History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.947

v6.c81.947

This festival is very ancient. Originally the form of the word was Holākā and from references in the bhāṣya of Śabara on the Pūrvamīmāṁsā-sūtra (I. 3. 15-23)⁶¹⁰ it appears that it was in ancient times a usage very prevalent in the eastern parts of Bhārata. But Jaimini and Śabara appear to hold that Holākā should be observed by all Āryas. In the Kāṭhakagṛhya 73 1 there⁶¹¹ is the *sūtra* ‘Rākā Holāke’ which is explained by the commentator Devapāla as follows ‘Holā is a special rite performed for the *saubhāgya* of women and in that rite Rākā (Full Moon) is the deity’. Other commentators interpret it differently. Among the twenty *krīḍās* found in the whole of Bhārata and also restricted to certain provinces only and mentioned by Vātsyāyana in his Kāmasūtra⁶¹² (I 4 42) is Holākā which is explained by the commentary Jayamaṅgalā as comprising the sprinkling of each other by people on Phālguna Full Moon with coloured water discharged from a horn or the like and throwing perfumed powder Hemādri on Kāla (p. 106) quotes a verse from Bṛhadyama⁶¹³ in which Holikā-pūrṇimā is called ‘Hutāśanī’ (as in modern times). Hemādri further quotes a verse from Liṅgapurāṇa⁶¹⁴ “the Phālguna Full-moon day is said to be known as ‘Phālgunikā’, as full of boyish pranks and tending to the prosperity of people” and another verse from Varāhapurāṇa where it is qualified as ‘paṭavāsavilāsinī’ (i. e containing pranks with powder) Hemādri (on vrata, II. 184-190) quotes a long passage from the Bhav. U (chap. 132 1-51) in which Yudhiṣṭhira is represented as asking Kṛṣṇa why in each village and town a festival is held on Phā Full moon, why boys become boisterous in each house and kindle Holākā, what god is worshipped therein, ‘who introduced the festival and what is done therein and why it is called ‘Aḍāḍā.’ Kṛṣṇa tells him a legend about king Raghu whom the citizens approached with the complaint that a certain rākṣasī (ogress)