00141943

THE
ASlATie SOCIETY OF BOMBAY
Town Hall, Bombay.

Digitized with financial assistance from the

Government of Maharashtra
on 18 July, 2018
 DURGA P U JA :

WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS

BY

P E A T A T A G H A N D R A aH O SH A , B . A.

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PR IN T E D AT T flE "HINDOO PATRIOT” PRESS

N o. 108, VARANASI G*HOSHA’S STREET.

1871.
00141943

00141943
 PREFACE.
A bout a week before tbe Durga Puja holidays
ensued I requested the author to write a paper on
this chief national festival of the Hindus of Bengal,
giving an account of the rites and ceremonies
connected with it. H e readily complied with my
request, and although written at the spur of the
moment and necessarily in great hurry, the paper
has proved so interesting and has been so favorably
received by the public that I have thought it proper
to reprint it in the present form, chiefly with a
view to circulate it among oriental scholars and
others, who cake interest in the religious institu­
tions of the Hindus. The difficulties, which the
author has met w ith in rendering in to ' English
the peculiar forms and expressions of Sanskrit
Mantras and Slokas, may be easily imagined by
those who have an experience of such work, and
it is I think sufficient to mention that he has paid
more atteiVtion to matter than to manner.
The Intrckiuction and the Notes have been added
by the author and the illustrations executed by
Babu Tulsidas Pal, a student of the Government
.ir ts School of Calcutta.
C alcutta, ) EDITOR,
m m u Vecemler, 1871. (
 INTRODIJCTIOK

M oder >t scholars have elevated comparative religion

or mythology like comparative philology to a science, and
in investigating the origin of the religious festivals and
ceremonies of the ancients nothing perhaps strikes the stu­
dent more forcibly than the reproduction of the same prin­
ciples, the same thoughts, the same sentiments, and even
the same forms in different climes and among different
families of man. Thus Durgotsava, the chief religious festi­
val of the Hindus, has its parallel among the Egyptians,
the Chaldaenns, tlie Assyrians, the Plioeiiiciaus, the Greeks,
and the ancient Arabs. |
In Lower Egypt and Phoenicia the ceremony or festival
to Osiris or Isis (Adonis and Astarte) used to be observ­
ed for eight days at the commencement of Autumn -when
the sun entered the sign of Cancer. Tlieocritus describes
the ladies of Syracuse embarking for Alexaudria to celebrate
the festival iu honour of Adonis. Arisnoe the sister and
wife of Ptolemy Philadelphus bore the statue of Adonis
herself. She was accompanied with women of the highest
station iu the city holding in tlieir hands basketsful of
cakes, boxes of perfumes, flowers, branches of trees and all
sorts of fruits. The solemnity was closed by other ladies ,
bearing carpets &c. The procession marched in this manner
along the sea-coasts to the sound of trumpets and other
instruments accompanying the voices of musicians. They
 carried corn in earthen vessels which they sowed there
together with flowers, springing grass, fruits, and young
trees and Lettices, Suidas Hesychins &c.
Theophrastus informs us that at thennd of the ceremony
they used to throw those portable gardens either into a foun­
tain or iuto the sea. This statement is corroborated by
^Eustatthius and the Scholiast on Theocritus. In tlie He­
brew scriptures these worshippers were called Dendrophori
or tree-hearers, for they painted a tree on their body as
Astarte, Ashtaroth, Aser meaning a tree or a grove. Macrobius
says that this ceremony was diffused throughout Assyria.
Lucian quoted by the Abbe Banier speaking of the temple of
Hieropolis in Syria says that '^in this sanctuary are two
- golden statues, one of Jupiter supported by oxen, and
other of Juno by lions. The last is a kind of Pantheon that
bears the symbols of several other goddesses. (Minerva,
Venus, the Moon, Bhea, Diana, Nemesis and the Destinies).
The animals sacrificed were the ox, the sheep and the goat.^’
I t should be remembered that Lucian was a Greek writer, and
that he naturally saw Jupiter and Juno in the Osiris and
Isis or Astarte, in the same way that Sanchoniathon and
Porphyry call Baltis the Mistress or Queen of the heavens,
the Isis of the Egyptians and the Allahat of the Arabs. The
latter observed the festiv.al of Allahat in autumn and that of
Lat in spring. Kaushiki is a name of Durga, for she is said
to be flower*formed, and Ovid elegantly dbscribes the trans­
formation of Adonis into a flower. In Hiudusthan a similar
procession of ladies bearing twigs of trees, flowers, fruits
and dishes and baskets and singing accompanied with the
beat of musical instruments may still be seen on the occa-
 Ill

Uion of the Dasahara festival; t!ie same practice of sowing

grains and of putting on the pagri (the head-dress) of men
and in locks of hair of women the springing grass op the
Vijaya Dasami day is still followed ; and the same worship of
portable gardens and the throwing of them at the end
of the festival into a fountain or stream is still observed.
The Vedas, though they ignore the adoration of any
visible gods or tangible forms of modern Hindu
^dolatry, have sung of the Panchasaradiya Yajna and ^
Vasantotsava or the autumnal and vernal festivals.* Not
only this, but in the Aranyaka, a later appendage to the^
Black Yajur Veda, laudatory hymns are also given to invoke ;
Amvika, another name for Durga. The Puranas likewise '
mention that in the month of Madhu agreeing with the
modern lunar month of Chaitra and also in Isa agreeing
with the modern lunar Asvina the Devi was worshipped.
But let us pause to enquire who this wondrous Devi is, ,
adored at the beginning of creation by Brahma the first-born'
of heaven for fear of the Titans (Madhukaitabha) and thence
forward by man. Is she a deified heroine like Semiramis,
or a remarkable historical personage like LuCretia, or a
personification of natural object as Thetes or a creature
of mere fancy and speculation like Ceres or Pallas, or the
offspring of a chimera, the creation of an idle, terrified
"'orain, a hob-goblin, a Siren, a Naiad or a Driad ? Decidedly
she is none of these, for a goddess so universally and con­
temporarily adored could not be the creature of fiction>
which is local in its very nature. What then could this
prodigy riding on a ferocious lion be ? She could not
* See “ Hindoo Patriot,” Oct., 25, 1869.
 ,1V

lie Veritas, tlie goddess of Trutli, subduing tbe lion by flie

force of her cliarms, for she is represented as a martial god­
dess in the act o f fighting. But how could nature give
birth to a monstrous being with ten arms and three eyes ?
We know of no history or philosophy that can reconcile
this palpable absurdity and inconsistency in nature to aught
of truth or fiction. Where must we turn then to find the
true chai’acter and attributes of the Divinity. In Hindu
mythology she is once described as Adya Sakti, Primseval
Energy, Primum Mobile of the Gods, again she is said to be
fSati, the daughter of Daksha, Ccelum, and next as tlie
progeny of Himavat and consort of the Kailasian Siva, in
which last attribute she is compared with the Olympian
Juno, consort of Jove of tlie Greek Pantheon, and with
Isis, Isi, the wife of Osiris, Isvara, of ancient Egypt, as also
with the Holy Virgin, Alma-mater of Christian theology,
with Allahat of the idolatrous Arabs, and with Astarte or
Ashtaroth of the early Assyrians. Indeed, she is unanimously
recognised by all idolatrous nations as the primary female
copartner of the Eternal God, represented as the Adi-purn-
sha, first male agent of creation. The idea of the co-exis­
tence of a co-eternal female co-partner of tlie male creator
of the universe is not at all compatible with our intuitive
knowledge of the Self-Existent God, though the Darsanas
regard her as some conspicuous object in nature, for instance
the Sankhyas call her Prakrti or Nature, the Naiyayi-
kas, Adya Sakti or Prime Energy of the Deity, and the
Vaidantias, Maya or Illusion. But why should Nature,
Energy or Illusion be represented by the lovely form of a
Virgin, made terrific with her rows of arms, triple eyes &c ?
Or why should hTature our common mother, divine Omni­
potence, be portrayed as waging everlasting War with
Demons and not nursing her children with fostering care ?
And above all how such speculations seized the mind through
the length and breadth of the ancient world and became the
theme of the epics of poets of several nations and the
beau ideal of the Deity ot all.
We must it appears then seek to trace this universal
Verego in something that is common to all ?
Does slie then reside in the heavens? The early Chal-
daeans and Phcenicians from their knowledge of the heaven­
ly bodies fell at last to their worship. The Hindus as well
as the other Arian nations have adored from time immemo­
rial the heavenly luminaries as beings superior to man, and
have from their supposed extraordinary influence adornei|Bj
them with suitable attributes. In the heavens therefore w ^
must seek for the Devi, for in the heavens we find the
heavenly Virgin shining in full lustre and throwing light
on the grand mystery of her origin. She proves at once
to be the first female Divinity id heaven, the daughter of
Daksha, progenitor of the Stars, the holy Virgin of the early
Christians and the Astarte of the Assyrians. She proves
verily to be tlie daughter of Himavat by Mena, the Manasa-
sarovara, from her position over the eastern extremity of
the mount, whence the declination to the southern course
of the sun commences in his equatorial line of the Meru, and
whence tiie constellation is seen to rise in early autumn even­
ings. To the left of the constellation Virgo and a little below
it, is situated the constellation of the Centaur with its body
of half buffalo and half man. On the other side of Virgo of
 VI

tlie heavens stands the constellation Leo almost as far]

removed from Virgo upwards as the Centaur is downwards,]
Virgo, Virgin, is the Devi, Centaur is the Demon Mahisasura,
and Leo, the Devi’s Lion.
Some have supposed her to be the planet Venus, the
beauty of heaven, while others have taken her for the fair
harvest moon of autumn; but the fixed lady Virgo can
not be properly identified vrith these moving male lumi­
naries of the Hindu Sastras. The moon is called the lord
of stars (tarapati), while Venus is known as the beauty of
the stars (tarasundaii). The festival of the harvest moon
takes place on the full moon of Isa (Asvina), but that of
the Virgin commences on the pratipada, the first day after
the new moon. It does not therefore appear reasonable to
Puppose her as identical with the moon from the epithet
tJmasasi orimooa-like Uma by way of comparison.
Durga otlierwise called Kanya or Kuraari as has been
premised above is identical with Virgo, the Zodiacal sign
of the autumnal equipox iu the solar month of September’,
reckoned as tbe initial moment of one of the Ilindii system
of years from the sun’s progression or declination to the
southern hemisphere, the region of the Demons. She is
also the sign of the earth’s position in the vernal equinox
of Chaitra or more accurately Madliu, when the suu is situ­
ate in its opposite sixth sign of Pisces, which also divides
the annual circle into two hexamensic periods. Hence the
point of ascension of the sun from the southern to the north­
ern hemisphere in the vernal equinox as well as that of his
deseension or declination from the upper to the lower liemis-
 Vll

pliere constitute the beginning of the two equinoetial years

of the Hindus and count as the pedocls for woi’shipping
VirgOj Virgin, Kumari, the Devi. This two-fold division
of the Hindu year with reference to the heliaeal rising and
setting of the constellatinn has its counterpart in the
alternate predominance of darkness and ligiit, night and
day, in the diurnal revolution of the sun, to which the Dak-
shiiiayana and Uttarayana of the Hindu astronomer have
been likened. In the diurnal revolution of the starry
heaven the group of the three constellations Virgo, Centaur
and Leo is almost invisible at rright in autumn, and Kanya,
Virgo, following upon Leo, the lion, obscures the next con­
stellation Centaur by the brilliancy of the sun, to whom Virgo
might be said to be married. It wOuld not perhaps he too^
violent to suppose that the group of the three figures wor-1
shipped in the autumnal festival is the clay representation ofl
the astronomical phenomenon of bright heavenly luminaries. I
But why should a similar group be worshipped in the spring
season and why is the latter regarded as the older of the
two season festivals ? Is it because the constellations of
Leo, Virgo and Centaur are visible in the evenings of spring
when the sun is in the opposite sign of the zodiac ? Such
a supposition may he compatible witli the present advanced
state of astronomical knowledge, but how did the ancient
Hindus, wiio had not made such progress in astronomy,
seize the idea ? As the position of the sun in Virgo in
autumn led to the autumnal festival, so the position of the
earth, it might he supposed, in (Virgo) the sign opposite to
Aries led to the revival of the same festival in spring. The
festival in autumn continues for a period of ten days coih-
 T ill

mencing from the first lunation after new moon,* but in

spring it lasts only for four days ending on the tenth luna­
tion from pratipada. The Autumnal festival again, though
reckoned in the Sastras as the later of the two, is performed
in a more (dahorate manner than theA'^erual. The year
of the early Hindus commenced with the Vernal Equinox,
and the signs of the Zodiac together with the constellatioug
or groups of stars, which compose them, have their
beginning according to Hindu calculation in the Vernal
Equinox, the moment of the commencement of the sunk’s
ascension to the northern hemisphere or the region of the
gods ; and the inhabitants of that hemisphere possibly
thought of celebrating the festival in honour of Virgo
^ ^ i t the time of the Vernal Equinox, which it minht be
^^■upposed was in earlier days none other than a. Virginis.
^HOwitjg to the retrograde motion in space of tiie solar system
^ f a s regards its position in relation to the fixed stars, in other
words, owing to the Precession of the Equinoxes the eqoi-
■ noctial points have gradually retrograded and changed places.
W In the hypothetical days when the sun was in the constel­
lation Virgo the spring possibly prevailed, and when in
Aries the autumn took possession of the earth.
Next, it might be asked whether the spring festival had
the precedence of the autumnal, bdeau-se in the ruder
days of astronomical science the group of stars forming
Virgo, visible in the evenings of spring, first attracted the
notice of the observing, and suggested the idea of worship­
ping tangible representations of the^ same, and thus gave
rise to the Vasaiit Tsava or Vasanti Puja, which was first
* Jaj’asin.sflia in his K ilpailnmia states that the Vasaiiti-Pu_,a should be
performed from the pratipada to d a sa m i
 IX

in.'tituted in Loaor oftihe Virgin. In lairr days' the i .

ligliteucd observers''of tlic lieirvcns and of the mdtion of
rtlic heavenly bodies discovered the iriOrq^ important pbcpo*
imenou of the motion of t!m sun in the ecliptic/and found
that the constellation Virgo, one of the many groups . into
which they had triangulated the space of the heavens,
fell within the track of the sun. And having discovered this
they fell upon,the practice of worshipping Virgo at such a
time when the most important Inminaryi.h'fe sun was in if.
The Hindu constellation Virgo as being conipOsed of Ilasta,
Chitra and a portion of Svati, consists of CorvTis, Virgo,
and Bootes of the AVestem astronomers.' Hasta ps i^enti-
: 'fiecl with of Corvus, which iil . situated a little
towards the south-west extremity of the constellation, Virgo,
■' mid by calculation it has been determined that the Equator
; pas.sed through it in B. C. 2350, the Equator of ,A. D •
oGQ, however passed a little towards the north of Chitra, a,
Vii’ginis.* In th& autumnal festival .therefore tlie bodbana ,
, or the arousing of tlie goddess Virgin i. e. tlie moment
of the sun's leaving Leo in order to embrace Anrgo slidnhl'
be commenced earlier. The Autiimnal Equinox in A. I).
560, happened Accordingly .much closer to Chitra, the
asierisni proper of Abrgo than in B. C. 2350.
J'he Buranas might have added the. worehip of the twin-
stu^ Asvini, b. c. Arictis, the Castor and Bollox of the
Greeks, in which the sun enters when the constellation
'■’irgo commences to rise in autumn evenings. At the time
tbWe' two stars w'ere discovered they formed the asterism of
the lunar mansion that is the junction of Isa (aBeieht Asviua]
?« / , / , / '/ UmraesH’Surya-Sitldli»ht».‘ -•
 apd heucefthe month-^Asvina named after the phenomenon. Do
these tvTO, represent, the Kartikeya and Gariesa of the Bengal
Jnatima of Durga, and does the dwin ptai. ■Bharani^ fiori it
is in the Vedas’sometimes spoken of as ith e plural B’ a-
ranyas^ represent Lakshmi and Sarasr.-ifei, as.- siipportihg,
|Bharana metns to support) the corporeal and intelleotu'al
exisffenSe. ,f But Bharani is figured as the Youi or pudeuduin i
mulie|ire, and is formed as a triangle,- tlie southernmost
of which is the junction star and its divinity is Yatna. It
: is thferefore difficult to prove tbat^he Pnrarxis viewed it,
' ggaiust tlie texj.'of tiic, Vedas, only in its meaning of snp-
portress, for the Paranas as a rale do not contradict the
Vedas. Orglo)j.the two scales of Libra represent the twin
sistersj Lakshmi and Sarasvati. Or the lai ter the'goicldnss
of Krittika; or more properly the Krittikas the six stars,
of the’ Pleiades, whose,' regent is Agni. The'allegory
eonld be-., pursued a„ Jittle further, arid tlio ten. arms of '.-i
®nrga could he'said to stand for the teiivsigns of the zodiac, ,;-
yvhich liej.pa both sides df the cjnstellafion. But is it ^;
'■ not too much to suppose that the authors of the Vedas, ’^vhd'^
Jiymned -the praise of the Autumnal and Vernal Pestivals^
were so iirtimately aequainted. with the motions and position^ j;
of the heavenly bodies, wlien even the very names of mosV"^
'of them do not occur in . their books ? The Vedas presei^
no evidence of even the existence of the system of '4w.Mg
"erisins, indeed it is remarkable how little notice, is
of. the stars by the Vaidio poets, even the recognition of ^
some of the' Ih'minaries as planets- i. 6. those which change
their position in the heavens w i t h ’'regard to the fixed
stars, does not appear to, have oceUri*ed until considerably
 XI

later.* And are not the i lentifications noted above too

much strained and too far-fetched for taking tlie reason pri­
soner? How could the ten signs of the zodiac be said to
represent the ten arms of the goddess when one of the
signs (Virgo) is considered as the goddess herself^ and why
should the signs of the Hull, the Twin, and others he said
to represent arms to which they have as little resemblance
as anything with any other thing in creation. Why has the
goddess three eyes, why is she said to he formed of the
energy of all the gdds, why did she ascend in the heavens
after she came forth from Vishnu, why is she worshipped in
trees and plants, why is she designated the daughter of
mountain, why does she pierce the demon^s heart with
a lance, why docs she hold the demon by the fore-h ck, why
is the demon encircled by a snake, why does the lion fall
upon the demon and tear him up, why is she worshipped
at the time of the equinoxes, why is the autumnal worship
more elaborate than the vernal, why her worship, her en­
trance and her Visarjana are all enjoined to be performed in
the morning, why is the Sandhya Puja, the puja held at the
junction of two tithis regarded as the most solemn and
meritorious of all others, why is she called Kaushiki, the
goddess of flowers, why is the image thrown either into a
fountain or a stream, why are springing grass borne on the
head, why is the anointing of Durga considered so im­
portant, wdiy is the great arati or nirajana held on the
Dasami, and why is the Dasami called Vijaya, why is the

* The Taitfciriya Yajiirveda contains the names of the asterisms of

lunar mansions, hut it is well known that the work is more recent than
the Rig and Sama.
 XU

goddess described as beautiful but terrific-moutbcd fit to de­

vour the universe at one gulp^ why is she represented tender
and powerful at tbe same time, why are the black goat and
the buffalo sacrificed to her, and why is the festival so univer­
sally observed all over India, are questions which may
strike the thinking mind, and there is but one answer for
them. Because the goddess is none other than Aurora, the
Dawn of the Vedas.
In the mythology of the Puranas and in the mysticisms
of the Tantras this, the first and grandest of festivals so
universally observed and so solemnly celebrated through­
out India, was assoeiated with a portentious event in the
history of the heavens. The kingdom of heaven was
in danger, the Demons and Asuras made all powerful by
the suflfrance of the Almighty attacked the regions of the
gods, dethroned them, reduced them to the most abject
condition of poverty and defied the command of the
Creator himSelf. In this imminent crisis help was in­
voked of Vishnu the lord of gods. He was so indignant
at beholding their wretchedness that streams of glory
rushed forth from his face from which sprang Mahamaya.
SlreaUis of glory issued also from the faces of the other
gods and entered the person of Mahamaya, who became
a body of glory resembling a mountain on fire. The gods
then gave their weapons to this lady, who in a frightful rage
ascended into the air. This Pauranic myth is commemorated
by the celebration of the Durgotsava, the festival of Durga,
the Goddess Saviour of the gods from the scourge of the
Demon. The event was of no small interest to . the people
of the Dark Ages of India. The Kingdom of Heaven was
 XUl

redeemed and tbe immortal gods saved from their arch

enemy the Demon. Suratha a king of the Chaitra family
who flourished in the Savarni (the 8th) Manvantara of the
world celebrated this festival in the month of Chaitra.*
This myth of the Puranas regarding the origin of Durga,
and her worship in the month of Chaitra in the spring
season, under tlie name of Yasantotsava occurs in the Yajur
Veda in a less metaphorical and more plain form. Brahma
the Creator being desirous of multiplying his progeny him­
self became pregnant in a new form, and produced the Asuras
with the thighs, and threw at them eatables in an earthen
vessel. Tlien he destroyed the form which generated the
Asuras. That form of his body became metamorphosed into
dark night. He alsn created the gods with the mouth, and
gave them nectar to drink in a golden cup, and the mouth
became a briglit day. The Gods are the day, and the Asuras
the night. In the earlier Vedas the word Dyu, meaning day,
light, is identified with the gods, and darkness, night, with
the asuras.
The Dyu of the Vedas and the story of the battle be­
tween darkness and light for the kingdom of heaven
have been obscured in the myth of the Puranas given
above. The anecdote of Suratha (a name of the sun)
the founder of tlie festival in the Vernal season is nothing
more than an allegorical expression of the observance of
tlie commencement of the solar year in earlier days when
The pposent is the Vaivn-svata (vSolar) Manvantara. The Manvantara
which ]n’eco(Icd Savarni w as Savochi. A Manvantara is a cycle of four
Yui^as. Savarni, Sarachisa and V aivasvata after whom the cycles are njvmed,
arc all descendants of the Sun. L iterally however they are different u^mes
of the sun.
 XIV

ills? Tuontlis and the asterisms coincided, and when Suratha

(the sun) might be regarded as having been born in tbe
ace of Chit ra one of the asterisms in Virgo (a Virginis)
I’t he star which first appeared above the horizon on the
evening of the first of Baisakha, the commencement of the
year. Th e authors of the Sastras might have also had the
idea of the junction of the sun in a. Virginis, with the moon
in Asvini a. Areitis as the proper moment for commencing
the year and all calculations of the Hindu calendar. The
Hindus have divided the path of the sun in the heavens
into twelve signs or compartments of the zodiac. These signs
of the zodiac are occupied by twenty-seven asterisms or
mansions of the moon, and the months of the' Hindu year
have been named after the mansions, in which the full moon
of the solar month is supposed to take place. In the
hypothetical conjunction the full moon is supposed to have
happened in the lunar mansion Asvini, when the sun was
in Aries. But at that time the rule of naming the month
after the position Of the fiill moon in the asterism was not
known, and hence the period of the sun’s stay in Aries was
called by some name other tlian Asvina. The Vaidic names
of the months (for masa or month literally means the mea­
sure of the moon and is derived from the satellite) or more
accurately of the periods of the sun’s stay in the twelre
signs of the zodiac are Agrahyana, Taisha, Sahas, Tapasya,
Madhu, Madhava, Sukra &C., and not Margasirsa, Pausha,
Magha &c.
Usha the goddess Dawn, plays a most important part
in the Rig Veda. “ She goes to every house, she thinks of
the dwelling of man, she does not despise the small or the
 XV

