History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.575

v6.c81.575

On the 3rd tithi of the bright half of Bhādrapada occurs the Haritālikāvrata for women alone. This vrata is not found in the Kṛtyakalpataru on vrata or in Hemādri It is described only in the later medieval digests like the Nirṇayasindhu (p 133), Vratārka (folios 44 b-49 b), Vratarāja (pp. 103-110) and Ahalyākāmadhenu (folios 282-295). It may, however, be noted that the Rājamārtaṇḍa of Bhoja (first half of 11th century A D.) devotes four verses to Haritālicaturthī on Bhādrapada 4th of bright half and says it is dear to Pārvatī (two of them are quoted below in note)³⁶² It is very much in vogue among Mahārāṣṭra women. The following is a brief description The woman should take an oil and myrobalan paste bath and wear fine silken clothes. After referring to the tithi &c the woman should make saṅkalpa as noted below.³⁶³ She should bow to Umā and Śiva; she should offer worship to Umā by means of the 16 upacāras with appropriate mantras such as āvāhana (invoking to be present), āsana (seat), pādya, arghya &c. After offering flowers the performer should carry out worship of the limbs of Umā from the feet in the form 'bow to Umā, I worship her feet' to the head Then she should offer incense, lamp, naivedya, ācamanīya, fragrant substances like camphor and sandalwood for rubbing on the hands, betelnut, *tāmbūla*, dakṣiṇā, ornaments, nīrājana (waving of a lamp). She should then offer worship to the several names of Umā (such as Gaurī, Pārvatī &c) and the several names of Śiva (such as Hara, Mahādeva, Śambhu &c.) and present a handful of flowers, and go round (pradakṣiṇā) the images of Umā and Maheśvara, make with an appropriate mantra in each case an obeisance³⁶⁴ and a prayer and donate presents placed in vessels of wickerwork together with auspicious substances.