History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.264

v7.c89.264

There should be loud noises (for drowning inauspicious sounds) made by the bards and citizens and of the tabors and drums and of Vedic recitations. The king should wear linen and the *purohita* should cover the king with a blanket, drops should be sprinkled over the king from jars, 3, 28 or 108 in number, containing clarified butter, with two mantras¹²⁸⁷ praising its power to remove evil and then the priest removes the blanket and sprinkles on the king drops of water from water containing the substances collected for puṣyasnāna with sixteen mantras¹²⁸⁸ (set out by Varāha in verses 55-70) in which gods, goddesses, sages are invited to join in the rite, besides mantras from the Atharvakalpa,¹²⁸⁹ the Rudragaṇa mantras, Kūṣmāṇḍa mantras, the Mahārauhiṇa, Kubera-hṛdaya and Samṛddhi verse. Then the king should take a bath and wear two cotton garments over which the three verses 'Āpo hi ṣṭhā' (Rg. X 9 1-3, Tai. S. IV. 1. 5. 1) and the four verses 'Hiraṇyavarṇāḥ' (Tai. S. V. 6 1. 1-2, or Atharva I. 33. 1-4) have been inaudibly recited. He should sip water to the accompaniment of words like 'this is a lucky day' and to the sound of conches, should worship gods, gurus, brāhmaṇas, his parasol, banner, and weapons and then worship his special (or favourite) deity. Then he should put on new decorations that lead to victory, that confer long life and vigour and over which the Rāyaspoṣa¹²⁹⁰ (bestowing increase of wealth) ṛk verses have been recited. To the south of the maṇḍala an altar should be prepared and hides of bull, cat, *ruru* deer, spotted antelope, lion and tiger should be arranged one over the other (tiger's being last) and the king should sit down on the hides. The purohita should offer in the fire in the principal place (to the south) offerings of fuel-sticks, sesame, ghee and the like to the accompaniment of ṛk verses addressed to Rudra, Indra, Bṛhaspati, Viṣṇu and Vāyu. The astrologer should observe and declare the prognostications derived1290a from the flames of the sacred Agni as laid down in the chapter on the festival of Indra's banner (Br. S. 42. 31–36). Then the purohita with folded hands should pray¹²⁹¹ 'May all the groups of gods receive the worship from the king and depart after conferring (on him) abundant prosperity and returning (when again invoked)'. Then the king should honour the astrologer and the purohita with plenty of wealth and (honour) according to their deserts also others, viz. men learned in the Veda and the like who are well worthy of receiving gifts. Then the king should assure safety to all subjects, (order the) release of all animals taken to slaughter houses and release all persons put in jail except those guilty of offences against the king's person or his harem. Varāhamihira adds (47. 85) that this procedure of Puṣyasnāna is commended for a king who aspires after imperial dignity or who ardently desires a son or when he is first crowned king. He further states that this very procedure of ceremonial bath should be employed in the case of the king's elephants and horses that then become free from diseases (verse 87).