History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.636

v6.c81.636

This Durgāpūjā is very cosmopolitan in character It could be performed not only by persons belonging to the four varṇas, but even by those who were outside the pale of the caste system Durgā-pūjā has a congregational character and is not purely religious, but has also a social element in it (such as inviting friends and treating them &c). The Bhaviṣyapurāṇa⁴⁰² says ‘Devī should be worshipped (in her shrine) on Vindhya mountain, in all places, cities, houses, villages and forests by brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, kings, vaiśyas, śūdras, who are full of devotion, who have taken a bath and who are cheerful and jolly, by *mlecchas* and other men (such as pratilomas) and by women’. In another place the Bhaviṣya states⁴⁰³ ‘Durgā is worshipped by various groups of mlecchas, by all *dasyus* (thievish tribes or outcaste Hindus), by people from Aṅga, Vaṅga and Kaliṅga, by kinnaras, Barbaras (non-Aryans) and Śakas’. Later medieval writers were careful to point out that mlecchas had no *adhikāra* to perform *japa* or *homa* or *pūjā* with mantras through a brāhmaṇa as śūdras had, but they could only mentally resolve ‘to offer in honour of Devī animals as offerings and wine⁴⁰⁴ also and do so.