History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.703

v6.c81.703

Now the rites of the Mahānavamī have to be described. On the 9th tithi conjoined to Uttarāṣāḍhā nakṣatra or without it, pūjā is to be performed on the lines of the one of Mahāṣṭamī. This day's pūjā is⁴⁵¹ only a repetition of that on the 8th, the only difference being that a larger number of balis (goats etc.) may be sacrificed on it than on the 8th tithi. A bali is. to be offered as it is obligatory to do so on the 9th ⁴⁵² Then the worshipper should perform homa, if able to do so. If he be unable to perform homa on both days, he should perform it on Mahāstamī. The offerings in the fire are to be 108. If a person cannot perform a homa in person he should choose a brāhmaṇa to do it, while a śūdra must always get the homa performed through a brāhmaṇa Lamps should be waved before the Devī (nīrājana)452a from her head down to her feet Dakṣiṇā (fee) to the priest for the whole of the autumnal pūjā is to be given on the 9th tithi and Raghunandana expressly ⁴⁵³ says that the Durgā-bhaktitaraṅgiṇī is wrong in saying that dakṣiṇā is to be paid after taking leave (*visarjana*) of Devī. The saṅkalpa at the time of giving dakṣiṇā is given in the note.⁴⁵⁴ If no dakṣiṇā be paid, the whole rite becomes fruitless Then he should pray that 'all defects in the pūjā may be remedied, that whatever he has offered with a devout heart, whether leaves or flowers, fruits or water, whatever naivedya he has offered, may be graciously accepted by Devī and that if any mistake has occurred by his missing some letter or *mantra* Devī should forgive all that' He should wash the feet of a brāhmaṇa maiden and give her sumptuous dinner and ask her to place with her hand on his head akṣatas and devoutly follow her a few steps. He should feed brāhmaṇas It is the practice in many families to embrace each other and sing the praise of Durgā while drums are beaten. Then in a large procession they visit the houses of such relatives and neighbours as have performed the pūjā. Then the united procession visits other houses and the parties return the visits to each other by turns and wish happiness and good luck to each other and offer sweets Rājanītiprakāśa (pp. 439-444) quotes a long passage from the Devī-purāna about the worship of Devī on 9th of Āśv śu