History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.712

v6.c81.712

[^454 c]: दुर्गाभक्तितरङ्गिणी (p. 126) quotes देवीपुराण as follows ‘दुर्गे देवि जगन्मातः स्वस्थानं गच्छ पूजिते । संवत्सरे व्यतीते तु पुनरागमनाय वै । इमां पूजा मया देवि यथा-शक्त्योपपादिताम् । रक्षार्थं त्वं समादाय व्रज स्वस्थानमुत्तमम् ।’ इति जले प्रवाहयेत् । नि सि. p. 189. The same occur in दुर्गार्चन० p. 683. In the famous Victoria Museum in Calcutta, their is a painting of the *visarjana* of Durgā in a boat made by Thomas Daniel in 1780 A. D, of the image of Devī.⁴⁵⁵ The Kālaviveka quotes Satya to the effect that leave is taken of Devī on the last *pāda* of Śravaṇa-nakṣatra in the day and śābarotsava is celebrated on the 10th, and explains that what is meant is that like men of the Śabara tribe, people wear leaves of trees, their bodies are besmeared with mire, they make incoherent prancing movements and are engaged in dances, songs and music. The Kālikāpurāṇa dwells on this at great length. It says: "the *visarjana* (sending away) of Devī should be made with festivals in the manner of śabaras, viz. people may make merry to their heart's content by throwing dust and mud, with auspicious sports and revelry, with indulgence in words and songs referring to male and female organs and with words expressive of the sexual act. The Devī becomes angry with him who does not abuse another and whom others do not abuse and pronounces on him a terrible curse." This provision that every one, how highsoever, was to join in the śābarotsava was probably made for emphasizing that before the Devī the highest and the lowest were of equal status and every one must join in the frolics on the 10th tithi to show that all men were equal at least one day in the year. After the immersion friends visit friends and partake of sweets. It appears that this last practice is now not in vogue.