History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.768

v6.c81.768

In the case of the king the procedure described by Hemādri (on vrata vol. I. pp. 970-71) is as follows: the king coming out of his palace should be preceded by his *purohita* and after performing the rites on starting for a journey should march towards the east; after reaching the end of the capital he should perform Vāstupūjā (worship of a site) and worship the guardians of the quarters and the devatās (in temples) he may meet on the road. He should then offer worship to Śamī tree with Paurāṇika mantra⁴⁸⁸ 'I take refuge with the blessed and auspicious Śamī tree, that removes all inauspicious things and evil acts and the effects of bad dreams'; then he (the king) should take first towards the east and towards other directions the Viṣṇu steps. After making an effigy of his enemy or merely bringing him before his mind he (the king) should pierce him in the heart with an arrow⁴⁸⁹ with a golden shaft The purohita recites verses about the victory of the king in the quarters; the king should honour worthy brāhmaṇas, the astrologer and purohita and should arrange sports of elephants, horses and foot-soldiers. He should then enter his palace to the accompaniment of auspicious shouts like 'Jaya' and lights should be waved before him by courtezans. The king who performs every year this auspicious ceremony secures long life, health, prosperity and victory; he suffers from no ailments physical or mental nor defeat and obtains unblemished wealth and victory in the world. If a king⁴⁹⁰ starts on an invasion without celebrating Vijayādaśamī he would secure no victory for a year in his kingdom. The Tithi-tattva quotes Rājamārtāṇḍa⁴⁹¹ to the effect that if for any reason the king cannot march out in person on Vijayādaśamī he should send out his umbrella or favourite weapon for a victorious march. The Nirṇayasindhu, Dharmasindhu and other late medieval works add some verses about Śamī and other details⁴⁹² 'Śamī destroys sin, Śamī has reddish thorns, it held (concealed) the arrows of Arjuna and it appealed lovingly to Rāma, O Śamī worshipped by Rāma! May you remove obstacles on the march that I am to undertake according to my convenience and ease'. If a Śamī tree is not available, then the aśmantaka tree⁴⁹³ should be worshipped with a mantra (given in note below). Taking up a little wet clay from the root of the Śamī tree together with *akṣatas* one should bring it to one's house to the accompaniment of songs and loud instrumental music; then the person should wear new apparel and ornaments along with his relatives and lights should be waved before him as an auspicious rite by chaste young women.⁴⁹⁴