History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.197

v4.c62.197

The Nītimayūkha and Rājadharmakaustubha give the most detailed description of the Aindrī Śānti. For want of space it has to be passed over. The Rājanītiprakāśa (pp. 63-66) and Rājadharmakaustubha (pp. 340-346) contain in one place a summary of the whole ceremony after Aindrī Śānti commencing one day previous to the actual day of coronation. One detail of the rites is interesting, viz. after the learned brāhmaṇas and priests sprinkle the king with holy waters from several jars to the accompaniment of mantras and a Ṛgvedin brāhmaṇa touches the king's head and throat with powder of *gorocanā* with the mantra ‘gandhadvārām’ (Tai. A. X. 1.10), principal virtuous ladies, whose sons are alive, of the four varṇas and also of mixed castes reciting auspicious songs (except the śūdra ladies who remain silent) should sprinkle the king with the waters derived from the sea and other holy places.¹¹³ There is a graphic description of the coronation of Shivaji113a the founder of the Maratha Empire in 1674 A. D. in the chronicle (*bakhar*) compiled by Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad (ed. by K. N. Sane, pp. 98–104), where it is said that a costly throne was prepared, from 108 places waters were brought in 108 golden jars (95 *tīrthas* are actually named), Gāgābhaṭṭa and other brāhmaṇas officiated and sprinkled waters on the king, large gifts including the sixteen mahādānas were made. Eight ministers stood round the throne (whose names and offices are set out), the head of the ecclesiastical department called Panditrao being to the right and the prime minister (mukhya pradhāna) to the left, an umbrella (chatra) set with jewels was held over his head, new golden coins were struck and a new era was started called ‘Rājyābhiṣeka’ era commencing from that year. In a small work called ‘Shivarāja-rājyābhiṣeka-kalpataru’ (published in the quarterly Journal of the Bhārata-itihāsa-saṁśodhaka Maṇḍala at Poona, vol. X part I pp. 28–40) in 236 verses it is stated that a Yogin named Niścalapuri, an adept in Tāntrika rites, got a second coronation of Shivaji performed over three months after that performed by Gāgābhaṭṭa, with Tāntrika mantras on Wednesday the 5th of the bright half of Āśvina śake 1596, one interesting fact stated being that Shivaji went through a form of marriage with vaidika mantras with his wives that had already been married to him with paurāṇic mantras.