History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.482

v6.c81.482

On the Full Moon of Śrāvaṇa there is in the afternoon a ceremony called Rakṣābandhana (tying the protective amulet). It is described by Hemādri on vrata, vol II. pp. 190–195, N. S. p 121, P.C. 284–285, Vratārka (folio 335a–336a) One should at sunrise on Full Moon of Śrāvaṇa and after offering tarpaṇa to gods, sages and pitṛs, get prepared a protective packet (or amulet) containing whole rice grains and mustard and decorated with gold (thread) and strung together with variously coloured threads and have such an amulet tied In the case of a king, a jar should be placed on a square raised in the palace and the king should occupy his seat together with his ministers, he should be surrounded by courtesans and music and benedictory words should go forth; gods, brāhmaṇas and arms should be first honoured, then the royal³²⁶ priest should tie the amulet to the accompaniment of the mantra. 'I tie on you that whereby Balı, the very powerful king of demons, was bound; O protective (amulet), don't slip off, don't slip off' All including śūdras and other human beings should get the amulet tied after honouring priests according to ability When this is done, a man lives on happily for a year. Hemādrı quotes Bhavisyottara for the story that Indrānī tied on the right hand of Indra a protective amulet whereby he was enabled to vanquish the *asuras* This tying should not be done when paurṇimā is mixed up with either 14th or the following pratipad It may, in order to avoid these two, be done even at night