers, naivedya (food) of rice cooked with jaggery should be offered. This is the way in which the re-consecration is effected.