History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1262

v6.c81.1262

*Kojāgara or Kaumudī-mahotsava*—on Āśv Pūrṇimā; tithi; worship of Lakṣmī and Indra riding Airāvata, lighting of lamps fed with ghee or sesame oil on a large scale (one lakh to 100) at night on the capital roads, in temples, parks and private houses; dice play; bath next morning and worship of Indra, sumptuous dinner to brāhmaṇas; Liṅga-purāṇa states that beneficent Lakṣmī moves about at midnight in the world saying 'who is awake' and people should drink the water in the cocoanut fruit and play with numerals (i e dice marked with numerals), KV 403, VKK 453-54 (both quote same two verses from Liṅga), TT 135–137, KT 445–447, NS 191, PC 302–303; words 'ko jāgarti' try to explain the name Kojāgara. This is also called Kaumudī (Skanda q. by Vratārka) and Kojāgara is probably an abbreviation of Kaumudī-jāgara For Kaumudī-mahotsava vide Kṛtyakalpataru (on Rājadharma) pp. 182–183 (from Skanda) and RNP p 419–421.