great, she brings wealth, she is always the same immortal

divine, she does not grow old, she is the young goddess,
she was bom of the gods to slay the powers of dartness
(the Dasyus), she fills the air with light and she
spreads the sky, slie hides her face in water when she sees
her husband. Yet she says she will come again and after
the sun has travelled through th& world in search of the
beloved, when he is in the threshold of death, and is going
to end his solitary life, she appears again in the Gloamipg,
the same as the Dawn, at the end of the dreary day when
the sun seemed to die away in the far west, the heavens
opened and the glorious image of the Dawn VOse again,
her beauty deepened by a gloaming darkness. O Indra
thou struckest the daughter of Dyus (the Dawn) a woman
difficult to vanquish”.*
The above quoted passages of the Vedas are fraught
vdth interesting meaning, and each individual sentence has
been developed in the Puranasinto anecdotes that fill pages.
Dawn knows no destinction of rank or wealth in her visi-r
tations. As the poet says the moon does not withhold hisf
light from the house of even a Chandala, so Dawn, Durga,
according to the Puranas may be worshipped by men of
all castes, aye even by the inlechchhas -or the infidels.
In her capacity of a bringer of wealth Dawn is worshipped
in the form of Durga, and is prayed to bless men with plenty.
Dawn never grows old, nor does Durga, she is said to he full
with the freshness of youth. Durga as Mahamaya was born
* Max Muller.
t Moon is according to the Sastras a male deity. It might be noted that
the ancient authors occasionally made no distinction of sex of the gods.
Thus Baal is^sometimes represented as a woman and Astarte bearded.
 XVI

of Vishnu (the sun)^ and afterward she was equipped with

the arms of the other gods. Indeed, the Deviraahatmya
which if read with the eye of a worshipper of Dawn, appears
nothing more than the Pauranic abnormal development
Of the myth of the Dawn as fighting with the help of the
gods against Darkness, night, the demon, and filling the ten
quarters of the glol)€ with her victoi’ious sounds. In the
Devimahatmya, Mahamaya is said to have been formed
of the glory of Vishnu combined with those of the gods,
which expressed in the language of astronomy means the
twilight, formed by stray rays of many stars combined with
those of the sun. Durga in the Puranas is said to be the
light of fire, the light of the sun, tlie liy-ht of electricity,
and the light of the stars, and indeed the best of all lights.
The above four are indeed the sources of all light. Tlie
light generated by chemical and vital actions is the only-
remaining source of light, which has not been mentioned,
but it needs be remembered at what age the Puranas were
written, for Western Science has only so late as the eighteenth
century discovered th$se as the only sources of light. Dawn
fills the air with light, and the Puranas have expressed the
same idea almost in similar words. The glory of Maha­
maya filled the ten quarters of the globe. The Vaidic idea
of Dawn spreading the sky^ has been metamorphosed in
the Puranas and the Tantras into the wide and terrific-
mouthed goddess, for Durga is prayed as the terrific-faced
and three-eyed. Eorsooth, the only distinctive peculiarity
of the Dawn and the Evening is the existence of a single
star in the heavens. A greater number of stars than one
makes the moment night, and the absence of any slar,^ day.
 XVll

The Dawn and the Gloaming m.ay without violence to

imagination he called terrific-mouthed^as they hoth^ as it were
swallow the universe, and the goddess Durga is ten-armed,
for she embraces the universe from the ten quarters of the
globe. As darkness abides in the ten quarters of the globe.
Dawn challenges Darkness residing in the ten quarters all
at once and with ten weapons. Dawn hides her fkce in
water, for the rays of the sloping sun skim over the surface
of water, and in the blaze oDday she may be said to hide her
face under it, rising once more at the gloaming time with the
setting sun. The fountain and the stream are therefore con­
sidered the proper places to deposit the image of Durga,
so that she may come again, for the Dawn comes again. On
the death of Sati, Siva became mad, and filled with grief
travelled round the world, and was about to end his solitary
life wrapt in devotion for her sake, but regained his
senses when Parvati married him. The Sun (Puroravas)
travelled round the world and regained Dawn in her image |
of Gloaming at the threshold of Death. The Puranas
and Tantras have developed the gloaming image of Dawn
into Syama, Kali, who is also an image of Durga. The
beauty of Dawn is said to have deepened in gloaming dark­
ness, and Durga becoming Masi-coloured was metamorphos­
ed into Kali. In the war with Mahisasura the Markan-
deya Purana describes Durga as the invincible lady who
challenged the demon and vowed—
Whoso beateth me in battle fray,
Whoso levelleth m y wonted pride,
Whoe’er my rival dares to stay,
Let him alone have mo his bride.
Siva accepted the challenge, and vanquished her, and
so became her hus^hand. In the Vedas Indra is said to
 XVlll

have struck the daughter of Dyus (the Dawn) a woman

diffilcurt to vanquish. ‘
As Hari, Vishnu, is the lord of day, and is the sun, so
Siva, Saumya, is the lord of night, and is the moon. Indeed,
Siva bears on his forehead the crescent moon, and as such
interchanges places with Vishnu the lord of day. Both
are however the lord of light, and Siva being light in a
milder form i. e. borrowed light, is the lesser deity. Siva and
Hari may however be said to be identical in many respects,
and as such Lakshmi and Sarasvati the twin consorts of
H ari are forms of Sakti, Durga, and as Siva^s is the derived
light from Hari, so conversely Sarasvati and Lakshmi are
regarded the daughters of Durga. Siva as lord of night
has been represented in the Tantras, which view things
mystically, as the most terrific of the gods, and as night is
the death of day, the gods, Siva is described in (he Purauas
as the Destroying Lnergy of the Divinity. Similarly the
Tantras have pursued the myth of the Gloaming as a form
of Dawn, and have given numerous imaginary talcs re ­
garding tlie goddess Kali, a form of the Virgin, discovered
by the Sun at the threshold of death, and therefore adorned
with wreaths of skulls and like emblems of death. The
ravens, which accompany this idol, have their counterpart in
the constellation Corims in the heavens which follows Virgo.
I t might he mentioned that the asterism Svati is held in
the Tantras to be an auspicious junction star of the new
moon for the worship of Kali.
lu the Sastras Mahamaya as already observed is said to
have come forth in the form of glory from the person of i
Vishnu and to have ascended the heavens, figuring like a
 XIX

mountain on fire. The explanation of this myth is that

Mie rays of the morning sun kiss the mountain tops and
tinge them red, giving them the appearance of a body on fire,
and that light of the sun descends below from the top of the
mountain, the Dawn has been described by the Puranas as
the descendant or daughter of Himavat, the prominent
range of mountains in the north. Dawn discovers the trees
and their fruits by her light, and Durga is therefore wor­
shipped in trees. Trees and plants are the abode of D m
for Dawn peeps through the windows of their foliage.
Dawn with her solitary ray of light passing throng
crevices of the caves pierces as it were the heart of d3
Darkness, and sucks out its blood in the redness impa|
to the sky by the rising sun, so Durga plunges a spea^
into the breast of tbc Asura and draws forth blood from it.
Dawn, Durga, predominates and holding the demon Dark­
ness, encircled by eternity (the snake emhlbm of eternity)’
by the forelock subdues him by planting her foot on his"
shoulder. Durga stands with one foot on a lion whose
Sanskrit name is Hari, the god of day, the sun, and the
other on the demon Darkness, for Dawn may be said to
stand on both. Tbe left foot of Durga, with which she
crushes tbe demon, is raised a little in the attitude of em­
ploying force, for Dawn virtually makes the demon Dark­
ness hear her weight. As the sun, upon which Dawn may
l)c said to ride, chases away darkness into shadows, so the
lion of Durga tars the Asura into piece.s.
. The Dakshinayana is the night of the gods and the
Uttarayana tbeir day. The equinoxes, therefore, are the
IDavvn and the Gloaming of the gods, the proper moments for
 XX

Worsliipping Durga, the Dawn of the Puranas. The Morning

of the Equinoxes is the Dawn of Dawns, and hence held
sacred to the worship of Durga the goddess Dawn. From
the text and the notes it will be seen that the Sastras have
laid great stress upon the performance in morning of all
cerenoonies connected with the worship of Durga, Dawn. Ac­
cording to the Puranas the term Sandhya, junction,Twilight,
includes both the Dawn and the Gloaming, but the Tantras
extolled the Gloaming, evening, the Sandhya par excel-
and the worship of Sandhya therefore has superseded
kof Dawn. The principal puja of Durga is accordingly held
le great‘Sandhya of Ashtami and Navami Tithis, a
lent very near the centre of the bright fortnight. From
?he Navami titlii of the bright fortnight the reign of Light
may be said to prevail. Springing grass is the emblem of
light, for the sun brings forth the plants and the corn, and in
•the Worship of Dawn the precursor of Light, the sun, spring-
• ing grass is borne on head as the token of the festival.
W ith the approach of spring, which follows the Vernal
Equinox plants revive and blossoms burst forth in pro-
fuseness anJ Dawn is therefore said to have appeared in
the form of blossoms.
Both the diurnal and the hexamensic Dawns are con­
sidered auspicious moments for bathing, and the anointing of
DurgU at that time is for the same reason held to be
meritoripus.
Dawn having vanquished the demon Darkness establishes
the reign of Light. Durga is therefore designated Vijaya,
Victoria, or the bestower of victories. I t is remarkable
that the constellation of Berenice is on the north of Virgo^
 XXI

The dar-k fortnight of a lunar month is the period^ wheu

darkness predominates and is therefore considered imfit for
certain ceremonies. In the bright fortnight also for seven
or eight days there is a contest as it were between Darkness
and Light, and it is only on the dasami tithi, the tenth luna­
tion, that the dominion of light is thoroughly established.
Following this natural phenomenon in the worship of Durga,
the Dasami (Vijaya) may be regarded as the celebration
of the victory of Dawn over Darkness, and as the martial
exploits of the ancients were commemorated by the presen­
tation or lustration of arms in review so the triumph of
Dawn over Darkness is similarly celebrated by the pre­
sentation or lustration of (lights) the weapons of Dawn.
Black kid is the most acceptable sacrifice to Durga, Dawn,
for blacknight is her victim, and for the same reason
the Sastras enjoin that in the Vasanti Fuja, dark flower’s
should be offered to Durga. In sacrificing a goat to Durga
the animal is directed to be fixed between clOud-formed
pillars and between the pillars which divide the universe.*
At the approach of Dawn, Darkness is fixed between hazy
clouds or properly speaking between the zones of condensed
vapour hovering over the horizon, and made palpable in
the east and west by the rising and setting sun. Night,
Darkness, the demon is fixed between the pillars of Dawn and
Gloaming, which divide the day of twenty-four hours or
I’ the Equinoxes which divide the starry heaven into two.
Durga is gold coloured for Dawn is red as gold. But the
lengal pratima has other figures than Durga. Ganesa
anus) is the God of morning and of day after whom the
I * The Sloka in the text has been, translated otherwise. The Sanscrit is
Me;,’hakara stambha.”
 XSll

first montli of the year Januarius has been named by the

Romans. He is called Ganapati by the Hindus and is the
first of a group of gods. He is red coloured as the Brahma
Murti of the rising sun. He sits on a lotus, which opens
at the approach of the sun. Lakshmi is the ten o’clock sun
and she therefore stands on a lotus. Sarasvati is the two
o’clock sun the hottest and the brightest and therefore the
whitest sun of the day. Kartikeya is the setting sun and is
painted yellow. According to certain interpretations of the
Puranas and Tantras, Durga has been made to assume a
different character, that is Porce, Prakrti, Sakti. But when it
is remembered that man’s idea of the godhead in the infancy
of the world was derived from the manifestations of the sun>
moon and stars, the identification of Durg.a with Dawn, it is
to be hoped, will not appear altogether extravagant. Indeed,
this theory finds a remarkable confirmation in the Inv okation
to the Goddess sung by Kalidasa in his Sakuutala or theLost
Ring quoted in the title-page. This sublime sloka, though
rendered differently by different translators, literally means
as follows :
“ Tliat which is the first work of the Creator (Light of
Dawn), that which bears away the Ghi offered according to
law (Light of Fire), that which is sacrificer himself (Light of
Life), those two which regulate time (the Dawn and the
Gloaming), that which pervades the universe possessed with
the object of hearing* (Space), that which is said to be th(«
energy of all growth (Light of the Sun), and that with whichl
the animate are living: May Isa, Great God, apparent ini
these eight benign forms bless you ! Amen !”
* Rendered literally this passage means that -which per^'a<■lei the univers*
being qualified as Usha th e object (of worship) of Sruti (th e Vedas.) ft
 flCTEGA P U J A .
[The folloiving p'^iper was originally pub~
lished in the “ Hindoo P a trio t for the
2Zrd October, 1871.]
THE PRATIMA. OR THE GROUP OF
FIGURES a ).—CONST RUCTION.
On t h e day of Ratba Tatra, i. e. on tie
second day of the bright half of the month of
Ashadha, a piece of bamboo-sht of the required
length is properly cleaned and smoothed and
rounded by the kumbhakara (potter,J and then
taken up to the room where the family idols
are kept; the family priest, after worshipping
Vishnu, anoints it with chandau, a sandal-wood
paste, and invokes Uurga upon it. This piece of
bamboo-slit remains in the same room till on th®
eighth day of the waning moon of Sravana, i. e.
till the Janmashtami, when the architect of the
prafima brings it down. The frame-work (kata-
mo) is then commenced. The materials are
scrupulously collected, and every precaution is
taken to preserve their purity (f. e. freedom
from defilement by unbelievers.) The materials are
pieces ol bamboo-slits, unpealcd garan (Ceriops
 [ 3 ]
VS5
%
Roxburgliianus, Avn) yearlings, dried ulu grass,
(Imperata cylindrica, Beauv) and. a plank from
mango timber. The carpenter then drills boles in
the plank at an auspicious moment, and the kumar
builds the framework upon it. Rough skeletons of
the idols are mads with ulu straw, and then a
dough of earth from the Hugh, cow-dung, and
husk of rice is made up, and with the earth thus
prepared the kumar moulds up the figures. These
are seven in number, four of which are removeable,
and the principal three, which are centrical in the
group, are attached to one another. All the
figures, except one of the lower-most figures of
the central group and the right-most one, are first
made headless. The heads are prepared by the
kumar at bis house. The figures are then allowed
to dry for about a fortnight or twenty days, when
again au auspicious moment is fixed upon for
covering over the idols with a plaster of finer earth,
and it is then that; tire heads to those figures,
which had not been fixed unto them, and the
fingers of all the figures, ace put on. The snake,
which encircles one of the centrical figures, is at
this time formed, so also the top-piece or chal as it
is called. The, small nooks on both sides of the
frame-work are next fitted up with two groups
of figures, and miniature weapons and the head of
,'Vk
m
 [ 3 ]

a buffalo, and a mouse are then moulded. In ­

deed, before the waning fortnight of Asvina the
kumar finishes bis work and then the figuves
are left to dry for some days. The painter enters
appearance generally on the third or the fourth
day of the waning fortnight of Asvina and paints
figures according to the directions given in the
Sastras. On the fourth or rather the third day of
the waning fortnight of Asvina i. e., about three or
four days before the puja the malifW decorates the
idols with tinsel and imitation ornaments. The
idols are ready for worship on the evening of the
sixth day of the waxing fortnight of Asvina.
On the plank of wood is raised about a foot
high a platform of wicker-work covered with
plaster of earth. On this platform rest all the
figures, their real weight being supported by
horizontal props attached to the strong frame-
viiork of bamboo-slits and garan, which is shaded
from the front view partly by the figures them­
selves and partly by plaster of earth. Sup­
ported on the frame-work of the back is the
richly moulded chal, divided into three semi-cir­
cular compartments, with the convex sides pro­
jecting upwards. lu each compartment are paint­
ed, according to the injunctions of the Sastras,
figures of various gods and goddesses, and scenes
 [ 4 ]

of several battle-fields. From the two upper-most

comers of the frame-work project two figures
of Nilakautha bird, Coraccias inclicas.
Peculiar customs are observed by some families
iu the construction of the idols, [n families where
the DavgotSava is an ancient institution, the
idols are constructed wholly either by men of
the carpenter caste or hy men of the potter caste.
These hold cliakran lands granted to them, or
rather to their ancestors, and the only return they
make is the service rendered in the con­
struction of the idols. The carpenter or the potter
comes on the prescribed day of every year and
prepares the pratlma without any reference to the
head of the house. In this manner others, who
likewise hold rent-free lands, from the priest who
performs the worship to the suppliers of different
edibles including the musicians and other atten­
dants on the occasion, render their anpual tribute
of service, and the festival is celebrated with­
out subjecting the family to additional expenses.
At places where the ulu straw is not available
the substratum of the figures is made with the
straw of paddy. In some families however the same
frame-work is used every year, and when the
plank gets rotten, a bit from the old plank is at­
tached to the new. The tenth day of the waxing

m
 I ]

fortnight of Asbadha is ia some families observed

as the day sacred to the construction of the idol.
In others, again, the Janmashtami or th^ birth
dayoflCrshna is preferred. No respectable family,
however, purchases a ready-made idol from the
bazar. The chal or the canvas top of the frame­
work varies in form in different families. Some
have a round chal, which is in Bengali called
Bangala, others have three separate semi-oiroular,
triangular, spherically-triangular pieces, with
truncated conical top.
The figures are, in the central group, a repre­
sentation of Durga, the ten-armed goddess, standing
with the right foot upon the back of a lion, which
is again described in the attitude of a combatant
attacking an Asura,_ (the buffulo-demon) on whom
rests her left foot. The goddess has many-braided
locks of hair, the crescent moon on her forehead ;
three eyes,and a face, resembling in brightness the
^ull moon, her complexion as brilliant as liquid
gold,-her stature graeefully thrice-bent; and her eyes
exquisitely beautiful. With the freshness of youth,
and completely decomted with ornaments ; with
lovely set of teeth, and with bosoms lofty and
compact, the goddess is represented in the
attitude of destroying the buffalo-demon, with
ten arms delicate and rounded as the tender stalks
 C 6 ]

of the lotus, holding the trident in one of her

right arms, the sword and the discus in the lower
ones, a. sharp dart and a lance in the other two
respectively ; while in her left arms holding the
shield, the bent bow, the noose, the goad and
the bell or the axe. The bufiPalo is represented as
a headless trunk, from which springs up a demon,
with a shield and sword in hand, pierced in his
breast by the lance of the goddess and besmeared
with blood, gushing from his wounds. The god­
dess frowning with a terrifies contraction of her
brows, holds in her left hand with the forelocks
of the demon the serpent noose, which strangles
the Asura in its dreadful coil, while the lion falls
upon him, with teeth gorging blood. The right
foot of the goddess rests lightly on the back of
the lion, while she stands tip-toe, with her left
foot on the demon’s shoulder.
The figure to the right of the group of three(3)>
is that of Lakshmi. She is represented as stand­
ing on a full-blown white lotus, with her right
foot slightly bent over the left, with the toe of the
right a little turned out. The.whole figure slight*
ly leans towards the right and in her each hand,
she holds a full-blown white lotus. In the Sas-
tras, she is described as bright as gold, decorated
with necklaces, yellowish gold and silvery white,
 [ 7 ]

standing on a lotus, ber right hand raised and the

left lowered, making a graceful attitude. To the
left of the central group is put Sarasvati as white
as marble or purer still,like the jasmine, the moon,
or the snovy, standing on a white lotus and holding
in her hands a vina, guitar, dressed in white. Her
left foot rests tip-toe on the right and her left hand
slightly raised. She leans gracefully towards the
left. A little lower to the right of Lalnshrai sits,
with his left leg bent on the right the vermeil-redj
triple-eyed, plump and round-bodied, big-bellied,
handsome Ganesa, holding in his hands a lotus
flower, a noose, a goad, and chakra ; surmounted
by the face of the prince of elephants, one-tuske'd
bearing the crescent moon on his forehead, from
the pores of which distill liquor drops. H is,
shoulders are decorated with a wreath made of the
king af serpents and his dress is red. To the
left of Sarasvati sits the victorious and gold-
colored Kartikeya, on a beautiful peacock. lu
his riglit hand, he holds a lance and with the
open left palm confers boons on his devotees.
Under the lotus, the seat ol Ganesa, may be seen
a small crouching mouse, snugly resting with
its tail curved on its back.
In the right nook of the frame-work is placed
Siva, seated on his fatHandi(bull). Siva is des-
 [ 8 ]

cribed as having two arms and one head,

three dull, half-shut eyes, a crescent and a
head-dress of serpents. He holds in his right hand
a darnam, a small drum instrument, resembling
two inverted cones. It is sounded by the oscillation
of a small knot hanging from a string and strik­
ing alternately the drums on the two sides. In his
left hand Siva holds on high his enormous horn. In
the left nook sits Ramachandra, green colored, on
his favourite monkey, Hanuman. He holds in each
hand an arrow and a bow.
On the lower platform are placed two small
figures of two girl attendants, Jaya and Vijaya,
the one is painted yellow and tlje other red;
under the Asura is seen a small representation of
a severed head of a buffalo.
The chalsW constitute the most interesting part
of the entire group. The principal and protninent
picture in the central chal, is that of Muktakesi, a
form of Kali. She is painted purple and in every
respect she is a Kali. Her red tongue projecting out
of her purple though well-formed face, four-armed,
decorated with a necklace of human skulls and
dressed in elephant-skin. She also stands upon
Siva, but unlike the Dakshina Kali her left leg is
foremost. Above the figure of Kali are painted the
pictures of the a vatars, the first four of which,
 [ 9 ]

