History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.155

v7.c90.155

¹¹⁰⁶ Both the कल्पतरु on व्रत pp. 274-308 and हेमाद्रि on व्रत vol I pp. 921-956 contain several vratas on the 9th tithi from Bhaviṣyapurāṇa in honour of Durgā (under various names such as Caṇḍikā, Nandā) which have a śākta flavour. For example, as regards the Ubhayanavamīvrata (Kalpataru on vrata pp 274-282) it is provided that the eight-armed Durgā called Tryambikā is to be honoured with red flowers and the naivedya of buffalo flesh (p. 275) Similarly, as regards Nāmanavamī vrata (*ibid.* p 283-288) provision is made for a naivedya of fish and flesh and in the Mahānavamī vrata pp 296-298 a naivedya of pāyasa and flesh for Maṅgalā is provided In the Nandānavamī Durgā is called Nandā and the mantra (Continued from last page) is 'oṃ Nandāyai namaḥ' (p 304) and in the Mahānavamīvrata (on Āśvina-śukla 9) worship is commended (p 308) with plenty of wine and flesh and with the heads of buffaloes, rams and goats All these Navamīvratas provide a dinner to maidens which is a peculiarity of śākta worship. Tāntrik practices must have affected people in Northern India long before the 11th century as the Kalpataru mentions the Sun's mantra 'Khakholkāya namaḥ', vide भविष्य I. 215. 1-6 for the basic mantra (Mūla-mantra) and its adjuncts, some of which are 'ओं विडिविटि शिरः, ओं ज्वालिने इति शिखा, ओं सहस्ररश्मये फट् कवचम्, ओं सर्वतेजोधिपतये फट् अस्त्रम् । ओं सहस्रकिरणोज्ज्वलाय फट् ऊर्ध्वबन्धः।' (कल्प० on व्रत p. 199) It may be noted that the Agnipurāṇa (272. 3) speaks of the gift of the Viṣṇupurāṇa containing 23000 verses.