History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.170

v4.c62.170

The coronation of a king was a very solemn and important ceremony. Reasons of space forbid any lengthy treatment but something must be said about it. In the medieval text-books, various procedures are described from different sources. The Rājanītiprakāśa (pp. 42-112), the Nīti-mayūkha (pp. 1-13) and the Rājadharmakaustubha (pp. 237-374), the Rāja. Dh. K. (II. pp. 6-10) quote procedures of coronation from the Ait. Br., the Gopatha Br., the Sāmavidhāna Br., the Brahmapurāṇa, the Viṣṇudharmottara and other works. The procedure from the Purāṇas probably originated when persons of the śūdra caste frequently became kings. The Rājanītiprakāśa ¹⁰⁴ (p. 112) says that there being different procedures of coronation rites based on Vedic texts, some hold, following the dictum of Śabara (on Jaimini II. 4.9), that the coronation rite should comprehend all the different items mentioned in the several vedic texts (provided they do not contradict each other), while others hold that there should be no comprehensive inclusion of all items but each vedic or smṛti procedure should be followed separately by itself. Mitramiśra concludes that the purohita should follow that course which is nearest to his own śākhā. The Rājadharmakaustubha (p. 339) says that as the rite described in the Viṣṇudharmottara contains the largest number of details, one who is able to do so, may follow that Purāṇa, while for those who cannot do so there is an option or students of the Ṛgveda may follow the Ṛgvidhāna mode, of the Sāmaveda the Sāmavidhāna Br. and all may follow the Purāṇa mode of coronation. I shall first briefly indicate what procedure was followed in some vedic texts such as the Gopatha Brāhmaṇa, the Sāmavidhāna Br. and in the Gṛhyasūtras, then point out what was done in the times of the epics and set out the prominent items in the procedure of the purāṇas.