Education in Ancient India c14.s7: Section G. Chhurikā-bandha or Military Convocation
Education in Ancient India c14.s7
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Section G. Chhurikā-bandha or Military Convocation
c14.s7.2
Chhurika-bandha :—This ceremony corresponds to Brahmanical Samāvartana and was performed at the
c14.s7.3
काण्डात्काण्डं प्ररोहन्ती परुषस्परुषस्परि ।
एवा नो दूर्वे प्रतनु सहस्रेण शतेन च ॥
या शतेन प्ररोहसि सहस्रेण विरोहसि ।
तस्मै ते देवीष्टके विधेम हविषा वयम् ॥ *V.S.*, XIII, 20-1.
c14.s7.4
The stanzas, however, refer to Dūrvā grass and have no connection with the bow or arrow.
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end of the military training. The central and essential part of the ritual was, as the name itself would suggest, the investiture of the budding hero with a dagger in token of his having completed his military training.¹ This ceremony is mentioned by Nārada alone, but it was fairly common in Rajputana among Rajput families at the beginning of the 19th century, and was known as *kharg bandhāi* (tying of the sword), which is the vernacular rendering of the *chhurikā-bandha* of Nārada. This ceremony, which was performed before the marriage, may have been common in higher aristocratic families.
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¹ Cf. छुरिकाबन्धनं वक्ष्ये नृपाणां प्राकरग्रहात् । विवाहोक्तेषु मासेषु शुक्लपक्षेऽयनस्तगे ॥ छुरिकाबन्धनं कार्यं अर्चयित्वामरान्पितृन् । अर्चयेच्छुरिकां नित्यं देवतानां च संनिधौ ॥ व्रतलग्ने च बध्नीयात्कन्यां लक्षणसंयुताम् । नारद in VMS., p. 580.
Linked texts (3)
- Vīramitrodaya — Mitramiśra 1610, Sanskrit
- Vājasaneyisaṃhitā — Sanskrit
- Nāradīyasaṃhitā — Sanskrit