Matsya, Ivaeheblia, Varaha, aud Nrsinba, are to*

wards the right. Buddha is placed in the centre
and he is represented seated in deep meditation
with his eyes closed and both hands folded on the
navel. Towat'ds the left nre Vamana, Parasnrama,
Valarama and Kalfci. R<rttia, the complement of the
ten avatars, is the principal figure of the dial to­
wards the right. Round Muktakesi are placed the
ten MahaviJyas i. e., tlie ten incarnations of Sakti
vi2. Kali, the well known goddess. "Tara, another
form of Kali, represented as more plump thait
Kali, with legs differently disposed, that is
stretching side-ways. Dhumavati, Shodasi, Bhu-
vanesvan and Vagala are milder incarnations
of Sakti. They are all represented as seat­
ed, some upon chairs held by Brahma, Vishnu,
Siva and Narada, some as being anointed witii
waters poured by elephants. Chhinnamastaka is
a reclish brown, naked, headless goddess, she
stands npon a human couple and in one hand
holds a gory soimitar and in the other, her own
severed head, which drinks the warm blood,
gushing forth from her headless trunk. Ma-
tangi, Bhairavi and Siddhavidya have each a place
in the chal.
In the lower compartment of this central chal
are represented the several elementary gods, viz,.
nV
 -[ 10 ]

Indra tlie god of the firmament, Agni the god of

fire, Varuna the god of waters, the Maruts the god
of the winds and Yama the god of death and
the eight Saktis viz. Ugvaehanda, Prachanda,
Chandogra, Chandanayica, Chanda, Chandavati,
Chandarupa, and Atichandica, and below these, in
a small compartment, is repre.sented the battle be­
tween the gods and the demons.
The principal group in the right chal is that of
Ramachandra, seated on a throne with Sita at his
left, his favourite monkey Hanuman kneeling, and
his three brothers Bharata, Lakshmana and Satru-
ghna holding an umbrella and fans resp)ectively.
In this chal is also represented the battle of Eama
and Ravana. The sun is seated in his car drawn
by seven horses, and the tainted moon has also
a place in this compartment. On the top is re­
presented Siva, in his marriage dress ; and small
figures of the sixty Yoglnis are given. In the
lower compartment is delineated the scene of the
battle of Snmbha and Nisumbha, and the princi­
pal figure in this group, is that of the gold-colored
goddess, the two-armed Chandi, with a lance in
hand resting on a lion.
In the left chal the principal figure is that of
Radlia, seated on a throne, with her Gopinis
allround, dressed as a queen, and Krshna
 [ 11 ]

doing homage to her. In this chal is also repre­

sented the battle of the Kurus and Pandavas, and
in the lower compartment is described another
scene of the battle of the demons 'with the black
forna of Sakti. She is represented as a two­
armed goddess, standing on a liOn and holding
swords in both hands. In the several smaller
corners are represented the Vatukas and the nine
Grahas (planets) viz., the Sun, the Moon, the Mars
the Venus, the Jupiter, the Mercury, the Saturn,
the Rahu and the Ketu (the ascending and the
descending nodes.)
In some families the paintings of thp chals
differ greatly, and some of the above-mentioned
gods and goddesses are left onfc, according to the
forms and dimensions of the chal. The painter,
however, takes great care to so dispose the several
figures, that the effect of the entire collection is
rendered graceful and imposing. Certain modifica­
tions are observed in coloring the several idols and
in the disposition of the same. Ganesa is generally
piiinted red, all over the body, except the trunk
which is that of a white elephant; the Malliks
of Andul have a two-armed Ganesa; some
however have light orange or light green Ganesa
in some families, again, he is represented as stand
ing. No variations occur iu the coloring of
 [. 13 ]

Lakslimi, Savasvatiand Durga, though some have

tlie first two transposed and tlie last with four arms
only. Some have what is called, au Abhaya murti
i. e. a two-armed Durjja seated with Siva. The Buf-
falo-demon is represented by some as coming' out
of the carcass of a buffalo and is somewhere painted
gray. Kartikeya is always represented as seat­
ed on a peacock. Sometimes we meet with a
standing Kartikeya and then he is painted yellow­
ish white. In some families the clothes of the
three female idols are made by the architect with
plasters of earth, and in others, pieces of cloth are
actually placed round the idols, and in the latter
ease the color preferred for the golden colored
female idols is red and for pure white Sarasvati blue
or purple. In some families, again, the principal
ornaments of the idols are made of earth. But
Kartikeya is most susceptible of change. His
dress depends much upon the fancy of the head
of the family. The heads of Kartikeya, Ganesa
and the demon are the same in every house. The
heads of the three goddesses may be either slightly
flat or oval. Many have an elongated head for the
lion, more like that of a horse and a dragon,
while others, delineate the natural face of the lion.
With these gods and goddesses, some of wdiich
are represented in clay and others in paint.
 C 13 ]

is worshipped perhaps, with equal respect the

Navapatrica or the group of nine plants or twigs
of plants. The Mallikas of Andul establish two
NavapatricaSj the one on the dark navami
and the other on the evening preceding the
Saptami. lu the minor details both in con-
structien of the idols and in the worship th^re
are so many variations and peculiar customs
observed in different families, that it is difficult
to lay down any practice as universal, except
the universal celebration of the Autumnal Festi­
val. The Chaudhuris of Makardah, for example, do
not offer any eatables to the goddess on the occa­
sion of the festival during the day. At night
boiled rice is offered in dishes made of plantain
leaves. (®)
PAINTING THE IDOLS.
As SOON as the idols are dry, the painter
comes in and lays on the figures three or
four coatings of a water-paint made of chalk.
This forms the ground, and when it gets
sufficiently dry, Durga, Lakshmi and Kartikeya are
painted jmllowwith harital, sulpliurate of arsenic,
which is ground and mixed carefully with water and
gum from the Vel fruit. Ganesa is painted similarly
with hingul, a coarse ore of sulphuret of mercury,
and the demon with jangal, verdigris, done up with
B ’
 [ 14 ]

a varnish of garjan oiK®). And all these figures

are subsequently covered with a varnish. The Lion,
and Sarasvati are painted with another prepara­
tion of chalk, and are polished by the surface being
rubbed with fine linen. The painter forgets not to
put On the forehead and arms of the goddesses
the usual tatoo marks. •
As soon as the painting of the'idols is finished,
the remnants of the paint are taken to the ladies
of the house, and they paint with the same a par­
ticular spot in the room alloted'to the family id ol.
After the paints are sufiiciently dry, at an auspici­
ous inoment the entire group is removed to the
place of worship, and is set up on a raised platform
of wood, which is washed and painted over by the
ladies of the house with a white paint made of
ground rice, the designs on the platform being a bed
of lotuses, the feet, of the goddesses, and a series of
yantras,roystic figures(7). This platform or low table
about 1 | feet high, is placed upon clay,and beneath
it are sprinkled the five grains, rice, wheat, barley,
mas (Phaseolus Roxburghii, Wight) andsesamum.
In about three or four days small seed lings of a
whitish yellow color spring up beneath the table.
TH E WORSHIP.
I n t h e autumn of every year is to be
celebrated the Mahapuja, is the injunction of the
 [ 15 ]

Mai'kandeya Parana. I t is not optional, i t ' is

indeed a commandnaenfc, and it has what the
Smarthas would call a Njtyatva i, e., the Omission
is a sin, but it has also a Kamyatva in it, i. e., if
performed it is meritorious and may he performed
with some object in view. The Kalika Purana
says,whoever in the great festival of Durga does
not worship the Devi whether from ignorance,
vanity, or jealousy, or from any other cause, the
wrath of the Goddess falls on him and destroys all
his wishes. The Bhavishyottara Purana says, the
gratification of BhaV^ni is the assurance of happi­
ness for the whole year, is for the destruction of
the spirits, goblins and ghosts, and also for tlie
sake of festivity. The Devi Purana says, the meri-
l*oriou3 effects of gratifying Durga even for half a
minute, cannot be described by ^ihliesa, the five­
faced, in a hundred years. Indeed, the Durgotsava
is of all Hindu festivals, the most solemn and the
most popular. Every Hindu, who can afford to
enjoy the luxury of celebrating the festival, begins
to make preparations for it from the commencement
of the year. So dear is the festival to the Hindus
of Bengal that few forego the pleasure of worship­
ping tlie autumnal Goddess. Should not the
circumstances of any person permit him to worship
the Goddess in the idols, in his own house, he wor-
 [ 16 ]

ships hec in paintings or in tlie Ghata (an earthen

pot of a peculiar form), or lie sends his free-will
and devotional offerings to the idols of his neigh­
bours or relatives. On the eighth day of the
ihoon i. e. on the second day of the Durgotsava
offerings of rice, sugar, coeoanut, and various other
fruits and flowers are made by every Hindu
in Bengal. The Devi Purana says, this is a ceremony
that can be»celebrated by Brahmanas, Kshatrias,
Vaisyas, Sudras, and by other slaves, also by various
Mleehchhas, and Dasyus. Indeed, it is a national
festival, and no native of any caste or creed can
avoid the contagion of the jubilee. In the North-
West, in the Punjab and in the SouthernPresidency
it is observed as a Navaratri (nine nights) festival.
The festival is celebrated according to the text
of three Pur^nas viz., the Kalika Purana, the
Devi Purana, and theVrhannandikesvara Purana;
the most elaborate Of these is the last. There are
three times of eonomencing the ceremony. Prom
the waning ekadasi of Ashadha to the waxing
ekadasi of Kartika the gods are said to sleep, this
period is called the Dakshinayana, the night of the
Gods, when the sun proceeds towards the south.
Before the goddess is worshipped she has to be
awakened. Indra is said to rise about the time of
the new moon of Asvina, and from time imme-
 X [1

movial tlie Sakrottliana or tlie rising of Indra has

been observed as an agricultural festival. The
Devi Parana says, in the month of Isha i.e. Asvi-
na, in the waning fortnight, when the sun enters
the sign Virgo, on the ninth day,the Goddess is to
he roused with sport, pleasure, and prosperity. On
the sixth day, with the asterism Jyaishtha (U and
T, Scorpionis) the Vel tree is to be invited; on
the seventh, with the asterism Mula,the entrance Of
the patrieas is to be celebrated j on the eighth
day, with Purvashadha asterism are to he perform­
ed with fast tlie puja and the homas ; on the
ninth clay, wich^^he asterism Uttarashadha, Siva
is to be worshipped with halis ; and on the tenth
day, with the asterism Sravana the goddess being
homaged is to be consigned to water. In the
Kamakhya Tancliaraurti Prakrana,it is stated, that
as long as there are the earth, the air,the heavens,
water, fire, the moon, and the planets, so long
shall the worship of Chandica he observed on the
earth, for in ancient days on the eighth and ninth
days of Asvina used to be celebrated with great
eclat, the autumnal festival. It is added that
in ancient times on the ninth day in autumn the
goddess used to be awakened, the ceremony has
accordingly been known as the great/Autumnal
Festival. The Linga Parana says, after worship,'
 [ 18 ]

ou the ninth day of the dark fortnight of Asvina

the Devi is to be awakened with great pomp and
eclat. This is called the Bodhana or the arousing.
The Bodhana may also be commenced on the sixth
day of the waxing moon of Asvina. The Bhavishya
Parana says, on the sixth the goddess is to be
aroused in the Vel tree, and the evening prayer
offered with devotion. The Kalika Parana says,
on the sixth, the Devi is to be awakened on a
branch of the Vel tree and on a pair of its fruits,
on the seventh, the same being collected She is
to be worshipped. thereon; on the eighth, on
the same twig She is to be tyorshipped with
some peculiar ceremonies, and the worshipper is
to watch the whole night with vigilance, and
in the dead of night to offer a sacrifice ; on
the ninth, with numerous sacrifices She is to
be worshipped and to be meditated with the
Durga m antra; and on the tenth the idol is
to be consigned to water, and the jubilee conclud­
ed with the time-honored custom of kolakuli or
embracing. From the above it would appear,
that the commencement of the ceremony of
arousing the goddess'may be deserved on either
the ninth day of the dark fortnight preceding the
Durgotsava,or on the sixth day of the waxing fort­
night. These two are the days of Bodhana or
 [ 19 ]

arousing, but the Kalpa or the resolution to

worship the Goddess may be commenced on the
first day after the new moon preceding the
Durgotsava, this is called the Pratipadadikalpa.
THE KALPARAMBHA(8).
S a n k a l p a . —On the day of pratipada having
finished the usual morning ceremony, (9) with
kusa in hand, and having done the achama-
naOO), repeat the acbamana sukta. The achamana
is a peculiar process of washing and puri­
fying one^s self. The head of the family then
says, Om the gods always observe that Vishnu
is the best of all existences, and He indeed is the
eye of knowledge &o. He then worships Nara-
yana, and utters, Om Svasti, Prosperity. Om in
this performable yearly autumnal great Durga Puja
oh j'e (addressing the priests present) pronouncee
tljat ye are pure. I am pure is the reply. Similarly
Svasti and Rddhi are repeated,and the Svasti Sukta
is pronounced. Om may Indra, the lord of sacrifices)
bless us with prosperity, may Pusha the Visvav-
eda bless us with prosperity, and may Vrhaspati
bless us with prosperity ! Om the sun, the moon,
Yama, time, evening, beings, day, night, air, the
dikpsvlns (gods presiding over the points of the
compass) the earth, the heavens, the aerial beings
and the immortals, witnesses appointed by Bi’al^-
 [ 20 ]

ma, may they descend on thisspotO^). Having

repeated the above and placed in the udumvara
(12) filled with water a nutmeg, a flower, a
few blades of kusa grass,a leaf of tulsi and sesamum,
the head of the family, with his face towards the
north, holds the knsa in his both hands and
kneeling repeats, Vishnur Om tat sat and u t­
ters the following, “ commencing from to-day in
the month of Asvina, waxing fortnight, Pratipada
tltlii, to the Navami (9th) tithi, every day I so
and so of such and such gotra with a view to
propitiate Sri Durga, do Iiereby promise, after the
usual worshipping of Ganesa and other gods to
perform the yearly autumnal worship of Sri-
bhagavat Durga, according to tlie Vrhannandi-
kesvara Purana/’ The yajaraana then drops the
sacred water towards the north-east corner. While
he thus drops water the ofiSciating priests, one
and all, repeat thesankalpa sutras(iS). Similarly a
sankalpa is made for reading the D e v i M ahatmta
from the Markandeya Parana as follows ;
Vishnur Om tat sat, commencing from to-day,
month of Asvina,waxing fortnight, pratipada tithi
to the NaVarai, I, so and so, of such and siicli gotra,
in the performance of the yearly autumnal Durga
worship, do hereby promise to read that portion of
t^e Jayakhya Markandeya Parana, which comthen-
 [ 21 ]

ces with “ Slarkandeya said ‘ Savami surya tanayo’

Sdc .” and ends with “ Savarni bliavita manu^’
so many times every day.
V a r a n a .— Then comes the Varana or appoint­
ment of the officiating priests. TIte yajamana, to
sit with his face towards the east and the priests
facing north. The yajamana says. Ora you are
sadhu, the priests reply, Om we are sadhu and we
are seated. The yajamana says, Om I wish to
propitiate you ; the priests reply, Om do SO. Then
the yajamana anoints the priests with chandan
and offers them flowers, clothes, ornaments, &e.,
and holding their right knee repeats, Vishnttr om
tat sat, to-day in the month of Asvina and in the
Pratipada tithi of the briglit fortnight I, so and
so, of such and such gotra, do hereby appoint you
who are duly homaged with chandan &e., so and
so, of such and such gotra, to perform my promised
annual autumnal Durga Puja. The priest replies,
om I am appointed, and then the yajamana
says, do you perform the same according to
the Sastras, to which the priest rejoins, I shall
perform the same according to my knowledge.
Similarly the Tantradharakar, (W) the hota, the
reader of the Devimahatmya and other officiat­
ing priests are appointed. As soon as all the
officiating priests are so appointed, the yajamana
 E 22 ]

is set free. The priests tliea commence the

usual worship.
G hatasthapana (1») ;—A ghata is a large
earthen water jar ; it should not be less than half
a cubit in height and not larger than two cubits.
I t has a ring at the bottom, so that it may be
safely placed on earth without being capsized. Its
form is peculiar; the central portion buldges
out prominently, and the collar is extraordinarily
narrow, the brim is broad and open, and indeed
turns out like a bell-sbaped flower. Such a gbata
is filled with Ganga water, and a twig of mango,
a twig of Asvattha (religious fig), one of Eata
(Indian fig,) one of Asoka (jonesia) and one of
jack fruit are put in it, two betel-leaves with
stalk are placed upon it, also a shallow earthen
dish filled with rice upon the rice rests a cocoanut
husk and stalk all, with the long stiff stalk facing
the priests. A piece of new cloth dyed yellow with
tnrraeric is tied round the neck of the ghata, and a
figure of a God with two arms and two legs is
described on the central portion of the ghata, with
a paste made of vermillion and ghee. The ghata
thus decorated is placed upon a lump of fine
dough of clay, brought from the River, over
which are scattered the five grains. In a
small earthen pot a mixture of curd and
 [ 23 ]

rice i$ made, which is sprinkled on the ghata.

Every process above described is performed by the
priest with a separate mantra. When the ghata
is filled with water the priest invokes all the liver
gods on the ghata, and then reads a Sukta from
the Vedas, which means. Om yon are the offspring*
of Varuna, om you are the dominion of Varuna,
om you are the companion of Varuna, om Varuna
isyouv associate, om Varuna do you approach. The
clay is placed with the following incantation ; Om
you are Bhu, om you are BhUmi, om you are
Aditi, om you are the supporter of the universe,om
you are the material of this world, om you ai‘e the
earth, om you are home, om do you not destroy
this world. Then taking a handful of unhusked rice
the priest repeats the following, and scatters the
same on the dough : Om you are rice, ora you are
life, you are the life of the gods, you are our life,
you are our internal life, you are long life,
you give life, om the Sun with his rays gives
yon the milk of life and Varuna nourishes you
with water. Similarly the other grains are scatter­
ed, and the ghata is then placed upon them with
the following mantra. Oin noble-souled jar, you
please the gods, you held in your cavity the
sacred nectar, from you oozed out a thousand
drops of liquor, which made the gods immortal,
 [ 24 I

om you saved the gods, may you save me.

The twigs are placed in the ghata with the
following mantra, Om the producers, the desert
is suchwithout you, life is death without you, the
sun is unbearable without you. How he scorches
with his burning rays, you save even your ene­
mies the wood-eutters from the sun, you are
most noble, and you rule over every region. The
cocoanutis placed with the following mantra. Om
whatever bears fruits, whatever bears not, whatever
bears blossoms, whatever is flowerless, they are
all the offsprings of Vrhaspati, may they purify me
and this house. Then taking the vermilHon paste
on the fourth finger, Om like the Ocean you are
vast, Indra loves you, with ghee wheu dropped
you describe a continuous stain. You are noble,
perhaps nobler than the fuel-wood, which paints
everything black. The priest then holds a lotus
flower in his hand and repeating the following,
places it on the ghata, Om you are sri, you are beau­
tiful, you are Laksbmi’s self by day, and by night,
you are the stars as beautiful as the Asvina, you
are desired by us, loved by many, loved by all.
The ghata is then placed carefully and made
steady with the following mantra, Om thick-
hellied, thin collared, be you soon steady, steady
against the winds, against the earths motion, be
 [ 25 ]

you are earth, you are well-formed, you are made

of earth. Om commencing from Ganga all the
rivers, all the seas, all the oceans, all tanks, lakes,
&e., come and destroy the evils of the yajamana.
THE PRELIMINARY PUJAS.
ceremonies are observed b efore every
C e r t a in
puja, and these are the arghyasthapana, the
establishing of the ordinary oblation ; the asana
suddhi or the purifying of the carpet, on which
the priest sits ; the bhntasuddhi, or the purifying
of the elements of which the body is composed;
the dhyana or the meditation of the image of the
god to be worshipped; the Nyases, and the wor­
ship of the several minor gods.
Before the establishment of the ordinary arghya,
a handful of white mustard is taken, and it is
scattered all about with the following mantra,
Om may those beings, who live on this
earth, and who throw obstacles to the worship,
the unbelievers and infidels, be removed and
destroyed by command of Siva. Om vetalas,
pisaclias, rakshas, and ail reptiles, may they be
removed, for I am worshipping Durga. Then a
bali is made of mas and curd, and with a handful
of the same, the following mantra is repeated ;
Om hhutas, pretas, pisachas and others, whoever
 [ 26 ]

dwell here, may they receive this ball distributed

by me. W ith a flower the following mantra is
uttered :—May they, who have been propitiated
by bali, and worshipped with flowers, withdraw
from this place, and let me worship Durga. Om
phat to the weapons. Then taking fried rice, chan-
dan, mustard, fruits, flowers, rice, and durva(l7)
seven times repeat Om phat to the w^eapons. Scatter
the same all round with the following mantra. Ora
may those beings, who are tiie protectors of this
earth be removed that I may worship Durga in
their absence.
T he A rghyasthapana(18).—The shastras enjoin
the following directions to the priest for tlie
formation of the argbya ; Describe a triangle on
the left and worship it with a flower uttering
these words, Om obeisance to the Sustaining Force
Upon it place the tripod, and after washing the
conchshell with Om phat, and putting it on the
tripod, fill three-four this of it with water, repeating
the mantra Om nama. Put rice and durva on the
conchshell,and with the following mantra and goad-
mudra invoke the descent of the several holy rivers
from the solar sphere, Om Ganga, Yamuna, Goda­
vari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu Caveri, come
into this water, and then worship them. Place
chandan and flower with Om in the water, pre-
 C 37 ]

sent the clhenumuJra, and with Hum cover the

two fore-fingers, and ten times repeat the mularnan-
tra, and taking some water from th e concltshell
sprinkle it on the offerings with the words, Om
Phat; and let the priest purify himself with the
same. Put a flower on the opening of the conch-
slieli and worship the janitor gods, Om obeisance,
Om this flower and chandan to the janitor gods.
Then repeat the following ; Om obeisance to
Vastupurusha and to Brahma in. the south-west
corner. Clap thrice ovef the head, and with
phat strike the earth with the left foot.
The A s A n a S u d d h i . —Holding the carpet repeat,
Om the rshi of asana mantra is Meruprshtha, its
metre is sutala, its deity is tortoise, it is used in
sitting on carpets. Om you hold the world and
the earth, and you are held by Vishnu. Do
you hold me always and do you purify this
carpet. And holding a flower Om hrim this
flower to the Sustaining Force, the lotus-seated
goddessff^).
T he B h o t A S uddhi (23).— It is a peculiar

mystical tantric rite. Holding a scented flower

anointed with chandan on the left temple re­
peat, Ora obeisance to the teachers; on the right,
Om to Ganesa; on the cheeks, Om to Duvga.
Then with Om phat rub the palms with flowers.
 28 ]

