History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.139

v6.c81.139

is better than sandalwood, dark *agaru* is still better and saffron is preferable to dark *agaru* Hemādri (on vrata vol I pp 43-44) quotes passages from several purānas defining³⁸ catuhsama as tvak i e cinnamon, patraka (cassia leaf), lavanga i e cloves, and saffron (or two parts of musk, four of sandalwood, three of saffron and one of camphor) and sarvagandha as saffron, sandalwood, uśīra (fragrant roots of a plant), *mustā*, *lāmajja* (root of fragrant grass), camphor and the three perfumed things viz *tvak*, cardamom and *patraka* and Yaksakardama as camphor, *agaru*, musk, sandalwood and *kakkola*. The Agnipurāna (chap. 202 1) first states that Hari is pleased by the offerings of flowers, perfumes, incense, lamps and *naivedya* and then specifies the flowers that are fit for offering to the deities and that are unfit (verses 2-15) The Kalpataru on vrata (pp 180-181) quotes the Bhavisyapurāna (Brāhmaparva 197 1-11) for stating the consequences of using various flowers in worship, viz worship with *mālatī* flowers leads the worshipper in the presence of god, worship with *karavīra* flowers confers health and incomparable prosperity, by the flowers of Mallikā the worshipper becomes endowed with all pleasures, with pundarika (lotuses) he secures bliss and lasting wealth, with flowers of the fragrant *kubjaka* he secures highest prosperity, with lotuses (white and blue) he secures spotless fame, with various *mukurakas* (Jasminium zambac) he is freed from disease, worship with Mandāra flowers destroys all kinds of leprosy, and with bilva flowers he obtains wealth, with *arka* flowers the Lord Sun confers blessings, with a garland of *bakula* flowers the worshipper has a beautiful daughter, the Sun worshipped with Kimśuka flowers does away with trouble, with Agastya flowers the deity gives success and worship with lotuses gives a beautiful wife, with vanamālā the worshipper becomes free from tiredness, the worshipper of the Sun with Aśoka flowers makes no mistakes, and the Sun worshipped with *japā* (china rose) flowers frees the worshipper from trouble About dhūpa (incense burnt in worship) a good deal is said in the digests The Kalpataru (on vrata pp. 182-183)⁸⁹ observes as follows: The Sun comes near (i. e favours) a worshipper who burns sandalwood and confers desired objects when one burns agaru as dhūpa; one who desires health should burn *guggulu*; the Sun is always pleased by the use of piṇḍāṅga (i e. *silhaka*) and confers health, wealth and the highest bliss; a man secures blessedness by using *kundaka* (the exudation of *sallakī*) as dhūpa and trade becomes fruitful by using śrīvāsaka (*sarala*) as dhūpa and one gets wealth by burning rasa (myrrh) and sarjarasa (resin of the śāl tree) Bāṇa in the Kādambarī (pūrvārdha, para 56) refers to the practice of burning *guggulu* in the temple of Caṇḍikā Kalpataru (on vrata pp 6-7), Hemādri (on vrata) vol I pp 50-51, Kṛtyaratnākara p 78 quote several verses from the Bhaviṣyapurāṇa defining dhūpas called 'amṛta', 'ananta', yakṣāṅga, mahāṅga The Bhaviṣyapurāṇa⁹⁰ remarks the *jātī* is the best among flowers, kundaka is the best dhūpa, saffron is best among fragrant substances, sandalwood among unguents; ghee is best for lighting lamps and modaka sweets among naivedya foods It may be noted that the burning of guggulu and other substances had a practical end in view, viz. the destruction of fleas and bees⁹¹