and clap tlirice over tlie head, and by snapping the

fingers at ten different directions secure immunity
from them.
Next utter the mantra Ram, sprinkle ■water
around, and suppose this water as a wall
of fire. Place the hands on the lap with palms
upwards. Let the priest in imagination identify
himself with the animal spirit (jivat-ma) abiding
in man^s breast in the form of the tapering
flame of a lamp, unite it with (Kulakundalini)
the material Goddess, seated in (muladhara) the
stamina of the body (the Coccyx ?) and conduct
it by means of the Susamna nerve through the six
spheres within the body named, Manipura, Sva-
dhisthana, Muladhara, Anahata, Visuddha, and
Ajnana, upwards to the Divine Spirit, residing in
the pericarp of a thousand-petalled lotus, bent
downwards from the cranium, and join them to­
gether. Then meditate the 24<essences in nature as
concentrated in the amalgam, viz., the five cardinal
elements, earth, water, fire, air, and space, the five
external organs of sense the nose, the tongue, the
eyes, the skin and the ears, with their objects, i. e.
seeut,taste, form, touch, and sound, the five organs
of action viz. the mouth, the feet and hands,
the pudendum, and the organ, and all forms,
whether material, mental, or intellectual, with
 [ 39 ]

those of self-consciousnessj self-cogitation^ or

egoism.
Conceive in the left nostril^ the mantra Yam
which is described as fume-colored^ and declared
to he the vija or root of wind^ repeat it 16 times
while drawing air by the same nostril, then
close the nose and hold the breath which is
inherent in man, by assuming the kumbhaka
form, and repeat 64 times the mantra. Purify
the body by washing with Y am the black male
form of Sin seated in the left cavity of the
thorax, and let out the breath through the right
nostril, while repeating the mantra 32 times.
Conceive in the right nostril the red mantra
Pam, tlie root of fire, and fill the body with air,
while repeating the mantra sixteen times. Purify
the body by burning the male form of sin
with the fire arising from the lower parts of the
body. Then close the nose and hold the breath?
while repeating sixty-four times the mantra.
Exhale the ashes with the breath through the
left nostril accompanied with 32 recitals of the
mantra.
Similarly the white mantra Tham, the root of
the moon, is to be established with the moon ' on
the forehead, and the wind to be inhaled, retained
and exhaled as stated before with 64 recitations
 [ 30 ]

of Vam, the root of Varuna. Then from the

moon in the forehead is to be extracted the
nectar as the essence of the progenitrix^ and
the entire body to be thus formed with 32 reci­
tations Lam, the root of earth, strengthening
the so generated body, exhale air through the
right nostril.
|,T h e L x t e k n a l M a t e i k a N y a s a . —The rshi
of this Matrika mantra is Brahma, its metre is
Gayatri, the deity Matrika sarasvati, the conso­
nants are the roots, the vowels are the Saktis, these
are used in the Matrika Nyasa. With a flower Om
obeisance to Brahma Rshi in the head, Om obei­
sance to Gayatri Mdtre in the mouth, Om to M at­
rika Sarasvati Devi in the heart, Om to the con­
sonant roots in the muladhara, Om to the vowel
Saktis in the feet. Then meditate on Matrika
Help me O i goddess of speech, whose lips are part­
ed by fifty characters, whose arms extend to the
knees, whose bosom is well formed, whose forehead
is emblazoned by the moon with all the phases,
whose breasts are as compact as they are lofty,
and wltose hands hold the mudra, the beadstring,
a nectar-pot, and gift of knowledge, and who is
white in appearance, and three-eyed.
Am to the forehead, Am to the mouth, Im to
the right eye, Im to the left eye, Um to the
 [ 31 ]

riglit ear, Urn to the left ear, Rm to the right

nose, Rm to the left nose, Im to the right cheek,
Im to 1 the left cheek, Em to the upper lip. Aim
to the lower lip, Om to the tipper teeth, Aum
to the lower teeth. Am to the cerebrum, Ah to
the right shoulder-blade, Kam to the elbow,
Kham to the wrist. Gam to the roots of the
phalanges, Gham to the phalanges, Nam to the
nails, Cham to the left shoulder-blade, Chham
to the left elbow, Jam to the left wrist, Jham to
the roots of the left phalanges, Nam to the left
nails. Tam to the right heels, Tham to the
right knee-bone. Dam to the right ankle, Dham
to the roots of the phalanges, Lam to the tarsals.
Similarly Tam, Tham, Dam, Dham and Nam to
the several parts of the left leg. Pam to the
right side, Pham to the left. Bam to the back,
Bham to the navel. Mam to the stomach. Yam
to the heart. Ram to the right shoulders, Lam
to the neek-bone, Vam to the left shoulders, Sam
from the heart to the right hand. Sham from the
heart to the left hand, Sam from the heart to the
right leg, Ham from the heart to the left leg,
Lam from the heart to the belly, Ksham from the
heart to the mohtb.
T h e I n t e r n a l M a t r i k a N y a s a . —■! how to the
Goddess, representative of all the significant
 c 33 ]

cliaracterSj and residing ia all tlie petals of tlie

lotuses whether 3,16^30, 6 or 4 petalled, situated
at the anus, penis, abdomen, heart, palate, and
forehead, at the tail, in the hairs, with those
typified by \S, ?l, and '5, and and (in)
the vocal organl^^h
To the anus Vam natnah, Sam namah. Sham
namah, Sam namah j to the organ Vam namah,
Bham namah, Mam namah, Lam nam ah; to the
navel. Dam namah, Dham namah, Nam namah,
Tam namah, Tham namah, Dam namah, Dham
namah, Nam namah, Pam namah, Pham namah j
to the heart Kam namah, Kham namah, Gam
namah, Gha'm namah, Nam namah, Cham namah,
Chham namah. Jam namah, Jham namah, Nam
namah, Tam namah, Tham namah’; to the throat
Am namah. Am namah, Im namah, Im namah,
Um namah, Um namah, Rm namali, Rm namah^
Lm namah, Em namah. Aim namah, Om
namah, Aum namah, Am namah, Ah namah ;
to the forehead, Horn namah, Ksham namah.
T h e N y a s a o f t h e P h a l a n g e s . —Om obeis­
ance to Durga in the thumbs, Om Svaha to
Durgain the forefingers, Om Vashat to Durga in
the middle fingers, Om Hum to Durga the protec­
tress of the elements in the ring fingers, Om
Vashat to Durga the saviour in danger in the
 [ 33 ]•

little fingers. Om phat to the weapons to Durga

the savioar in the palms and the hacks(23).
T h e N y a s a o f t h e H e a r t s .—Om obeisance
to Durga in the heart. Om Svaha to Durga in
the heart, Om Svaha to Durga in the head, Om
Vashat to Durga in the crest, Orn Hum to Dur­
ga the protectress of the elements in the armour^
Om Vashat to Durga the saviour in the /three
eyes, Om phat to the weapons of Durga. Then
thrice make the pranayam with Hrim.
T h e P i t h a N y a s a . —Placing the palms on the
heart, Om obeisance to the Sustaining Force
Om obeisance to Prakrti, to Kurma, to Ananta^
to the earth, to the ocean of milk, to the white
island, to the sphere of jewels, to the kalpa tree?
to the crystal seat, to the jewelled throne. On
the right shoulder to Dharma, on the left should­
er to Intelligence on the left thigh root, to
Eesignation, on tbe right thigh root to Prosperi­
ty, on the mouth to Unrighteousness, on the
left sight to Ignorance, on the navel to World­
liness, on the right side to Poverty. Once more
on the heart Om to Ananta, to Padma; Am
to the Solar sphere of twelve phases, Um to ’ the
Lunar sphere of si.vteen phases. Mam to the
Pyric sphere of ten phases, Sam to Purity, Ram
to Prosperity, Tam to darkness. Am to the souL
 [ 34 ]

Am to the innate spirit, Pam to the Divine

soul, PIrIm to the intellectual soul. In the
filaments of the lotus Am to Light, Im to Illu­
sion, Um to Victoria or the goddess of victory,
Em to the atoms. Aim to Purity, Om to
Felicity, Aum to Beauty, Am to Glory, Ah
to the giver of all success. Above the lotus
Hum phat to the adamantine clawed and toothed
weapons, the great throne(24).
Then make the Dhyana or meditate on the figure
of the Goddess in the following manner. Om
with locks of hair, braided and flowing, and the
forehead ornamented by the crescent moon, with
three eyes, with a face equal to the full moon
in brightness, with a complexion of molten gold,
well-formed and lovely-eyed, fall of the freshness
of youth, decorated will all kinds of ornaments,
with a set of pearly teeth, Devi, with a breast
compact and full, gracefully bent at three places.
Destroyer of the Bulfalo Demon, with ten arms
as soft and well rounded as the stalks of lotus,
holding a trident on the right, a sword and a
discus from upwards, a sharp arrow, and a
dart in the right hand, a shield, a bent bow,
a noose, a goad, and a bell or an axe. Under
het lies a headless Buffalo carcass, whence
rises the demon with a sword in hand, pierced
 [ 35 ].

in his heart by the Devils trident^ his lungs

drawn out, his body besmeared with blood, and
eye balls distended encircled by the serpent noose^
presenting a face made terrific by contracted
eyes, brows and frowns, the noose with the fore­
locks of the demon held by Durga in her left
hand, while the Devils lion is described with
a mouth tainted red, the right foot of the Goddess
resting evenly on the back of the lion, and the toe
of the left foot a little higher on the shoulders
of the demon. Om serene-faced Goddess, sub­
duer of the pride of Daityas and Danavas ! Om
this representation of the Goddess is worshipped
and prayed by the immortals. Om the Goddess
is always surrounded by Ugrachanda, Prachanda,
Chandogra, Chandanayika, Chanda, Chandavati
Chandarupa and Atichandika, tlie eight Saktis
Om contemplate the mother of the world for
the attainment of virtue, all wishes,and beautitude.
Then place on the head a flower and worship the
goddess with spiritual otferings^^®) in the following
manner. Meditate the Devi in the lotus of the
heart, and offer the Padya (water for washing the
feet) from the receptacle in the stamina with the
nectar from the lotus of the heart. Then present
the mind as an argbya, and to the mouth of the
goddess apply the ambrosial water exuding from
 [ 36 ]

the water-pot of a thousand-petalled lotus. Offer

frankincense of tlie twenty-flve essences of nature^
and present the flowers of harmlessness, of intel­
ligence, of forbearance, of mercy, of contentment,
of knowledge, unenviousness, of non-illusiveness,
of pridelessness, of impassionateness, of uninimi-
calness, and of the twelve organs of the body.
Then offer the lamp of elemental fire, the incense
of elemental air, the chauri of space, the mirror of
the sun,' the umbrella of the moon, the heart­
strings as the girdle, and fehcity as the best
necklace, and the inward pulsation as the ringing
bell. Present the ocean as the draught of water,
the mountains as meat, and the ether which fills
the universe as frumenty. And mental dancing
and singing which come from the six Muses^^®!
. complete- the worship.
Then establish the special arghya :—Describe
on the left a triangle and worship it by a flower
with Om to the Sustaining Force. Place upon
the triangle the tripod and wash the conchshell
with Phat and on the tripod put the conchshell and
fill three-fourths of it with water and deposit in
it durva, ricec handan, and flowers. Then while re ­
peating the following words pour drops of water in
the conch-shell: Ksham, Lam, Ham, Sam, Sham,
Sam, Vam, Lam, Earn, Yam, Mam, Bhana, Bam,
 [ 37 -j

PliatKij Pam, Nam, Dliam, Dam, Tham, Tam, Nam,

Dham, Dam, Tham, Tam, Nam, Jham, Jam
Chham, Cham, Nam, Gham, Gam, Kham, Kam,
Ah, Am, Aum, Om, Aim, Em Lm Lm Rm Em
Um, Um, Im, Im, Am, Am, Mam. Then wor­
ship the tripod, Maia oheisanee to the sphere of
Fire of ten phases : the conohshell. Am obeisance
j.0 the solar sphere of twelve phases an d : the
water, Um obeisance to the lunar sphere of
sixteen pbases. 'With, the goad mudra contem­
plate the several tirthas and invoke them from
the Solar sphere thus, Om Ganga &c.
Then worship Surya, Ganesa, "Vishnu, Seva,
and Durg.i, and the nine planets, commencing
from the sun and once more meditate on
Durga. Then invoke her from her seat in
the heart by the mantras, Om Durgcf Devi ap­
proach, Om Durga Devi approach, stay here,
stay! cover the fore-fingers with Hum, present
the Galini Mudra, and with Vam and the dhenu-
mudra, observe the water in the conchshell
with Vaushat, perform the Nyasa to the six parts
of the body. Hram obeisance to the heart, Hrim
Svaha to the head, Hrum Vashat to the crest,
Hraim Hum to the armour, Hraum Yaushat to
the three eyes, Jlruh phat to the weapons, to the
palms and the back. Meditating on the water of the
 [c 38 ].

concl)shell asDurga and worshipping the same with

Chandan^ flowers &c., and covering the same with
fish mndra repeat eight times the Mulamantra.
Eepeat the^ Mulamantra several times and
Oder handsful of flowers anointed with chan-
dan. Then with the water, from the argby-
pot finish the Japa and repeat, Om you .are
the repository of cnr secrets, inmost secrets,
receive the Japa performed by me, oh ! Devi, may
you bless me with prosperity and success I Then
offer water on the rigM hand of the Devi,
Then on the four sides of the Ghata fix four ar­
row's with tlie mantras, Om from Kaiidas (arrow)
Omfrom Kandas (arrow)grow hardness upon hard­
ness, maybe fwlio dares trespass within sacred
precincts] be pierced as if with a thousand blades
of Durva, w^iich grow one over the other. Encircle
the same with three threads with the follow'ing
mantra, Om with the thread the heavens and the
earth are encircled, by me similarly this place is
encircled, may the serpents protect this place from
all impurities &e. Again with mustard repeat the
following ; Om Vetalas &c. Om the obtruders, the
obstructives, the heretics, the nagas, the enemies
of sacrihees, the blood-thirsty, may they' be des­
troyed by these mustards, which shall pierce them
as if with a thunderbolt.

/X
 [ 39 3

Next offer the silver seat by first purify­

ing it with a flower and water, and thrice
repeating Vam, Om obeisance to the silver seat,
Om this chandan and flower to its lord Yishnu,
Om to the donee of this my obeisance, Om Hrim
this silver seat to Durga, the destroyer of the sacri­
fice of Daksha, the most terrible, surrounded by
a million of yoginis, tbou Bbadrakali.
Then offer a brazen pot filled with water for
washing the teet of Duvga and arghya, previously
established, chandan with the cup, flowers, a gai--
land, a pair of clothes, dhupa incense, a lamp,
water for drinking in brass tumblers, water for
washing in pots, water for bathing in large brazen
pots, and tlien rice and fruits and other edibles
and betel leaves, spices, and nuts &c. &c., and
lastly a bed with the bedstead.
In this way the Goddess is worshipped every
morning from pratipada to the sixth day of the
moon. One of the officiating priests reads the
Deviraahatmya(27) from the Markandeya Parana,
aud the tantradharaka helps the pujaka priest in
the worship. A separate, priest is appointed to
repeat the mula mantra a hundred thousand times,
and he is called the japaka. In some houses the
pujaka after fiuishiug the puja commences the
homa. After the puja every forenoon and evening
 [ 40 3

tlie usual arati(28) is made. This [is offering a

series of lights to the goddess, and moving the
same in graceful curves before her, accompanied
by music &c. In the evening offerings of sweet­
meats are daily made. In some families every day
from the Kalparambha a goat is sacrificed.

THE BODHANA.
The arousing of the Goddess may be performed
either on the ninth day of the moon preceding
the new moon of Asvina, or on the sixth day of
the following. On the evening of the sixth on
the Vel tree the Devd is awakened, Narayana is
worshipped, and the sankalpa is made in the man­
ner described above with the following words, Om
on the Vel tree as a part of the annual autumnal
Durga Puja, I having worshipped the ganapati
and other devas invoke and invite Durga, and
perform the preliminary ceremony(29) adhivasa.
After scattering mustard, establishing the ordinary
arghya, and performing the bhutasuddhi, and
asanasuddhi and the several Nyasas in the manne>^
described above and Laving worshipped Surya,
Ganesa and other Gods address the vel tree,
Om vilva tree come hither; Om this flower to
vilva tree. Then worship Durga in the vilva tree,
and making the usual dhyan worship her w ith ,
 C 41 ]>

sixteen kinds of offerings. Then rouse Devi,

and, touching the north-eastern twig of the tree, ■
repeat, “ Aim for the destruction of Ravana and
for the success of Rama, Brahma had in earlier days
at an unseasonable time awakened thee ; I, also on
the eve of the sixth lunar day of Asvina, do arouse
thee. Indra having so aroused thee gained
dominion and the heavens ; therefore do I arouse
thee with a view to obtain superhuman dominion
and transcendental power. As the ten-faced was
destroyed by Rama so may I have might to destroy
my enemies.” Then in the vilva tree the Devi is in­
vited. Om Sri fruit tree, thou art always gratify-
ingto Amvika, thou art born on the top of mounts
Mern, Mandara, Kailas, and Hlmavat, thou art
horn on the top of Sri mountain, thou art prosper­
ous fruit, thou art the dwelling-place of health and
prosperity, thou art by me deputed, oh ! dost thou
go, thou art the likeness of Durga ! Thou art
horn from the vedas and the vedangas, oh Sri
tree thon art gratifying toChandika, I am inviting
her for worship, dost thou give me thy twig.”
This inviting is followed by music and arati.
Then tie together with a twine of white Clitoria
ternata the nine plants vi^. plantain, turmeric,
sesbania, vilva, pomegranate, colocasia antiquo.
rum, ionesia asoka, colocasia indica, and paddy
 { 42 ]

plants these nine form the Navapatrica. Taking

oil and turmeric-powder anoint the Navapatrica
with a vedic mantra; also touch her with the
following auspicious articles, cbandan, eartl),
pebble, paddy, Durva grass, flower, nutmeg^
curd, ghi, svasticat^O), virmlllion, conchshell, col-
Ijriunj, the gorochana, mustard, gold, silver,
copper, the chamara, a mirror, a light, and a
broad plate. Each of these articles is graced
with a separate vedic mantra. The Navapa­
trica is thrice touched with each of the arti­
cles and thrice the same articles are placed on the
earth. Having thus finished the adhivasa of the
Navapatrica, similar adhivasa of the pratimais per­
formed, and a yellow-stained thread with Durva
grass is tied round the left wrist of Durga. The
whole ceremony of adhivasa is completed by an
arati of the idols.

SAPTIMI,(3i).
T h i s i s the first-day of the puja. The j)rogram-
me of the day is, Istly bathing the Navapatrica,
2iidly vivifying the idols hy invoking the several
gods and goddesses represented by them, 3rdly
anointing them with several drugs and cos­
metics, 4thly the worship of the principal gods,
5thly sacrifice, the 6thly the institution of the
 [ 4.3 ],

Homafire, if not previously done, 7tlily the Homa

or the offering of oblations to the sacred fire,
and Sthly -worship of the minor gods. The day’s,
work is closed by worshipping a virgin of the
Brahman caste (Kumari).
Early in the morning having finished their
morning ceremonies the priests enter the place of
worship,and taking out the Navapatrica they either
carry it to the river-side to have it bathed,or bathe
it in the courtyard of the house according to the
family custom. Bht the taking to the river-side
does not interefere with once more bathing the
Navapatrica on the court-yard with the drugs
and cosmetics mentioned above, where that
instance prevails. The priests then approach
the vilva tree and make the usual sankalpa,
and with mustard seeds the pujaka prays
Om may the woods and the forests protect
us, for I sprinkle with water the vaishnavas,
Om may the woods and the forests protect us,
for I shield the vishnavas, Om may the woods and
the forests protect us, for I adore the Vaish-
uavi ! Om may the woods and the forests protect
us, f o r i offer the Ahuti to the Vaishnavi. Om
thou art a vaishnava, Om you are all vaishnavas,
and therefore do you protect me. The priests
next worship the gods Surya, Ganesa, &c,,,
 <[ ]

offer cliandau and oil and turmeric to the \ilva

tree, also rice, incense &c., anoint that branch
of the vilva tree with turmeric and oil, which hears
a pair of fruits, and touching the same invoice
Om vilva tree you are most prosperous, you are
always welcome to Sankara, I worship Durga,
having taken a branch of yours, oh lord, forgive
the pain generated by the separation of the
branch, for it is said the gods have worshipped
Durga on your branch, I how to the vilva tree born
on the Himavat, favourite of Parvati and em­
braced by Siva. You are auspicious in action and
a favourite of Bhagavati, for the sake ofBhavani’s
words give me all success. Then with a sharp
sword the priests sever the branch uttering these
words, Om phat sever, sever phat, svaha, Om
for the increase of children, life, and wealth
I take thee away, oh beloved of Chandika, seated
on this branch, dost thou grant me wealth and
dominion. Welcome ohDeviChandikafor our pro­
sperity, accept our pujah, beautiful-faced, I bow
to you, oh spouse of Sankara, Om Sriphala tree
thou art born on the mountain Mandar, Meru,
Kailasa and on the top of the Himavat, thou art
always a fa,vourite of Amvica. Born on the top
of Sri hill, Sriphala, thou art the above of
prosperity, I take thee away to worship thee as
 [ 45

Durga herself. The trvig so severed is then

placed in the Navapatrica, and the entire bundle
is carried to the courtyardj the drums beat­
ing and music playing. The ! Navapatrica is
placed upon a decorated seat, and the Sankalpa
for establishing and bathing her is made.
Snaxa(32).—The Navapatrica is anointed
with oil and turmeric with the following man­
tra. Om Devi you are variously shaped and
veiled with good clothes, by anointing you
all my fears are extinguished. Then taking
a conchshell full of pui’e water, the Navapatrica is
bathed nine times with the folloy^ing mantras;
Om thou resident on the plantain tree, and on
the bosom of Vishnu, I bow to thee oh Navapa­
trica I bow to thee oh Chandanayika. Om
this water for bathing Hrim to Durga who
resides in the Navapatrica. Om thou art kachvi,
tbou art a resident of the earth, and a con­
stant giver of success. Dost thou as Durga
give us success everywhere in virtue of this
bathing. Om Haridra, thou art the representa­
tive of Hara, always a favourite of Sankara, Oh
Devi thou art Rudra^s self, give me peace every­
where. Om Jayanti, thou art the Goddess of
Victory, and dispenser of victories all the world
over, I do hereby anoint thee, dost thou give
 [ 4.6 ]

victory in my house. Om Sriphala thou art the

resting place of Sri and the augmentor of suecess.
Mayst thou inspire me with good intentions,
niayst thou he ever pleased. Om Dadimi, thou des-
troyst the sins and always appeasest the hunger
of the world, thou art created as a fruit, best thou
gratified oh beloved of Hara. Om Asoka be stable
and dost thou destroy our sorrows, oh Durga, thou
art worshipped by me and be thou therefore
stable. Om Mana,(33) thou art respected by the
Suras and the Asuras in the man a tree, 1 bathe
thee, oh Mahadevi, dost thou grant me honor.
Om Lakshmi, thou art represented as rice, thou
art the giver of life to the living, dost thou be­
come stable and fulfil our wishes by never ceasing
thy benign presence.
Then with river water the priests anoint the
Kavapatrica with the following miantra, Om
Atreyi, Bharati, Ganga, Jamuna, and Sarasvati,
Saraju,Gandaki, Punya, Svetaganga, and Ivausiki,
Om Bhogavati from the nether-worlds and Manda-
kini from the heavens, may all these respectfully
bathe you. May the Suras, may Vishnu, Brahma
and Mahesvara, Vasudeva, Jagannatha, also lord
Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Anirudha, who
confer success, Indra, and lord Agni, Jam a and
Nirti,Yaruna,and Parana, and the lord of wealth.
 [ 47 ]

also Siva, Sesba vritli Brahma, the Dikpalas,

may all these anoint you. Om may Fame, Pi’os-
perity. Felicity, and Peace, Contentment, and
Glory, and the Matris anoint you with the •well
associated Dharmapala. Om may Aditya, the
Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus, and
Saturn and the planets with Rahu and Ketu
anoint you.- Om may the Rshis, the Munis, and
the cows, the Devamatris, the Devapatnis, the
fixed stars, the Nagas, the daityas and the
apsaras, the weapons, all the missiles, the kings,
the conveyances, the wonderful medicines, and
the signs of the time, the water-places, the seas,
the hills, the holy places, the cataracts, and the
clouds and rivers, the devas, the danavas, the
gandharvas, the jakshas, and the rakshas, th e
elephants and others may anoint you for the
attainment of virtue and wishes. Om may
Sindhu, Bhairavi, and Sona and those lakes which
lie on this earth all with one respectful obeisance
anoint you with water. Om may those Nagas com­
mencing with Takshaka, who live in the nether­
world all with respectful salutations anoint you.
Om may the oceanst^^') of salt, of sugarcane
juice, of wine, of ghi, of curd, of milk and of other
waters, the seven oceans and others anoint you.
Then with water from a conchshell Om the lord of
 [ .48 ]

all the devas named Isana, Sulapani and Mahadeva

anoint you with water. Then with Ganga water(^5)
Om with that water which is from the Manda-
kinij and which is good and purifier of all sinSj
which is the Vishnu torrent in the heavens^ may
j'our bathing be with it. With warm water(3C)
Om water that is purified^ superior^ and warm,
filled with the force of fire and life, destroyer of
all sins I anoint you. W ith the water per­
fumed with sandal wood Om full of fragrance,
beautiful, cool, good-looking, giver of all happi­
ness, with such water I anoint you. W ith water
perfumed by flowers(37) Om for the sake of dignity
with unboiled drugs of Asvini cumaras, and with
the splendour of Brahma I anoint you, Om for
our strength with the drugs of the river Sarasvati
and capturing the spirit of the same I anoint
you, Om for power, for prosperity, for fame, and
renown tvith the spirits of the essences I anoint
you. With honey with a vedic mantra. W ith
water sweetened by sugar with the Gayatri man­
tra. With milk with a vedic mantra. Hrum
Vashat to the forelock. With ghee and a vedic
mantra Hraim Hrum to the armour. W ith curd
and a vedic mantra, Hraum Vaushat to th e eyes.
With cocoanut water Hrum phat to the weapons.
With the five Gabyas(38) Am to the heart. W ith
 [ 49 ]>

water of Kusagrass and a vedic mantra. W ith

chandan water and a vedic hymn Om to Haim-
avati. With Sarvaushadhi and Mahaushadhi and
a Sama Hymn. W ith juice of sugarcane and th^
Bhagavati Gayatri, Om to Bhagavati. With the
five tonics, Om to the messengers of Siva. With
rain water, Om Hrim to Chamunda. With water
perfumed by camphor, Hrim to Maya. W ith
water perfumed by red sandal-wood, Hrim to
Parvati. With infusion of Kakkol and with a
Sukta, Hrim to Chandika. With water purified
by a sword, Hrim to Gauri. With water purified
by gold, Om you were born gold-colored on the
eai’th for the success of the Devas, oh Mahes-
vari I bathe you with this divine water. With
water purified by silver, Hrim to Durga. Hrim
to Aparna with Garochana. Hrim to Mahesvari
with saffron water. Hrim to Amvica with water
perfumed by Sriphala leaves. Hrim to Durga, with
perfumed oil, Hrim to Chandika with sesamum
oil. Hrim to Narayani with Narayana oil. Hrim
to Chamunda with vishnu oil. Om to Ciiandika
with the water from various holy rivers, and with
the hymn, Om with that water which is reputed to
be the life of all beings, I bathe Bhagavati Durga,
may she be propitiated. With the water of the
tank, Om with this water which is collected from

>■V-/
 T so ]

■t t e ' M11s(39) I 'bathe you oh Paryati. Om to

•Hin^ulayasini with water purified by pearls. Om
'to Durga with water purified with coral. Om to
JDevi with lake water. Om Hrim to Bhaga-
vati with earth from the river-side. Om Hrim
to Durga with earth dug up by the tusk of a
wild boar('*®). Om Hrim to Katyayaui with earth
from the doors of prostitutes. Om Hrim to
•Atichandika with earth from the doors of a
Priuoe. Om Hrim to Gauri with earth dug up
by the horns of a bull. Om Hrim to AunUt
puma with earth from the doors of a temple. . Om
Hrim to Parvati with earth from the shores df
the ocean. Om Hrim to Narayani with earth from
anthills. Om Hrim to Sarvapapaharini with
earth from the shores of the Ganga. Hrim to
Bhuvanesvari with earth from a quadrivium. Om
Hrim with water dropped from a millefluent.
Om the oceans, the lakes, the heavenly streams
with Sarvoushadhi and purifying water, I bathe
you Om with the waters from the seven oceans.
Then the priests -bathe the goddess with four
jars of water with four mantras from the four
vedas.
Then singing in the Gandhar modei^B and
beating the kettle drum, the Navapatrica is
bathed with a jar of Ganga water and with the
 [ 51 ]

following mantra, Om the gods Brahma, Vishnu,

Siva and others lave you with the first Jar filled
with heavenly Ganga water. Singing in theVibha-
sha mode accompanied with Deva music she is
bathed with the second jar filled with rain-water,
Om Suresvari the Maruts pour over you with devo­
tional cantos the second jar filled with water from
the clouds. With Bhairavi mode and Bhim music,
Om Indra and other gods and Lokapalas bathe you ■
with the third Jar filled with sea water, Lalita'
mode and vijaya music', Om 'the Vidyadharas'
bathe you the best of goddesses with the fburth ja r
filled with water from the Sarasvati river. W ith
Korada mode and Indrabhisheka music, Om the
Nagas bathe you with the fifth jar filled with
water perfumed by the pollens of lotus. With.
Badari mode and eonchshell music, Om the
Himavat and the Hemakuta and other mountains
bathe you with the sixth jar filled with water
from a cataract. With Vasanta mode and Pan-
cham music, Om the Rshis bathe you oh Suresvari
with the seventh jar filled with water from holy
places. W ith Dharaasi mode and Bhairavi music,
Om the eight vasus bathe you with the eighth
jar of water perfumed with musk and sandal­
wood. The priest concludes hy saying, I Salute
thee, oh Duvga, with eight kinds of prosperity.
 :[ 52 ]

A vaAaNa . Then the priest offers flowers to the

Bhutas^&c. and with mustard andlajac(‘l2) worships
the Bhutas and as described above performs
the Bhutasuddhi. He next wipes Navapatrica
with a new napkin and dresses it with a silk
cloth and takes it to the place of worship and
places, it to the right of the idols. Then touch­
ing the seat of the idols he yecites Om Chandika
stir stir, move, move oh Durga, enter the house
of worship, enter oh Devi my house with thy
eight saktis. Oh lovely-faced receive my offer­
ings for the promotion of my prosperity. He
also moves the idol a little and places her facing
south or the east with various songs and
music. Om Aim, Hrim, sedeo, sede, sedite tu
mater !
The priest then placds in the usual form a ghata
before Durga, and another before the Navapatrica,
and after establishing the ordinary Arghya and
performing the Bhutasuddhi, Asanasuddhi,
Matrika Nyasa, &c., and such other preliminai-ies
as are already described fixes the kandas (arrows)
and encircles them with thread.
The priest next meditates the form of Durga as
described above and worships her with mental
offerings. Then making another arghya addresses
her. Om Durga Devi hither advance, hither
 I 5’3 1

proceed, stay here, be seated bere, and makes

representations of certain Madras &c. &c.
The priest now invokes the goddess by placing
the right hand on her breast and recites, Om
Welcome Devi to my house with thy eight Saktis,
accept my worship done according to the sastras,
oh dispenser of all blessings, oh lotus-eyed, I per­
form this autumnal festival,respond to me, oh great
goddess, the destroyer of demoniac powers. An-
nihilator of all transgressions in this unfordable
ocean of the world, save me blessed goddess,
I salute thee beloved of Sankara. Protect my life^
my honor, my offsprings, wives, and wealth.
As thou art the only defender of all, oh god­
dess, the most beloved in the world, enter and
stay in this sacrifice as long as I am worship­
ping thee, Devi, delight of Menaka confer on me
success. I invoke thee goddess in the earthen
idol, and in tlie Sriphala tw ig ; descend Devi
from tha peaks of Kailasa, Vindya, and the
Himalya Mountains. Come, come, oh fortunate
mother, destroy my enemies and grant me victory.
I adore thee with respect, oh nova dea, adored by
the gods with fruit-bearing twigs and branches. Oh
Devi residing in the foliage accept my offerings,
and be gratified Devi Durga approach and will
presence in tbis vicinity. Ob lotus-eyed Devi
 C 54 ]

receive this autumnal offering. Supreme god­

dess Chandi, I invoke the gods and goddesses, who
.move about the spheres graciously, may you alight
on these figures and be sustained by them. O h!
propitious lady of the world protect us for ever j to
thee I how. Advance, oh goddess Chandika, thou
cause of all prosperity, oh lovely-faced Devi accept
my offerings, I how to thee beloved of Sankara.
Then the right eye is vivified. The gourd
sacrifice is lavated with water and decorated with
Vermillion and the priest exclaims, Om to Durga
this gourd sacrifice. Om wonderful are the eyes of
the gods, the eyes of Mitra, those of Agni, those
of Varuna they comprehend the heavens and the
earth and they penetrate endless space. Om the
Sun is the light of the world. The left eye is
similarly vivified by another vedic hymn. The
eye on the forehead is also vivified by another
hymn. Then touching the breast of the idol
the priest, recites five vedic mantras. The idol is
vivified with the following, Om of the mantras
for vivifying Durga, the rshis are Brahma, Vishnu
and Mahesvara, the metres are Rig, Yajus and
Sama, the god is vital force, and these are used
in vivifying idols. Om Am Hrim Kraum Yam
Ram Lam Sam Sham Sam Haum Ham Sah
of this Sri Durga, these are the vital breaths.
w
 [ 55 ],

Om Am Hrim Kraum Yam Ram Lam Sam Sham

Sam Haum Plam Sah the life of Durga be
here seated. Om Am Hrim &c., so be also the
organs of Durga^ Om Am &c., the voice, the
mind, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the heart
take possession of this idol for ever Svaha. The
priest next recites another hymn by touching the
cheeks, Om the lives of these be here establish­
ed, Om the lives of these be here moving, Om
let these he deified Svaha. Then on. the breast
of I the Devi, performs the Matrika Nyasa.
In this manner the lives of the nine plants
in the Navapatrica are established.
PUJA.
T h e n follow these ceremonies: Contemplate the
form of the deity as described above,and sprinkle
over the silver seat the water from the ordinary
arghya established before. OmBam to the silver
seat. Salutation to Vishnu its lord. Salutation to
the donee Hrim Durga. Then touching the seat,
Om Chamunda the beloved of Hara accept this
jewelled seat. Om Hrim Durga oh Durga the
Saviour Svaha. Om this seat to the destroyer
of the sacrifice of Dalcsha, to the most terrific,
to her who is surrounded by a million of yoginis,
to Bhadrakrli. This seat lorded by Chandra
 <C 5G ]'

Hrim to Durga, Prosperous Durga -welcome, most

■welcome. Tlren interrogate her about her health.
The padya should consist of Hibiscus rosa-
sinesisj durvagrass^ lotuSj aud Clitoi’ia ternata.
After purifying the same in the manner prescribed
above the priest exelaimes Om great goddess^
receive this padya, oh destroyer of all misery save
me, oh propitious Devi, salutation be to thee
spouse of Sankara. And -with the Daksha yajna
&c., mantra, this padya lorded by Yaruna is
dedicated to H rim Durga.
Arghya is next made on the conchshell pot
with chandan, flowers, rice, barley, Kusa grass,
sesamun, mustard, durva, and vilva leaves. Hold­
ing the conchshell the priest recites Om the
beloved of Kara receive this arghya beautifully
established on a conch shell with durva and other
oiferings. And with the Daksha yajna &c. mantra
this arghya lorded by Prajapati Hrim Svaha to
Durga.
Then water with jasmine flower, cloves, and
kakkol is offered for washing. Om the water
from Mandakini, prosperous and purifler of all
sins, is offered to thee, receive this, oh goddess
&c.-, with the usual mantra, Om this water for
washing lorded by Varuna Hrim Svadha to Durga.
Madhuparka(43) Mahadavi, this confection
 [ 57 1

of honey invented by Brahma &c. receive thisj oh

Paramesvari, by me to thee oifered reverentially.
Om this confection of honey with the pot lorded
by Prajapati &c. Hrim Svaha to DUrga. ’
Then once more water for washing. Om this
cool, transparent, pure, eternal, and beauti­
ful water is offered by nle with love, receive
this, oh Durga. Om this water for bathing lorded
by Varuna Hrim &c.
Om this silk cloth made of numerous threads
and of threads got out of coccoons, this white
cloth receive thee, oh the best of women. Om
Durga, receive this many-colored cloth, and wear
it as a spring dress. Om Hrim &c. lorded by
Vrhaspati &c.
Om these bangles cut out of conchshells
beautiful and bom in the ocean, these auspicious
ornaments for thy wrists accept oh Durga and
be pleased. Om embossed with - good Jewels
as bright as the sun or fire, these personal orna­
ments accept them oh lady of the gods these
ornaments lorded by the moon &c.
Om unknown is thy body to me, but accept these
cosmetics by me offered and anoint thy body with
these cosmetics lorded by Gandharva &c.
Om these beautiful fragrant god-made flowers,
pleasing to the heart, sweet-scented- are offered by
 [a 58 ]

me oil goddess accept them. These flowers lorded

by Vanaspati See.
Om this incense derived from 'the juices of
plantSj tbe food of Gaudharvas and gods, accept
tliem^ ob Devi, they arc offered with respect by
me. This incense lorded by Vanaspati &c.
Om the light of fire, the light of the sun, the
light of the lightning, and the light of the stars,
oh Durga the best of all lights, receive this lamp
offered by roe. Thou art the light of the sun, the
light of the moon, the light of electricity, the light
of fire, thou art indeed the fountain of all lights
accept this lamp. This lamp lorded by Agni &c.
Om salutation to the omnipresent goddess, 'sa­
lutation to the beloved of Sankara, oh Devi this
collyrium for eyes is offered, accept &c.
Om these fruits and roots grown in villages
and forests, of various flavour and of various tastes,
oh Devi accept, soon <&c.
Om this unboiled rice with ghee, fruits, and
sweetmeats together with betels are offered by me
accept oh Devi these offerings &c.
Om this rice, the giver of life, with curries of
six different tastes variously spiced and carefully
cooked, oh Devi, accept these because, they are
delicious &c.
Om rice boiled with ghee made of cow milk.
 [ 59 ']

and decocted with several sweets by me offered

with love^ accept this payasa &c.
Om made with several sweets^ well formed
and variously shaped, several kinds of cakes, oh
Devi, accept them for my, sake &c.
Om these balls of sweetmeats, best and well con­
fected with sugar are offered by me, accept these,
oh goddess &c. • ■
Om this delicious milk, well-boiled, and mixed"
with several sweets and spices, this giver of life'
nutritious and healthful potation, accept oh
Devi See.
Om this laddu tasteful, confected with ghi and
molasses is offered by me accept oh Devi &c.
Then chipitaka, (flattened rice), and cocoanut^
offered with the mula. mantra,
Om Parmesvari, accept this water for drink,
cold, beautiful, perfumed with camphor and sever­
al fragrances, and pure, Hrim &c.
Then water for washing the face is offered with
Om accept this cold, perfumed, crystal water
by me respectfully given, oh Devi &c.
Om this V e r m i l l i o n , beautifying paint, g i v e r
of longlife t o o n e ’s husband, is o f f e r e d ^ h y me w i t h
love, accept oh spouse of Hai’a, accept t h i s &c.
Om this betel consisting] of leaves and fruits
and several spices is offered, accept oh Devi &c.
 I 60 ]

Om this dessert dish filled with various fruits,

flowers, and, other eharming articles is offered hy
me, oh lovely goddess, accept it &c.
Om this collection of 108 choice blades of
Durva, accept, oh Devi, salutation be to thee who
art I ’elicity. Obeisance to thee, oh Omnipresent>
Devi, and giver of happiness and final beatitude
&e.
Om this wreath of Shriphala leaves, born
of nectar and full of prosperity, always a favorite
with Mahadeva, oh Prosperous and Pure Devb
I offer this to thee &c.
Om this beautiful and charming garland of
several fragrant flowers put together by a thread
is offered to thee, accept it. Then the speculum
mirror is presented and the sacrifice offered.
Then three handsful of flowers are offered with
the usual Dhyan.
THE SACRIEICE (44).

L et the priest be seated with his face towards

the north and the sacrificial animal facing east,
and let him perform the following ceremonies :
Observe the animal and recite Om phat to
the weapon. Om Agni was an animal, of
whom a sacrifice was made, which procured him
, this habitation, the same will be thine where v
 [ 61 ]

Agni is ; Mm shaltthou conquer j now drink tkis

water. Om Vayu was an animal &c., Om Surya
was an animal &c., Om Varaliij Yamuna, Ganga,
Karatoya, Sarasvati, Kaveri, Chandrabkaga, and
Sindhu, Bkairava, and the seas, Sarayu, Gandaki,
Punya, Kausiki and Mahesa, approach for the
ablution of the goat.
Om I purify thy words, and I purify thy life,
Om I purify thy eyes, Om I purify thy ears, 0 m
I purify thy navel, Om I purify thy jaws, Om I
purify thy organs, Om I purify thy habits. Om
thy mind be purified, Om thy words be puri-
ified, Om thy hearing be purified, Om thy life be
purfied, Om thy sight be purified. Om purified be
whatever malignant in*-’fSee. Om be thee same
blessed, Om be thee same pure, Om pure - art
thou Svaha. Sprinkle water over the goat.
Om tie the animal, fix the animal between
pillars as dark as the clouds. Om be the animal
with horns and other limbs. Om secure the ani­
mal to the pillar which divides life from death,
creation from chaos. Om secure, fix the animal
which represents in part the universe. Hrah Phat
Svaha,Om Hram Hrim Hrum Cham to Chandika.
This animal still I own, Om this fragrant flower
with chandan and other articles of worship to
the goat animal. Om loosen the animal with
 [ 63 ]

its horns and other limbs, set free the animal,

Svaha, Om pardon m e! Apply virmillion paste
on its forehead. Om this padya to the goat
animal, similarly offer other edibles. Om saluta­
tion to the goat animal. Om salutation to its
lord Agni. Om salutation to its donee Hrim
Durga. Then after throwing some flowers on
the goat, worship the Gods residing in its several
limbs. Om to Rudhiravadana in the head, Om
to Sangini in' the forehead, Om to Srnga bet­
ween the eye-brows, Om to Trinetra in the
eyes, Om to Parvati in the ears, Om to Gauri
in the nostrils, Om to Chandika in the chin
Om to TJgraehandika in the sets of teeth, Om
Chandaghanta in the tongue, Om to Virupak-
sha in the mouth, Om to Chanda in the neck.
Om to Mahabhairavi in the back, Om to Vai-
shnavi in the belly, Om to Chandapriya in the
fore-feet, Om to Sarvesvari in the sides, Om
to Virupaksha in the waist, Om to Kausiki
in the hoofs, Om Praharshini in the tail. And
Om to the other Gods in the other parts of the
body.
Once more observe the animal and address
Om goat, blessed be my star that thou hast
appeared as a sacrificial animal, I salute thee
and all such forms of sacrifice, Om salutation
 [ 63 ]

to thou object of sacrifice. Om all misfortunes

of the donor are removed by the gratifica­
tion of Chandika. I salute thee, oh Vaislinavi
in the form of sacrifice. Om the animals are
created hy the Self-horn Himself for sacrifice,
and therefore do I kill thee in this yajna though
thou art unkillahle. Om thou art born in the
■womb of animal for the sacred purposes of puja,
homa, and other ceremonies. Be the goddess
propitiated with thy flesh mixed with blood.
Then place flowers on the head of the sacri­
fice with Aim Hrim Srim, and make the usual
sankalpa. To the ear of the animal address
the following, Om Aili hilt, kili, kill, various­
ly formed, Haim Haim this goat animal, may
salvation be granted to it, Svaha. Also repeat the
animal gayatri to the ear of the beast.
Bring out the sword and upon it describe with
virmillion paste Hrim, and contemplating it,
adore the sword god, Om sombre, spear-hand­
ed, the very self of kalaratri, excited, red­
eyed, red-faced, red-wreathed, red-clothed, noose­
handed, blood-thirsty sword I salute thee. Thou
art the tongue of Chandika and the gratifier of
the gods. Then offer chandan, flowers, &c. to the
sword, and worship the several gods presiding over
several parts of the sword. Om to Mahadeva
 J 64 ]

in the handle, Om to Yama in the edge, Om

sword with eight-fold names Visasan &c. derived
from Brahma I salute thee. Thou art the asterism
Krtiks, and hast Mahesvara for thy lord, thy
body is gold, thy maker is Janardana. Thou
art our father, grandfather and lord, defend me
forever. Thou art colored as blue cloud, thy
teeth are shar23, and thy waist is narrow. Thy
form is a graceful curve, and thou art furious
aiid most mighty. Offer flowers with Om, Phat
salutation to the sharp-toothed sword. Then
hold the sword w ith'the following mantra, Om
salutation be to Kali, Kali, Devi, the goddess of
thunderbolt, and the holder of iron club. Om
Hrim Kali Kali, oh terrible-teethed, sphem, sphem>
phet-karini, devour, swallow, sever, kill, destroy
all the evil-doers, desj^atch this beast, cut him
up by the sword, cut, cut, kili, kili, chiki, chiki,
drink up, drink the blood, sphoum, sphoum, kiri
kiri, Om salutation to Durga. Plaviug with this
mantra inspired the sword, give a handful of
flowers, Om sword, thou severer, thou scimitar,
sharp-edged destroyer, I bow to thee, mother Pro­
sperity, I bow to Yictoria and to the Defender
of the Paith. With Om Hrim Phat take up the
shining sword in hand and apply it on the
shoulders of the beast.
 r c5 ]„
VO> ■

Tlie sacriSce is taken to t]be courtyard of tke

liouse, where a Y-shaped post is fixed. Between
the sacrificial post and the Devi is placed on
a cleaned spot an entire leaf of plantain under
which the root Hrim and the triangular Yantra
are described. Upon the leaf is placed a shallow
earthen vessel commonly called Kharpar^ with
the following articles for blood sacrifice^ viz.,
rock salt, honey, sugar, a betel nut and a ripe
plantain and the amimal is then despatched
with one blow. In this pot a small quantity of
the blood from the sacrifice is put and a bit of
flesh from the trunk of the beast, care being
taken that no bits of hair be present. Then
thesankalpa for presenting this blood is made :
Om Aim Hrim Srim Kausiki be satiated with
blood. Om salutation to this blood of goat,
Om this blood of a goat to prosperous Durga.
On the head of the animal a light is placed
and the head with the light is offered to the
goddess. Om salutation to this head of a goat
with a light on it. A sankalpa is again made
for oflering this head to the goddess. Om this
head with the light I offer to Durga. Then
dividing the blood in the earthen dish into fonr
parts, Om salutation to Y'idarika in the south­
east corner. Om to Paparakshasi in the south-
 J 66 ]

west corner. Om to Putana jn the north-west

corner. Ona to Kalika in the north-east corner.
Then pray to the goddess as follows : Om
three-eyed, terrible-faced, skull-wreathed goddess,
thon art the destroyer of all asuras, thou holder
of sword and club, oh destroyer of the buffalo
demon, oh Mahamaya, oh suppressor of the pride
of all daityas, I give this sacrifice of goat, accept
it, oh beloved of Hara. Oh Kalaratri having re­
ceived this sacrifice be satisfied, oh Mahakali
protect me Devi Chandika. Om Kali Kali and
Mahakali, the destroyer of our sins accept this
sacrifice with its blood and confer blessing on
us, left eyed Goddess. Then offer handsful of
flower and with music and cheers make the
arati. Taking a drop of the blood apply it on
the forehead and recite, Om may those whom
I touch by my feet, Om may those whom I see
with my eyes be subdued by me, if they be my
enemies. Om Aim Srim Svaha.
Then show the mirror to the goddess and
swing the chauri and make the Arati with mu­
sic and all kinds of drum instruments.

THE W ORSHIP OP THE NAVAPATRICA.

Om salutation be to the goddess residing in the
nine branches. Om Rambha Devi approach, you
 C 67

are welcome. Om salutation be to Brahmani the

goddess dwelling in the plantain tree. Om Devi
Durga welcome, come near us. In the Brahma
form distribute peace to all. Om salutations be
to you:
Om, salutation be to Kalika, the goddess'dwell­
ing in the Arum plant. Om, good-natured in the
war of Mahisha demon you became arum plant.
Om, the beloved ol Kara, come hither for my
blessing.
Om, salutation be to Durga, the goddess
dwelling in the turmeric plant. Om, Haridra^
you are Hara incarnate. Om, good-natured you
are Uma incarnate. Bor the destruction of my
ill-Iuck do receive my poojah and be propitiated.
Om, salutation be to Kartiki, the goddess,
dwelling iu the Sesbania plant. Om, during
the destruction of Sumbha and Nisumbha de.
mons, goddess of success, you were worshipped
by Indra and all gods. Be plaaesd with us.
Om, salutation be to Siva, the goddess, dwell­
ing in the vilva tree. Om, beloved of Mahadeva
and beloved of Vishnu, beloved of Uma, vilva
tree, I salute you.
Om, salutation be to Baktadantika (blood-
teethed,) the goddess, dwelling in the pomegra­
nate tree. Om, formerly in the war, you became
 cC 68 ]

Dadima in the presence of jRaktavija demon,

you acted the part of Uma, therefore bless us.
Om, salutation be to Sokarahita (devoid of
sorrow,) the goddess dwelling in the Asoka tree.
Om, Asoka tree, you please Siva and you destroy
all sorrow. Make me sorrowless in the same
way as you please Durga.
Om, salutation be to Chamunda, the goddess
dwelling in the Mana tree. Om, on whose leaves
rests the Devi, beloved of Sachi, for my prospe­
rity receive my puja.
Om, salutations he to Lakshmi, the goddess,
dwelling in the rice plant. * Om, for the preser­
vation of the life of all beings you were created
by Brahma. Om, preserve me in the same way
as you please Uma.
Om salutation be to Durga dwelling in the
nine plants. Then offer to the nine, the sixteen
ai'tieles of worship as described above with a
separate bedstead to each. Then salute the nine
together, Om plants you are nova dea, charm­
ing to Mahadeva, receive all the offerings and
protect me.
Then the sixty-four yoginiesf'i^l are worship­
ped. Each is invoked by name and established.
Each is separately addressed and each receives a
separate set of offerings.
 [ 69 ],

Then tlie Japa is made and it is'offered to

Dui’ga with the mantra mentioned above.
Vishnu is next worshipped with sixteen ofFer-
ingSj the three ghatas are worshipped, so are
Ganesa, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Eama, Siva, Karti-
keya, Jaya, Vijaya, the Peacock, the Serpent,
Hanuman, the lion, the buffalo, the demon, the
ten avatars, the ten Mahavidyas, and indeed all
the figures represented in the chals.
The principal bedstead is then offered to Dur-
ga, so is the canopy with the mulmantra and
handsful of flowers. The Devi is then prayed.
THE PRAYER.
O m D urga, thou art Siva, the Dispenser
of Peace, thou art Brahmani, thou art ''belov­
ed by Brahma, thou art the adored of all
beings, I salute thee, well-wisher, for ever ! Bene­
factor, beautifier, purifier, blameless, oh the best
of all beauties, lady of the universe, mother of
the univ'erse, Chandika, I salute thee ! Essence
of all the gods, oh Devi, the defender of the uni­
verse, thou art adored by B;-ahma, Vishnu and
Isa, for ever I bow to Uma. Oh Dweller on the
Vindyas, Vindya-homed, oh resident of heavenly
places, thou art yogini, oh mother of the yoginis,
to thee I bow, oh Chandika, oh Devi, thou art
 [. 70 ]

the mother of Isvara, thou art Isvari and belov­

ed of Isvara, X salute thee Durga for everj thou
crossing-boat in the ocean of life.
Then lie prostrate before the goddess and so
lying recite as follows : Om I bow to Narayani,
the fountain of all blessings heavenly and world­
ly, the fulfiller of all wishes, the adorable, the'
mother of the gods, o h ! Gauri. Om destroy­
er of the buffalo, oh Mahamaya, Chamunda,.
shull-wreathedj grant me life, health, and wealth,
I bow to thee. Oh save me from Bhutas,
BisachaS and Pretas, oh Paramesvari, protect
me for ever from gods, men, and beasts. Oh
be gratified goddess Durga in the several forms
of Uma, Brahmaui Virgin, and Visvarupini_
Om Fountain of Prosperity confer on me beauty,
honor, reputation, good luck, child, wealth, indeed
all that I wish. Oh ! Durga, who hastbeen painted
with chandan and anointed with saffron,and whose
hands have been decorated with Vilva leaves, I
have taken thy protection. Om thou art Bhagavati
in times of fear, Katyayani when fulfilling our
desires, Kausiki when gratifying us, oh Ka-
tyayani I bow to thee, oh Prachanda give me
children for ever, oh well-pleased girl of the gods,
oh XJgra give fam« to the family and victory
to me. Thou art Pmdrachanda and Prachanda,
 C 71 ]

tlie destroyer of the army of Prachanda^ ph Devi^

protect us everywhere, lady of the universe I
bow to thee. Thou art Durga, because thou pro-
tectest us from danger, and because thou savest
us from all evils, give us virtuous propensities and
salvation, Devi for ever be gratified with me. Oh
Durga,most powerful Durga, oh friend to the help­
seeking, save me,oh subduer of the buffalo demon
be pleased with me. Absolve me from sins, re
move my miseries, save me from remorse and-
anxiety, from disease, from all causes for repen­
tance, and ignorance, oh spouse of Siva. Om Kali^
Kali, Mahakali, oh Kalika, destroyer of sins, oh
dispenser of virtuous motives, I bow to thee,Nara-
yaui. Give victory in times of war, give wealth at
home and virtuous motives and kindness, give me
oh Devi I salute thee. Oh Kali give me life, oh
Siva give- me children for erer, oh Mahamaya
give me wealth, oh Narasinhi give me honor.
Om may Chandika guard my head, may Mahes-
vari guard my forehead, may Chamundi guard my
eyes and may Parvati guard my hearing. Maha­
maya guard my smelling, Hemavati guard my
face, Amvica guard my tongue, Kalika guard
my neck, Katyayani guard my shoulders, Siva
guard my hands, Sambhupriya guard my arms,
Parvati guard my breast, Yarahi guard my waist.
 n ]

Chandika guard my navel, Narasiuki guard my

sides, BKavaui 'guard my back, Rudraui guard
my bosom, Bbavani guard my thighs, Aparna
guard the two thigh roots, Durga gaurd my
legs, Srimati Sarvamangala gurd my all body^
Visljalakshi guard my organs, and Chandika my
teeth, Chamunda guard my heart, and Kalika
guard all the parts.
Durga save me from blindness, from leprosy,
from poverty, sickness, and most painful sorrow,
and from cold relatives and friends, also from
misfortunes. His is well established dominion
and his is inexhaustible treasury, and his is true
power, on whose head you dwell. I am praised, ^
I have done, my life is successful when you oh
Durga, have entered my house and accepted
arghya, flower, and other offerings. Oh blessed
D evi! bless me. Amen 1 Then seven times cir­
cumambulate the goddess.

THE dOMA.
A fter the sacrifice is over this ceremony is
performed by a separate priest, sitting on the west
of the Doma fire-pit, and annointing the place
with cow-dung and drawing three lines from
north to the south by kusa half a cubit long, and
taking up by the thumb and the fourth finger the
 r 73 3,

eartli thus scraped out, he throws it towards

north-east corner. He then sprinkles water over
the place and from the fire brought from the right
in a brazen pot takes a flaming fire-brand an d
recites. Om I snatch the flesh-eating Agni, and
may this flame go to the regions of Yama with
my enemies, and the priest throws the brand
towards the south-west‘corner. He takes another
brand and repeats—Om let jfttgni, mouth of all
beings, carry the offered ghi to the Jatavedas
and other gods, and he then places the same on
the lines facing towards himself. Then naming
Agni, the priest says, Om thou art Valada, coma
hither! Om thou art red-browed, red-bearded
red-haired, hard-bodied, and red-bellied. Thon
art seated on a goat. Agni, thou hast the
sacerdotal thread and beads, thou art seven-flamed
and spear-handed. Then with meditation the
priest worships Agni with chandan and other
offerings and says, Om Agni with feet and hands
stretched every way, eyes penetrating every place,
mouth placed above thy head, the universe thy
form, I salute thee 1 He next places to the right
of this fire some kusa grass with their nice blades
towards the seat of Brahma, and with a Vedic
hymn circumambulates the fire. Then with an­
other hymn he draws by the left hand a kusa blade
 [ 74 ]

from the Homa kunda and throws it to the south­

west corner with the following mantra. Om here
I am sitting in the house of Vrhaspati, and I
announee to Agni that the sun is begotten of
gods, so also to Vayu and to Prithivi. So saying
the Brahman who represents Brahma, with kussa
in hand sits on the profferred kusas facing Agni.
The priest then places neA the hota the several
articles of the Homa sacrifice, and after some
manttas and signs commences ahuti.
The ahuti implies offering on the fl,ame handsful
of ghi with vilva-leaves in the name of Durga. In­
deed, the ahutis are offered to Durga through
Agni.
Thu K umaki P tjJ a(4®) :—A Brahman girl
younger than nine years is respectfully placed on
a carpet and offerings of cosmetics and sweetmeats
and ornaments and clothes are made to her.
In the evening the usual arati or lustration is
performed and offerings of sweetmeats and fruits
are given.
TH E ASHTAMI PHJA.
HAvraa finished the morning ceremonies with
kusa in hand the priest performs the achaman,
worships Narayana, establishes as stated before
the ordinary arghya, and after purifying thg
 I 73 ] >

carpet as before meditates Durga ia the form

described above. PJacing a flower on the head,
the priest worships the goddess as before mental­
ly, He next establishes the special arghya and
aiinoints the z’eflectiou of the Dovi in a mirror with
the mantfas and drugs me.'itioned above. Then
worshipping Sarya, Ganesa, and otiier gods as
before he adores Brahma, Sarasvati, Lakshroi,
Indra, the nine planets, and the Pitha. Me­
ditating again Durga in her above described fotm
he presents her several offerings and makes the
goat sacrifice as before. On this day generally
two goats are sacrificed and each is separately
worshipped. Afterwards worsliipping the nine
Patricas and making the Japa tho priest offers
the same to the Goddess, He then prays as
before.
Having worshipped Vishn i with sixteen offer­
ings the priest presents the same to Ganesa and to
all other gods figured on the chal or represented,
in the idols. He next makes seven circuinambula-
tions round the pratima, and worships the asso­
ciate gods and goddesses. These are firstly the
MatrisW) who are invoked and worshipped with
several hymns respectively. The Ashta Nayikas(48)
are then invoked and worshipped. The Batukas(49)
are then invoked and worshipped. The sixty-
 o[ 76 ]

four Yogiuis are then invoked and worshipped.

The Pithas(50) are next invoked and worship,
ped. Then follows the worship of the titular
deities(5i) of different countries. Then the Saktis(52)
are invoked and worshipped; also the weapons(53)
of the gods and goddesses, the Kshetrapalas(6^)
and the Dikpalas(5S>.
A square filled with party-coloured powders
according to the Sastrastsc) is made, and in it
at prescribed places nine ghatas are established,
and these are decorated with nine differently
coloured flags. The eight Dikpalas are then in­
voked in the several ghatas and worshipped, and
Brahma, Ananta and several other gods in the
Central one. The sixteen Matrikas are also invoked
and worshipped. The usual Homa is made with the
fire established on the previous day ; but if it has
not been kept up, a new fire has to be established
The Kumari is also worshipped.
At noon of the Ashtami day after the sacrifi­
ces and other pujas have been performed a peculiar
custom of the fumigation of frankincense is ob­
served. The ladies of the house having offered
handsful of flowers to the goddess, seat themselves
on the court yard facing the idol and burn frankin­
cense on their palms and heads. Small shallow
earthen vessels called shares and malshis are held
 [ 5^7 ]

on the palms and over head and flaming faggots

are placed on them. The priests throw pounded
aromatic resins on the flame, which blaze up with
unusual brilliancy. Thrice the incense is put in
each vessel and three sets of vessel are placed three
times on the palms and the liead of each lady.
These flaming pans are offered to Diirga. A t the
end of the ceremony a boy is placed on the lap
of each lady who blesses him. During this
ceremony the drums play a peculiar tune. At
midnight of Ashtami the goddess is worshipped
with sixteen kinds of offerings and the sacrifice
and the homa are also made. This is the day when
free-will offeringsand offerings for the prosperity
of each member of the family are made.
The SANDHtA PujA takes place at the conjunc­
tion of Ashtami and Navami tithis. The priest
with kusa in hand and having as before made
his acharaau and having worshipped Narayana
establishes as before an ordinary arghya and
worships the Janitar gods. The vetalas being
propitiated and the Bhuta and other suddhis and
Nyasas being performed the priest with a floiver
on the head meditates on Chamunda as follows :
Om terrific-faced Kali, holding a drawn sword and a
UOOS8 and a (curious) club, wreathed with human
skulls, dressed in elephant-skin, lean, emaciated
 [ 78 ]

and terrible, wide-mouthed, tongue dreadfully

protruded, maddened, blood red-eyed, and filling
the four quarters of the globe with hideous
cries. He next worships her as before mentally,
and establishing a . special arghya scatters on
his own person tbrCe handsful of flowers. He
then worships Ganesa and other gods, and again
meditating Durga strews flowers on her head
with, Om the destroyer of the Daksha yajna &c.
Oni Hrim to Chamunda. He next worships her
with sixteen offerings, makes the usual goat scari-
fice, dedicates a hundred and eight lamps, which
are lighted at the time of lustration, and completes
the puja with Homa and Kumari worship.
TH E NAVAMI PUJA.
T h is is a repetition of the Ashtami Puja in
all respects excepting that a greater number of
goats, sheep, and buffalo are sacrificed together
with a gourd and a bundle of sugarcane. On this
day after the Homa is finished Agni is requested
to retire so also the other gods and goddesses,
and the priests receive their dakshina or fee. After
the sacrifices liave been offered the Great Arati is
performed, and the members of the family bow
prostrate before the goddess, and then the Vijaya,
that is the ceremony of embracing each other and
 I 79

forgetting and forgiving of past offences, takes

place. At the end of hotna the head member of
the family paints his forehead with the ashes of
the homa fire.
Certain families celebrate the kadamati, as it is
called, on the Navami day after the sacrifices ar^
over. The principal members lie prostrate on the
court-yard and embracing each othe.t sing the
praise of Durga, with drum's beating. Then in
a large procession they enter the houses of such
relatives and neighbours as have held the Puja,
where these join with their drums &c., the united
procession enters other houses, and the parties
return the visit to each other by turn,
THE DASAMI PUJA.
Tuk priest liaving performed his morning cere­
monies as usual, worships Narayana &0 .,, and^
does the usual Nyasa &c. &c. He then bids
farewell to the ghatas saying, Om pardon us,
and then invokes Durga staying in the offered
flowers(57) with the following, Om pure gold bright
Devi residing in the flowers, I medidate thee^
cheerful-faced goddess, the subduer of the vanity
of Drtitjas and Danavas. He then scatters flowers
abundantly on her. Having next drawn a circle on
the north-east side, and placed the offered flowers
 ,[ 80 ]

within it, he worships the goddess with the

mantra ‘ Or*' Chandesvari &c.,” and presents The
relics of offered victuals to the Chandalini devi
in a prescribed form. He next makes the fare­
well address to the Devi. After placing a pot
ftf water before her, and touching her seat with
the hand says, Om rise oh Devi Chainunda
after thou hast received this auspicious worship ,
and ordained my prosperity with the eight Saktis
Om proceed now to thy appropriate place, the
residence of the immutable deity, so that thou
mayst have mercy on me, and mayst thou in thine
ineffable goodness revisit this abode. Oh goddess,
mother of all worlds, and adored by me, now depart
to thy proper place, that thou raay$t return to me
after the lapse of a year. Oh mother Bliagavatj
and supreme goddess dosttliou now retire, in order
to revisit me, and dispel all my dillicnlties.
Move on in the stream of water and dwell in thy
home for my benefit. With these mantras move
the pratinla, and deposit the image of the goddess
’n the mirror in water. Om rise Devi Charaunda,
thou hast had tiiy auspicious Puja &o., as above.
Then raising the pratima with the Navapatrica*
carry her to the bank of a running stream, “ Ora
Devi dost thou dive into this water together with
the prosperous Patricas. I deposit thee in water for
 [ 81 ]

the augmentation of my children, life, and wealthy

Om Devi being worshipped depart, retire, to that
best of places, thy abode, so that at the expiration
of a year thou mayst recall hither.
In the afternooti at an auspicious moment the
idol is brouglit down to the court-yard, where
the ladies of the house, bedicked and be­
jewelled, assemble to perform certain parting
ceremonies. They paint their feet with a red
paint, and burdened in an interesting fashion
with silver jugs, pots, and other aaspieioust^s)
articles they describe some graceful curves with
open palms, holding betel leaves in Land, and
then offer to the idols well-spiced pounded
betel leaves. The ladies then circumambulate
the idols seven times, at the same time drop­
ping water from a silver jug, and lastly a plate
full of rice with silver, and gold coins, and fruits
is thrown over the heads of the idols. This part
of the ceremony is performed by the head male
member of the family passing the plate and the
head female member receiving the same in her
clothes, all the while the drums beat a peculiar
tune. .
After this the idol is taken without the house
and carefully tied on a frame of bamboos and
carried on the shoulders of bearers to the river
 [■ 83 ]

side with great pomp, drums beating, fools danc­

ing antics, all kinds of music playing, flags flying
&c. The idol is then taken on a couple of
boats and after cruising a little is thrown over­
board with the following mantra. Om this wor­
ship, my goddess is complete to the best of
my power, for Hjy protection wast tbou invoked,
now hie thee to thy best home. The Pratima
is then consigned to the river, after which follow
a variety of sports and auspicious rites with
beating of drums, and loud clamours, together
with blowings of coueh-sliells, transports, and
percussions of mrndagas, patahas and all sorts
of drum instruments; and throwing of dust and
mud, and pastimes, frolics, and other pantomimic
games. The parties return home, chanting the
prayer to the Devi described above, and the
drums and flutes playing “ when again shall the
goddess return, oh where is the goddess gone !’’
After the idol has been deposited in the river the
members of the family assemble with relatives
and friends, and from the bank let loose a
Coraccias indicaC^e), then all return home in pro­
cession, a Brahmin carrying one of the ghatas on
the head.
AH the members of the family assemble in the
hall of worship, which is dimly lighted compared
 [ 83

with the brilliant illumination of the previous

three nights. The whole scene is solemn. The
head of the family writes upon a hit of plantain
or vela leaf the name of Durga, and is followed
by the other members by turn. The priest
sprinkles holy water upon the party assembled with
the mantras commencing with ‘‘ Om surasthara-
ahhishin-chantu &e./’ recited at the bathing of the
Navapatrica oU the Saptami Day—
S antih ! Sa st ir ! S antis I H ari Om !
 APPENDIX.
N O TES.

(1 .) T h s size of the pratima vai-ies greatly in­

different families. Some have the plank about 4,^-
cubits long, and the figures are accordingly about 4
cubits high. Such enormously large and unwieldy
pratiraas are rare. In the Sastras, however, there ia
no direction given as to the size of the pratima, except
■when it is made of precious metals or crystals, though
it is expressly stated that the pratima should he so
made as to excite veneration and love. Miniature
pratimas may be here and there seen, but they are
not genei'al. The usual size of the pratima is ■with
plant about 8 -J cubits long and I 5 cubits broad, these
dimensions are observed every year in the construction
of the same. Some fiimilies have pratimas made of
metals, a composition of copper, silver, zinc and other
metals, is preferred, copper predominating. Such
pratiraas are permanent, and are not thrown away on
the tenth day of the moon. In such cases a ghata is
usually established on the occasion of the Durga Pes-
tival, which after the puja is over is deposited in
water. Those, ■who have other murtis or representa­
tions such as Sinha-Vahini (the-ten armed goddess
standing on a lion and the asura), Jagaddhatri (the
four-armed goddess seated on a lion), Annapnrna
(the two-armed goddess distributing rice and other
food) or other figures of Durga Sakti, establish the
Navapatrioa and the usual ghatas. The ghata and
the Navapatrica are thrown into the river after the
completion of the puja.
 11

A marked conservatism rules the whole ceremony,

the same forms and dimensions of tlie idols are ob­
served from year to year, the same man or his heir
moulds, paints, or decorates, the same priest or his re­
presentative officiates in worship, even the same parties
who supply the furnitures, the edibles, the perfumes
&c. &c., are engaged as the festival comes round each
year.
At places situate far from rivers the idols are de­
posited iu some large tanks in the village, and such
tanks are always protected for that purpose. The
Sastras, however enpin that the idol should be carried
on a boat or on ihe shoulders of men and immersed
in a stream with sports, frolics, and loud cheers.
The bodliana for Durga Puja may be as stated in
the text commenced on the ninth day of the dark fort­
night preceding thO month of Asvina. Should the
navami be distributed over two civil days, that por­
tion of it is to be preferred, which has the Ardra
asterism, foi’, the Sastras say, in the month of Isa, dark
fort-night in the navami tithi when the moon is in
Ai’dra asterism {a, Orionis) the goddess is aroused on
the Vel tree. But some are of opinion that as the
word bodhaiia (arousing) is used, the ceremony ought
to be celebrated ’at night, and not during the day,
but Eaghunandana says that by the phrases (untime­
ly) and “ bodhana” (mousing)—Daksbinanayana or the
Southern progress of the sun is meant, which is the
night of the gods, i. e., the Autumnal festival as distin­
guished from the Vernal when also the goddess Durga
is worshipped, the Vernal festival being known as
Vasanti Puja.
In tile perforinanoe of the autumnal ceremony
preference i.s given to forenoon, for, the Sastras say,
the Devi is to be invoked, welcomed in, worshipped,
and farewelled in the morning, and therefore that
portion of the navami in conjunction with Ardra is
to be preferred which falls in the forenoon, but if the
 ail

conjunction takes place later, tke bodhana should bs

performed before sunset. In. the Jyotisharnava it
is stated that commencing from the lagna of Kanj'a
(Virgo) to that of Mina (Pisches) M ’henever the
asterism Ardra is in conjunction with navami, the
bodhana is to be performed at that very moment.
In the month of Asvina the sun rises in the sign
Virgo and sets in the seventh sign from it, hence
the day is implied by the above quoted passage. In
case, however, the conjunction of navami should take
place on the forenoons of both days, that portion of
navami which falls on the second is considered most
auspicious. Bub on no account whatever the fore­
noon should be departed from, even should there
be no conjunction of the asterism Ardra; for the
conjunction of the same is not deemed absolutely
necessary though desirable. In the Sankalpa for the
bodhana the conjunction of the asterism is mention­
ed, and when it is absent, objection may be made to
the mantra as inapplicable, but the inappropriateness
is cured by the repetition of the word Oni.
On the sixth day also the bodhana of the Goddess
may be performed, but then in the bodhana mantra
“ on the evening of the sixth I arouse thee” is to be
added. In case the Shashthi falls on both days the bo­
dhana is to be performed on that day, on the evening
of which the Shashthi tithi falls, inasmuch as it is an
evening ceremony, and the inviting of the Goddess
being quite a different ceremony may he performed on
the evening of the following day, when there is no Sha­
shthi, i. e. the evening preceding the Saptanii Puja.
But the Shashthi being in the evening of both days,
the last day is to be preferred for bodhana, and the
inviting is also to be performed on that evening.
The Sastras say the learned are to invite on the
previous evening the sacrificial gods who are to be
worshipped on the following day. In the absence
of both the Jyeshtha asterism, {a, r , t. Scorpionis)
 IV

•which is auspicious for inviting, and the Shashthi '

tithi, the invitation of the Gods should take place on
the evening preceding the Saptami Puja. In the
Erahnianda Nandikesvara Piirana “ the worshipper
should invito the Goddess Chandica residing in the
Vel tree on the evening preceding the day of the
entrance of the JSTaVapatrica.” It needs however
be remembered that the excess of a tithi over sixty
dandas is not recognised in the performance of any
cereinpny except in the observance of ekadasi.
The Saptami Puja is initiated with the introduction
of the Il’avapatriea, wliich should be observed in the
morning. “ The introduction of the Navapatrica is,”
say the Sastx’as “ to be obsei-ved in the Saptami tithi
in conjunction with the asterisni Mula (1, n, x,
i, i, m , e. Scorpionis”) when the asterism is not
available in the morning the entrance is to be
made in Saptami without it, for in the perfoi’mance
of the autumnal worship of Purga from the entrance
of the Navapatrica to the depositing of the idol in
water, the rising of the sun is to be observed, and not •
the conjunction of the tithi with the asterism.”
Tire Jyotish says, “ the entrance of the Navapatiica
in the morning is attended with prosperity and suc­
cess ; it gives also health, wealth, and victory, but
the entrance of the same at noon is productive
ot distress and pestilence and of destructive war among
mankind ; the same if performed in the evening leads
to imprisonment, slaughter, civil war, and destructions
by siiake'bites. If on account of Mpla asterism
one observes the Navapatidca entrance after sunset,
he brings destruction on his sovereign with seven
departments of his State, and on the peace of the
world. Therefore let princes introduce Navapatrica
at lire auspicious dawn of Saptami even avoiding the
Mula asterism for the good of their people.”
The Ashtami Puja should be similarly observed in
the forenoon. The Sastras say for the sake of bara-
bela (the daily inauspicious moments) the woi-ship of,
' Durga should not be delayed. The Sandhi Ij’uja
should be couimeneed twenty-four minutes preceed- ,
ing the conjunction of theAshtami and Navami tithis,
and the animal sacrifice pertaining to this Puja should
be offered just at the occurrence of the conjunction.
The Puja may be commenced a little later, but on no
account the soarifioe should be made during Ashtami.
The Visarjana of the Goddess should be lield on
the morning of the Dasarni with Sravaiia asterism
(a, h, c, Aquilce). The Vrhannandikesvara Parana
says, from the entrance of Bhagavati to the Visarjana,
all the ceremonies are to be performed by the learned
at dawn with prescribed lunations, and the Linga
Parana says, the worship of Durga should be perform- -
ed at dawn even, vsitbovit the conjunction of the aste-
risms. The BhavishyS, Purana says, the devotee
should worship the Goddess for three days from the
Saptami, or for two or four days according to the
decrease or increase of the tithis. The Linga Purana,
however, says, ludra is to be deposited in water on
the eighth day of worship and Parvati (Durga) ta
tire fsurtli, a departure from this rule shall bs visited
with ,the destruction of the sovereign, the em­
pire, and wealth. The increase of either of the tithis
(lunations) Ashtami or Navami may cause a por­
tion of the Dasarni titlii to fell on the fifth civil
day from the Saptami, and as the Visarjana of the
Goddess is'to be performed on the morning when
Dasarni is available, the question arises vlietlier
the Goddess is to be retained for four days in the
house. Similarly on the decrease of any of the tithis
the first day may be a tryahasparsa (three tithis falling
on the same civil day) and on the fourth day from
Saptami no fraction of Dasarni may be present.
Eaghunandana holds that under such circumstances
the Goddess is to- be worshipped for four days or
for two days as the case may be, that is,if the increase
of the tithis necessitate the worship for four days
 VI

■pi.
‘ it is to be thus observed, Saptami Puja on tlie first,
Asbtami on tbe second, Sandlii Puja on the third, and
Navanli Puja on the fourth ; similarly on theclecre8.se
of the tithis, the worship is to be performed for two
days, Saptami Puja On the first and Ashtami Puja,
Sandhi Puja, and Navami Puja on the second.
It may be here noted that in the celebration of the
autumnal festival the secondary (Ganna) lunar month
is counted i. e., the montli from full moon to full
moon and not from new tnoon to new moon.
If after the sankalpa for puja has been made the
yajamana becomes impure b3r reason of the death of
some member of tbe family or.by some new birth
in it the puja is not to be stopped, for Yajnavalkya
says : In vrata, yajna, marriage, funeral ceremony,
homa, worship, and japa the impurity does not in-
terefere, if tlie same should have been commenced.
Tlie appointment of the priest is said to be com­
mencement of a yajna, (sacrifice), the sankalpa
that of vrata and japa, the nandi ceremonj'- that
of marriage and the pr-eparation of rice that of a
Sradha or funeral ceremony. Put tlie Durgotsava
being considered a Hitj-a ceremony, the yajamana’s
imjjjirity, even if it occurs before the sankalpa is made
does not interfere with its performance, the family
priest or the spiritual guide in that event making
the sankalpa for the yajamana.
The Pudra Yamala Tantra gives several direc­
tions, as to the form, materials &c., of the pra-
tima. Tlie vedi or the pavement i.s to be made of
earth upon which is to be described a mandala, and in
the centre of this mandala or a circular mystic figure is
to be placed an earthen jar filled with -water, over
which the representation of the Devi is sot up. But
this cannot be done with heavy and big idols of clay
as they are now made in Bengal. Tiie Devi Pur,ana
says, the representation (pratima) is to be made of
gold or of other precious metals or a picture of the
 Vll

‘ Goddess may be used sis a substitute for tlie idol. The

Kalika Purana says, the Devi may be worshipped
in the Siva linga ov in. mystic circles, or in a book,
or iu fire, or in idols, or in painting, or in an arrow, or
in a sword, or in water, or in written characters &c.
The Devi Purana adds the trident as an article on
which the Devi may be worshipped.
'?*®^ccording to Hayasirshapancharaira the .idol
may be made of earth, wood, iron, crystals, stones,
fragrant substances and flowers. The worship of the
Goddess in wooden figure fulfils all the wishes of
the worshipper, in gold gives him salvation, in silver
heavenly bliss, in copper longevity, in bell-metnl
peace, in sand victory, in marble, enjoyment, in
crystal beatitude, and in clay all put togetlier./f'‘
The pratima if made of any materia! other than
clay should be constructed in the house of the wor­
shipper and should not exceed a cubit iu height.
The pratima should never be made of burnt clay,
for the Krtyatatvarnava says, One who worships
the goddess Durga in burnt clay is converted into
ashes by the wrath of the goddess. Lime should not
be used in the construction of the idol, though in
cases of Brahmans the Sastras per.nit the use of wdiite
earth (not lime) and of' Kshatriyas red earth. Inor­
dinately big idols are held to lead to revolutions,
defective idols to the destruction of the architect,
lean-bellied idols to the production of famine, thin-made
idols of poverty, scarred idols of the disease of fisttiia,
weaponless idols of death, the blunt nosed goddess of
depression of spirits, and low-hieasted of the destruc­
tion of one’s friends. The hall in which the goddess is
to be worshipped should be quadrangular, regular,
secluded, decorated with svastica and other auspicious
articles, beautifully canopied and screened. The table
is to be placed on a Vedi four cubits long and to be
covered with cai-pets of silk, wool and skin.
The Bhavishya Purana says the paint shoiild be of
 vm

white .earth and the figures described of various

weapons and yantras. The ground rice is evidently a
substitute of white clay (chalk) mentioned in the
Sastras.

(2.) The mock ornaments are made of the pith of

sola, the Indian cork, and the corks are cut into
thin sheets and required designs by men of the niali
(gardener) caste, whose business it also is to prepare
garlands and ornaments of flowers and of mock
flowers (of sola). Formerly the mails used to decorate
the idols. But now-a-days the ornamentation
the idols is very expensive and forms a lucrative
trade by itself, and those, who follow it, are called Saj-
wallas (ornament-makers) or Dak-wallas (dealers in
tin.) The crude materials used in preparing mock-
ornaments are sheets of sola, foils of tin beat into a
variety of patterns, plates of mica slates split into
the thinnest sheets, possible and one side silvered over
with mercury, beads of various size and patterns of
sola or some light wood wound round with silver or
gojd laces and little discs of gold or silver. These
are combined into a variety of shapes and forms and
made to represent the jwelled ornaments used by
the ladies of Bengal.
The head dress is called a Mukuta, it is a peculiar­
ly shaped, flat ornament a few inches broad, wound
round the forehead, a disc like projection, rising
high from the central portion of the same. The
entire ornament is made of iron wires twisted and
curved into a cluster of graceful flowers and leave.?.
Tills ornament has no equivalent in the bo’udoir of
the Bengali lady. It is exclusively used in decorat­
ing idols, it is something like a tiara.
The hairs of the idols are made of blackened jute.
A common pratima if ordinarily decorated costs
generally between Es. 80 to Es. 100, but the actual
 JX

cost of richly ornamented idols sometimes exceeds five

times that sum.

(3 .) T h e worshijjping of the four figures on both

sides of Durga is not mentioned in the Sastras, though
the custom of constructing and worshipping them
separately is pretty general. In the Autuinnal I>urga
Puja the only deities to be worshipjred ai’e the Devi,
the lion and the demon. Raghunandana in his Dur-
gotsava tatva, a part of his elaborate work entitled
Tithi-tatva, does not even notice the four idols nor
do the several Puranas, which treat of Durgotsava,
make mention of the worship of Lakshmi, Sarasvati,
Rartikeya and Ganesa. Tlie popular belief is that
the above four deities are the children of Parvati the
daughter of HimaVat. Indeed ibis idea is pre­
served in the popular* songs sung on the occasion of
the autumnal festival. The Devi is supposed to have
come to the house of Himavat with her children about
this time of the year and Menaka the wife of Hima­
vat is represented in several Yatras (operas) as urging
on Himavat to invite Gauri to her house.
Lakshmi and Sarasvati, however, are described in the
Puranas as Saktis equal in rank to Durga, Kartikeya
alone is the son of Parvati.
Jayasinha in his celebrated compilatioir entitled
tlie Kalpadruma says that as no abhislieka or bath­
ing can bo held of clay or painted figures, the same
should be performed either on a shining sword, on a
speculum min-or, or on five jars of water, four of which
are to be placed in the four corners of the hall. The
Kalika Parana adds, on these five jars of water in­
voke and worship the goddess Kanshild with her four
associates viz. the Sun, Agni, Isana, and Vishnu. “ The
Gaudiyas (Bengalis),” says Jayasinha, “ worship the
goddess Durga with four associate gods viz. Ganesa,
, who is the substitute of Agni according to the Sivar-,
 chana Gtandrica, Kartikeya who is Ganesa’s self, and
Siva, Vishnu and the sun, because the Gaudiyas do
hot make a separate worship of Agni.”
The Tantras however descirbe Ganesa, Kartikeya,
Sarasvati and Lakshmi as children of Durga but no­
where it is stated that they should be worshipped
together with Gurga in the autumnal festival. The
Bi haddharma Parana, it is said, has enjoined the con­
struction of the idols of the above four with that of
Dnrga in the autumnal festival, but as no M.S. of the
same is accessible, this statetnent may be verified by
th^se who possess the Original.

(4.) The chals or top-pieces are nowhere men-

tipned in the Sastras, It is not known how these
and the four superfluous idols mentioned above, have
been associated with Durga in the autumnal repre­
sentation, and when and by whom these innovations
were made. A tradition is extant that Kaja Krshna-
chandra of Krshnanagara in Navadvipa first worship­
ped the goddess in clay figures described above.
How far it is correct I cannot say. The allusion of
the worship of the quintuple figure by the Bengalis in
Jayasinha*s Kajpadruma, however, throws much doubt
on the abot'e tradition. Jayasinha lived in the days of
Aurunqze'be long before Kaja Krshnachandra of Nava­
dvipa flourished. The older form of the autumnal
groups consists of the Devi, her lion, and asura it may
still be seen worshipped in several orthodox families.
The Mahavidyas are the female incarnations of the
Deity. They are described in the Tantras to be ten
in number. Th$y are the several extoaordinary mani.
festations of (Sakti) Force incarnated on extraordina­
ry occasions. Like the ten incarnations (Avataras) of
Vishnu they came forth at times when the divine in­
terference was necessary for the protection of the
world. ,
 XI

To express the idea in the words of Leibnitz’s

charge to tlie Princess of Wales put forth in his cele-
bi’ated letter, “ Sir Isaac Newton and his followers
have also a very odd opinion concerning the work of
God. According to their doctrine God Almighty wants
to wind up His Watch from time to time ; otherwise
it would cease to move. He had not, it seems, sufii-
cient foresight to make it a perpetual motion. Nay
the machine of God’s making is so imperfect, accord­
ing to these gentlemen, that He is obliged to Clean it
now and then by an extraordinary concourse, and
to mend it as a clock-maker mends his work.” The
ten Avataras (incarnations) of Vishnu, the Deity in
the male form, appeared similarly on ten extraordina­
ry occasions, which are sumtned up by Jayadeva in
bis prayer to the ten Avataras in the following words ;
To recover the lost Vedas, to sustain the world, to
raise the universe, to punish the daityas, to mislead
Bali, to annihilate the kshatriyas, to subdue Havana,
to ply the plough, to protect the meek, and to des­
troy the mlechchhas.
The above are the objects for which the ten ava­
taras of Vishnu were manifested. The avataras are
the Matsya the fish incarnation; the Kachchha or the
tortoise incarnation (Colosochelys atlas 1), the Varaha
the boar incarnation, the Nrsinha, the half lion and
the half man incarnation, the Vamana the dwarf in­
carnation, the incarnation in the person of Parasura-
ma, the son of Jamadagni, who several times anni­
hilated the Ivshatriya race; the same in that of Rama
the well-knowm hero of the Hamayana, ditto in that of
Valarama, the contemporary and cousin of Krshna,
whose weapon was the plough; ditto in that of
Buddha who inculcated the doctrine of treating
every animate being with kindness and lastly Kalki,
the terrible incarnation, wbioh is to destroy the
un-saorificing heretics and unbelievers. The Tantras
have for each of the above mentioned Pauranic
 Xll

ten avataras (male incarnations of tlie Deity) one

female incarnation ("Mahavidya.) They are as fol­
lows : Kali is the force of Krshna, Tara that
of Rama, Vagala that of the Kachchha, Dhumavati
that of the Dish, Chhinnamasta that of Nrsinha,
Bhairavi that of Varaha, Sundari that of Parusaraina,
Biiuvanesvari that of Vamaiia, Kainala that of Bud-
ha and Dui’ga that of Kalki. In the above enumera­
tion of the ten hfahavidyas occur some new names but
no two Tantlas agree ou this point. The above is
taken from the MundamaJa Tantra.
The Foginis, Batukas, and such other abstract
manifestations are multiplied Without number in tha
TantraS and they occupy a prominent place in the
same. The modes of worshipping them and the
yantras or mystic figures peculiar to each with the
exact forms and peculiar vijas or roots witli mula
mantras are the princijial topics of the Tantras.
Several chapters are devoted to the kinds of places
suited for the worship of each and the names of
trees sacred to eacli and the days of the year allotted
to the worship of each.

( o . y The practice of not presenting edibles to

the Goddess during the day Observed by the Ohau-
dhuris of Makavdah is singular and needs some ex­
planation. It is said that on the occasion of the
Puja one year the head of the family was imprisoned
by the Kawab of Murshidabad, after the Navarai
bodbana had commenced. The goods and chattels of the
Chaudhiu’i being confiscated, the family was reduced
to the greatest penury, the more so becau.se no neigh­
bour or friend dared openly offer any assistance to
a family interdicted by the Kawab. But as the
Navami bodhana bad been commenced the priest
called daily and offered flowers, vel-leaves, and water
. to the goddess and recited the Devimahatmya.
 xm

^According to custom the idol ■was ready for worship ^

on the evening of the Shashthi and as the family
had nothing in tliis world to offer, a consultation was
held with the priest for the disposal of the idol. The
'priest advised that the usual establishment of the
Navapatrica should be made and the idols worshipped
with flowers and water if nothing else was available.
Accordingly the usual anointing of the Navapatrica
was made, and the worship of the goddess performed
with flowers and water. On the evening of the
Saptami however the head of the family being re­
leased returned home and being told on enquiry how
the worship had been performed, directed that rice
be boiled immediately and offered to the goddess
on plantain leaves as no plates were available. The
goddess was accordingly worshipped in the night with
boiled rice. The year succeeding the puja the family
was blessed with prosperity and when the festival
returned the head of the family insisted on offering
boiled rice to the goddess on plantain leaves, saying
that as this practice had brought him prosperity
he should adhere to it all his life. His descendants
observe the same practice to this day. The Mufcurjas
of Halisahar, it is said do not worship the goddess
during the day nor do they observe the Sandhi Puja.
Instances of such family peculiarities may be multi­
plied without end.

(6.) OiEO-EESiN of Diptocarpus turbinatus.

(7.) The mystic figures are numerous, each goddess

has a separate figure for her. The Yantras as they are
called are considered the symbols of the goddesses,
and on them the Saktis or the female manifestations
are worshipped. Most of the Yantras are combinations
of triangular figures placed either in centres or petals
 x ir

' of tke lotuses, some are like the Freemason’s in­

verted triangles placed one in each petal of a painted
lotus* and the vija or the root, or the mula mantra of
the goddess inscribed the required number of times on
each petal.

(8,) Thi? kalpa literally means the will or the reso­

lution to perform a ceremony, and in the Durgotsava,
the usual kalpa is that which commence, from the first
tithi (lunation) immediately following the new moon of
Asvina ] the Navaratri festival therefore commences
on the first lunation after the new moon and ends on
the dasami or tenth lunation. This festival, which is
identical with the Durgotsava, may extend over ten
or eight days according to the number of civil days
equivalent to the nine lunations.
The Krtyakalpalata says that in the month of
Asvina the Navaratri ought to be observed commenc­
ing from the pratipada till the navami. Or the tri-
ratra is to be observed from the saptami to the end
of the navami.
The Durgabhaktitarangini says, that the kalpa may be
of the following kinds viz., commencing from the dark
navami, commencing from the bright pratipada (first
lunation after the new moon), commencing from the
sixth lunation (shashtlii), commencing from the
Seventh (saptami) lunation or commencing from the
eighth (ashtami) limation, or the ninth (navami)
lunation. And this authority divides the Bodbana
into two kinds, the first on the dark navami in­
tended lor the arousing of the eighteen-armed goddess,
and the second on the shashlhi for that of the ten
armed goddess. The Kalika Purana however says that
at tlje bodhana the Demon and the Lion are to be wor­
shipped as they are below the feet of the goddess,
the navami bodhana is said to be only for the eighteen­
armed goddess, and as the last named goddess has ru>
 XV

' demoa tinder her feet at the na,vami bodhana, the

ten armed goddess may also he aroused. The eighteen
armed goddess is Chandi, she rests on a lion.
The Bbavishya Purana says that on the pratipada
tithi cosmetics, pomades, and hair oils are to be offered
to the Goddess. They are the mathaghasa, consisting of
several aromatic drags sold in the bazar under that
name. These are fried and powdered and with the
compound powder, the head is well rubbed before bath­
ing. The same drugs are also used in perfuming
palm oil for the hair, and the pomade made with wax,
perfumed oils and otto.
On the second day (Dvitiya) silk threads and ribbons
are to be offered for tying the locks of hair. On the
third day (tritya) a mirror and Vermillion and alaktaka
are to be given to the goddess. Ordinarily a silvered
looking-glass is offered as a mirror, but the scrupulous
offer in addition to that a speculum mirror called
the Darpan. The subjoined figure is that of a
Darpan;

The Darpan is made either of silver, steel, brass

or the speculum metal in which silver predomi­
nates. A darpan is also used for bathing the idol
or in other words whenever the Sastras enjoin the
gods to be anointed the reflexion of the idols in the
darpan is bathed. The darpan alone is immersed
in a pot of water on the morning of Dasami when
the Gods are bade farewell.
The Alaktaka is a chapeti or thin wadding of cotton
dipped in tincture of lacdye. With it the soles of the
 XVI

feet are painted red and protected from being chaffed.

In painting the feet it is soaked in water and being
squeezed yields a red infusion. The alaktaka as well
as the Vermillion with which the portion of the
forehead between the eye-brows is painted red are
considered auspicious articles, and married women are
alone permitted to use them. Their use is said to
contribute to the longevity of the husband. The
widows altogether refrain from both.
A tilaka is a gold head-dress, it is an oval convex
piece of gold generally worn by Hindustani ladies
on their fotehead between the eye-brows. The eyes
of gold are ancient ornaments,shaped like the eyes with
a hole in the centre ; they are now put on stone idols
to represent the eyes. On the fifth day (Panchami)
are to be presented to the Devi chandana (unguents of
sandal) and other beautifiers of the body such as per­
fumed oil, the misi (a paint for the teeth), virmillion,
the henna, and unguent of kuinkum (Croccus sativus)
together with several ornaments. Chandana, perfumed
oil, and kuinkum are presented in silver pots, and as
for ornaments, the most common are the bangles sawed
from conohshell and iron ring for the wrist, covered
over with a wire of gold. The licli alone present
other ornaments besides thesej such as bracelets,
necklaces &c.
The conchshell bangles and the iron ring for the
wrist are indispensable articles. They are considered
auspicious and are supposed to give longevity to hus­
bands. These together with the virmillion paint are
the signs of a married lady.
The Matsya Parana says that from the pratipada
tithi every day Brahma, Agni, Surya, Indra and other
gods and Dikpalas are to be worshijiped with at least
five kinds of offerings. It adds that the Yajnas are
fraught with danger, because the kingdom is destroyed
if the proper articles are not offered in the Yajnas ;
the priests suffer death if the mantras are not properly
 XVll

‘recited and applied, and t!\e soul of the 'worshipper

suffers damnation if the proper fees are not given to
the priests.

( 9 .) T h e S;istra3 say that no one is entitled to

perform any ceremony 'unless he has observed the
preliminaries, and therefore before the performance
of any ceremony the daily morning i-ites must be
performed. These are numerous, to 'wit early rising
from bed, making obeisance to the earth and Nara-
yana, repeating the names of several pious kings, and
heroes, making obeisance to the several Nagas, wash­
ing oneself and performing the Dawn Sandhya and
Ahnika. The Sandhya consists of the usual Acha-
raan, washing the face and the limbs, the marjan or
the rubbing of the body 'with a view to its purifi­
cation, and the invoking and worsliippir.g of
the Savitri mantra. Then follows the Tantric San­
dhya or the worshipping of the particular form of
Sakti in the particular vija or root of the Goddess
taiight by the mantra-guru. It may be noticed
that the last mentioned Sandhya is of later date.
It has been introduced within the last three hundred
yeiirs, and it is not in vogue in any other part of
India than Beng-al, and even here several Braliman
families have no other mantra, and do not acknowledge
any other spiritual guide than the Sa'^utri-guru.
After the performance of the above-mentio led rites
the worshipper should offer balls, and perform five
homas for tlie e.tpiatiou of tlie five-fold siu generated
daily by the sweeping of the rooms, the lighting of the
hearth, the grinding of the culinary spices, and such
other unavoidable domestic duties. The balls are five­
fold, consisting of the tarpans or oblations to
the manes of the departed, of the offering to the
gods of ghi upon fire, of the offering of food to
Brahmans or guests, of the presentation of food to

't o
 XTlll

‘ the domestic animals and birds such as the dogs and

the crows, and of feeding one’s self and family.
These are the daily morning duties of every religious
man, and unless they are performed he is not at
liberty to attend to his other vocations. The ceremo­
nies following the daily dawn Sandhya may be per­
formed any time before dinner, but it ought not
to be taken until the guests have been fed and
satisfied. But after the Sandhya has been performed,
one is at liberty to officiate in any sacrifice or yajna.
The priests should therefore perform the Sandhya
at least, before he commences to worship Burga.
Kilsa is Boa C3'n0 suroides, Betz. It is a neces­
sary article for every Hindu ceremony. No
religious ceremony can be performed unless one holds
kusa grass in hand. Indeed, the Sastras say, that
all offerings whether to the gods or to the manes
of the departed ought to pass over kusa, and there­
fore rings made of kusa are worn on occasions
of religious ceremonies. When water has to be
sprinkled over anything it is done with thi'oe blades
of kusa tied in a peculiar manner called the tiipatra.
In the ceremonies to the manes almost every offer­
ing is to be accompanied with a mukuta (crest) made
of kusa. In offering pieces of threads with the
cake to the manes, the same are tied on a mukuta of
kusa. Kusa is indispensable in ceremonies, but
married womhn use the durva grass instead of kusa.
The collection of kusa for certain ceremonies is
attended with much eclat, There are special moments
fixed for the collection of the same. Kusa that has
been collected during the southern jjrogress of the
sun cannot be used m any ceremony performed
during tiie northern progre.ss of the same. During
the Ilakshinayaua collected-kusa retains its purity
for eight days, but if kusa be collected during
the northern progress of the sun (Uttarayana) it
may be used in any ceremony during the year.
 XIX

The Taittiviya Brahman of the Black Yajuvveda

.devotes an entire section to the mantras &c. for
collecting kusa grass. Many of those mantras
are still in nse in the collection of Knsa. The in­
strument for cutting the grass according to the Vedas
ought to be made of the rib of a horse or a cow.
The modern authors, however, have substituted it by
an iron knife. The instrument is purified by a mantra
and warmed on fire. A mantra has to be I’ecited
while cutting the grass, and with another mantra,
invoking Pushan, the grass is to he tied in a bundle
and borne on head to the sacrificial hall. Kusa grass
is, however, rare in this part of Bengal, and the
suhstilnte generally used for it is kasa (Saccharum
spontaneum). The Sastras say that durva, nlu, kasa,
and sama-grass may be used as substitute if kusa
be not available.

(10.) Achamana is the act of purifying one’s

body by thrice sipping water and touching several
parts of the body with it. It should he perform­
ed before e v e r y ceremony. In jjerfonuing it the
p.alm is contracted, and the thumb placed behind
the fore-finger and the other fingers kept straight,
describing a cow’s ear; a small quantity of water
just sufficient to dip a masa is taken and thrice
it is drunk, sO that the water so drunk may
reach the region of.the heart. It is performed
with the face towards the east, indeed almost all
Daiva rites are performed with the face towai’ds the
east. Then the lips are touched with the tips
of the fingers, with the thumb curved under
the forefinger, the nose with the thumb and
the ring-finger, the eyes and ears are touched each
thrice, the navel with the little finger and the heart
with the palm , and the head with the fingers put
together and the roots of the arms with the tops of
fingers. In the case of Ksbatriyas the water drunk .
 XX

slionJd be in such quantity as to touch the throat, and

of Vaishyas to touch the mouth,but the Sudras should
never drink it, but simply sprinkle it into the
mouth. The achamana is accompanied by reciting Ora
Vishnu and the achamana Sukta “ Om tlie Vishnu
&c.”, but the Sudras only repeat, Obeisance to
Vishnu. The pranava Om should never be repeated
by Sudras so also the phrases Svraha, Phat, Vasliat,
Voushat, and the several roots given in the text.
The symbolical achamana slionld be preceded by
actual washing of the hands, the feet,, and the face.
Though according to the Sastius every thing done sym­
bolically is equivalent to the actual performance of the
same, the real performance of such ablutions and other
actions, which are practicable, and can be performed
without inconveniencing the worshipper, is insisted.
Thus where water for the complete ablution of one’s
person is available, and when the individual can wi­
thout injuring his health take a bath, such is ordained
to be done. In deserts or places wlrere water is scarce
or not available, the mere gesticulation and the
supposition of performing the achamana with water
are quite sufficient. If after having performed the
necessai-y achamana one has commenced a ceremony,
and if he is interrupted by somebody the Sastras enjoin
that a fresh achamana should be made. But in so
doing he is not required to wash his hands and feet
&o. again, nor to perform the several gesticidations
noted above, 'the mere remembering of Vishnu is
quite sufficient. Indeed, the entire performance ap­
pears to be a step towards the composing of ones
self. The concentration of one’s attention upon
the object of worship or ceremony is only what is
aimed at by the Sastras ; the Tantras equally in
calculate the same principle. The - authors of the '
Tantras attach so much iinportance to tlie externals
of worship that they lose sight of the primary in
the secondary Object.
 XXI

In the Taittiriya Bi-hmana of the B. Yajur Veda ‘

a separate mantra for achamana is given, which is
however applicable to all sacrifices. Tlie mantra is—
Ora the gods who know the ins and outs of sacrifice,
enter this yajna with the Almighty God, the guardian
of our mind, from the of mind and let the
sacrifice go on without hinderance.

(11) T h e Brahman Sasana literally means the edict

or commandment of Brahma the Creator. According
to the Sastras every ceremony should be preced­
ed by a Sankalpa or solemn resolution to per­
form tbe same,’and while performing the ceremony,
certain witnesses should be summoned to attest the
, same. This idea is of ancient origin, and may be
traced so far back as the Eamayana, according to
one .recension of which Eamachandra and Sita are
said to have offered cakes made of sand to the manes
of Dasaratha. But subsequently on being questioned
as to the truth of their statement of having performed
the Sraddha they referred to the religious Fig tree and
the river Phalgu who had seen the performance of the
ceremony. Phalgu deposed differently and she was
therefore cursed, and from that day the river Phalgu
has been shallow. To the present day after per­
forming the Sraddha obeisance, is made to Surya,
the witness of all deeds. The names mentioned
in the text as those of the witnesses appointed by
Brahma are the names of such gods or existences as
are present everywhere and at every time. They
alone are competent to attest all actions doue'under
the sun.

( 1 2 ) T h e udumvara literally means a n y thing

made of the wood of the sacrificial fig tree or of
copper, for udumvara is the name of the tree (Pious
 X X ll

glotnerata, Rox, and of the metal cruprura. Three i

vessels are necessary for tlie performance of a worship
v iz . the Prolcshanipati-a, a vessel fi-om which water
is sprinkled on the offerings, the Arghya patra or
the vessel on which the argya is established, and the
Sruva or a vessel to pour water or other liquids from;
the Kosa with its two necessary appendages, the
kusi and the kunda, serves the purpose of all the
above mentioned three vessels together with the
vessel for placing the Gods or their representations
in the mirror while bathing them. The drawing
annexed is that of a kosa:

. KOSA.
The smaller drawing is that of a kusi, a smaller
kosa, and the circular dish is a kunda in which water
offered to the Gods is put:

KUNDA.
The above three are the most necessary articles
in religious ceremonies, for they are applicable to all
purposes. The small kusi serves as the ladle to
pour water with, it is a substitute of the Sruva, the
kosa serves as a vessel fer establishing the special
arghya, the turned-out lip of the vessel holding
the several articles of an arghya.
 XXlll

' (13) The Sankalpa as stated'before is the solemn

resolution for performing any thing religions. It is
an indispensable preliminary as no ceremony, nay not
even the ordinary gift should be made without it.
A ceremony or any religious act is considered void
without a Sankalpa. The reason is obvious. The
Sastras enjoin the conscious performance of every
ceremony. Any thing done unknowingly is not
done according to the Sastras. Nay even such
meritorious actions as entertaining a guest or feed­
ing the hungry are not recognised if they are not
performed with a Sankalpa. It the actual perfor­
mance of any act is interrupted or put a stop to by
any unforeseen event the Sankalpa or the necessary
preparations for the same are quite sufficient. Thus,
the principal part of a Sraddha, a ceremony to
the manes of the departed, is the offering of the
pinda (the cakes, made of the refuse of rice
but if the Brahman should eat up the whole dish
the pinda is still to be considered as offered. The
Sapindana being a ceremony of mixing the pinda
offered to the manes of the last departed with those
offered to the earlier departed, the Sastras direct
that fresh eatables are to be collected and the pinda
offered with the same. An involuntary action is no
action according to the Sastras. Similarly when
a dying person is carried to the river-side, it
is enjoined that he should be conscious of his presence
there, otherwise the merit of such removal does
not accrue to him. The Bhavishya Parana says, “ 0
Prince whatever Juen perform without a Sankalpa,
the meritorious effect of the act is diminished and a
moiety of it is destroyed altogether.’' In the Brahma
Purana the Sankalpa (vow) is made mentally, the
abhilap' (declaration of a vow) is made by words, and
the upapadana (accomplishment of the same) by
actual performance. The Sankalpa should be made
with a vessel made of eonohshell, oyster-shell, crystal,
 xsir

‘ bell-metal or of silver and other precious metals,

but on no account with an earthen vessel. The "Vavaha
Puraua says, that having taken an Udiimvara vessel
filled with water, facing the east if on the banks of
a lake, a tank, a well or a river, otherwise facing the
north, with three blades of kusa, a fruit, some sesa-
mum and a flower in it one should make the Sankalpa
dropping water towards the north-east.
A hymn from the Vedas should be repeated and it
is generally called the Sankalpa-Sukta. But this
differs in the different Vedas and the priest repeats the
Sankalpa Sukta from that Veda to which the yaja-
man belongs. In the case of a Pudra yajamana
the Sankalpa Sukta is to be recited from the Yajur-
Veda. Every ceremony is completed by repeating
the name of Vishnu ten times for the expiation of any
defects in the sacrifice and by solemnly offering the
merits arising from the ceremony to Vishnu.

(14.) TfiB Tantradharaka literally means one, who

observes tlie rules of performing a sac.-ifice. He is
au officiating priest, whose duty is to hold the book
of liturgy in hand, and to direct the pujaka or the
hota priest the way in which ceremonies are to be
performed, or prompting the pujaka or the hota
the mantras. The hota is the priest, who ‘offers
oblations to the sacred fire. In the vedas the taii-
tradharaka does not appear, but in'his place there is
the Sadasya, the director of the ceremony.
 XXV

( 1 5 .) T he s u b - jo in e d is t h e f ig u r e o f a g h a t a ;

GRATA.
From the preceding notes it will appear that a god
may be worshipped in a ghata even witliout an idol.
It is an indispensable article in religious festivals, of
the Hindus the mantras for establishing it as well as
those for putting on the several appendages to the
ghata are different in different Vedas, and those
from the Veda to which the yajamana belongs are
repeated in sanctifying the ghata.
(16.) The bhutapasarana is the ceremony of re­
moving thes spirits and other beings whose presence
may interfere with the peiformaiu’e of a religious
observance. The bhutas are generally' disposed of by
a ball of mas and curd, and they are g\n>vded against
by scattering mustard seeds. The mustard seeds so
scattered with mantras are supposed to protect the
sacrificial place from evil presence, and should the
bhutas transgress the boundary, these mustard seeds
are said to pierce them as if with a thunderbolt. The
bhutas are propitiated before every sacrifice.
A bali is an offering of any thing eatable offered
to the bhutas (spirits &o.); it is %nade of mas and
curd. According to the Sastras every Hindu should
offer every day a bali to-the Visvadevas. This ball
may consist of mas and curd or of «ugar and flower,
and it is offered with the following mantra, Oin to
the universal gods, Om to the Visvadevas. Om to
J
 XXVI

Yakshna do you not destroy me. Om the gods, the '

men, the beasts, the birds, tlie siddhas, the yakshas,
the reptiles, the Daityas, the Pretas, the Pisachas, and
the trees, and whoever desire to have food, receive
this ball ofi'ered by me. Om may the ants, the worms,
the insects, and whoever are hungry being imprisoned
iti corporeal frames, receive this food offered by me
and be satisfied. Om the bhutas and all beings be
satisfied witli the bali by me scattered on earth fot
your satisfaction. Om may the crows of Indra,
Varuna and Yayu, of Soma and Nirti quarters, receive
this cake by me placed on earth. Om obeisance to
the crows. Om to the twin dogs S5'ava and Savasa
the offsprings of Vivasvata (Sun, the father of Pluto)
accept this cake and envy not. Om to the dogs.
Om to the Ohandalas, to the apostates, Om to the
sins and Om to tlie diseases. Om to Dharmaraja
Chitragupta.
(17.) Ourva is tlie giass Cynodon dactyion, Pers,
a good fodder for the cattle. It grows wliere no other
grass will grow. It is an indispensable article in
Hindu ceremonies. It is said to be tlie liairs of Vishnu
torn off by the friction of tlie great serpent Vasuki
■against his body whilst ciuirning the ocean for
nectar. It has been immortalized by nectar which when
churned out from the ocean was placed by tlie gods
on a turf of Ourva. In religious ceremonies shoots
of Ourva with three blades on them are used. A
particular day of tlie year is Observed as sacred to
Ourva, and the Vrata is called Durvashtaini or
the eighth day of the moon sacred to Ourva. ' In
offering Ourva, to, the gods the central tender leaf
stock is plackei out, and the head with three
lower blades is selected, but in offering the same
to the goddesses a head with three blades including
the central one is used. It is used together with
grains of paddy in blessing persons and it consti­
tutes the principal ingredient of an arghya. It must y
 XXVll

' accompany every handful of flower presented to the ^

gods. In tlie Sastras it is regarded as the com­
pendium and essence of all flowers, and the flower
offering therefore is not complete without it ; in the
same way the bell is considered as the compendium
of all music, and in every ceremony therefore the bell
is rung. Some flowers are not acceptable to certain
gods, thus the mallika (Jasrninum undulatum), the
malati (Aganosma Roxhuighi), the yati (Jasrninum
grandiflorum), the kunda (Jasrninum hirsutum), the
sephalika (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis), the java (Hibis­
cus rosa-sinensis), the kamini (Mur.aya exotica) and the
like are never to be offered to Siva ; nor the java and
the yantra flowers to Vishnu. Tiie yantra flowers are
the java, the aparajita (Clitoria ternata)j the baka,
(Agati grandiflorani), and the karavi (Neriura odora-
tum). The lotus and the karavi though yantra flowers
may however be presented to all the god.s. A yantra
flower, is that wlio.se form is like that of the ynwfm.
Leaves of tulasi (Ocimum vellosum) .should be offered
only to Vishnu. But the leaves of amalaki (Myrobalaus
emblika) and vel (rEgle raarmelos) may be offer­
ed to the Devi as well as to Siva. Tlie vakula (Mim-
sops elengi) though a yantra flower may be offered
to Vi.shnu.
Flowers are unfit for presentation to the gods if
they are more than 24 hours old, but the following
are not considered as withered, viz. the vel leaves,
Jasrninum multiflorum, leaves of Phyllanthus embh'ca,
and Xanthoeymus pictorius, Nymphma alba, tulasi,
the lotus, Agati grandiflorani and sephalika ; nor are
the buds of any other flowers.
T------T *
(18) Arghya is derived either from Arha to wor­
ship or from Argha to cost. It constitutes a part of
the worship of a god. It consists of water, durva, rice,
flowers and chandana. The modes of establishing it
have been described in the text. It is evidently a
Tantric rite, though tlie practice of presentation of
 XXVIU

something in the shape of price or ptija obtained in )

the Pauranic Age. With arghya one is welcomed.
The various mantras given in the text only mystify
the performance and thus impart a solemn air to the
act. The triangle is one of the yantras or mystic
symbols of Sakti or Force or the female generative
power, and plays an important part in the Tantric
rites. As the stand for the conchshell is made three
legged the triangle is tlie proper figure to form its base.
The tripod is selected of all other forms, because it
has the least number of legs with which a stand may
be made steady at all places and because three is the
mystic number of the Tantras. The system of wor­
ship enjoined by the Tantras being based on symbols
tire Sustaining Force is worshipped as the power
which sustains all matter. The Adhara Sakti literal­
ly the sustaining force, has been personified in the
Tantras as a female goddess. This personation of
every species of force is however in the abstract
philosophical, though owing to the metaphorical cha­
racter of the primitive language and the prevailing
ignorance of tlie people in the dark ages of Sanskrit
literature every philosophic idea was regarded as a
Divine attribute, and magnified into a god-head. The
tirthas or holy places are said to reside in the solar
sphere, and they are invoked by the priest raising the
fore-finger in hook form. Possibly the philosophy of
this ceremony is that the sun absorbs the water from
all parts of the world, and that if there is any place in
Heaven where the tirthas may be supposed to be found
collected together, it must be in the all-absorbent sun.
The Arghya is established in a conchshell, of which
• a figure is subjoined :

T R IP O D A N D C O N C S S H E L L.
 ixix

I n t b e s p e c i a l a r g h y a t h e s p h e r e o f fii’e i s w o r ­
s h i p p e d i n t h e t r i j ) 0 (l, w h i c h i s m a d e o f m e t a l , t l i e
S o l a r s p h e r e is w o rslu ])p e d i n t h e c o n c h s h e ll a n d t h e
L u n a r sp h e re in th e w ater.

(1 9 .) A s , \ x a i.-! a c a r p e t o r s e a t o n w h i c h t h e tv or-
s h ip p e r sits w hile p e rfo i'in in g a n y c e r e in o n y . T h e Sas-
t r a s .■^ay t h a t n o p e r s o n vvliile p e r f ' n i i n i n g a c e r e m o n y
s h o u ld s i t w i t h o u t a n a-iana, a n u t t a r i j a o r u p p e r
V estm en t a n d a h e a d d ress. T h e a s a n a is p u r i f i e d
by th e i n a n t r a g iv e n in t h e te x t. It is n o t e ­
w o r t h y t h a t t h e U s lii o r a u t h o r o f t i i e s e a t - m a n ­
t r a is H e r u p r s i i t l i a l i t e r a l l y m e a n i n g c o n v e x . - b a e l i e i t ,
tlie u p p e r surface of a n ord in ary se at of wood
c a l k ' d I ’i n d e i n B e n g a l i . T h e m easu re of th e m a n ­
tra is S u tala, litera lly m ean in g lev e l-b o tto m e d to
s e i . ii r e t h e s t a b l e e q u i l i b r i u m o f t l i e s e a t . T h e l o r d o f
a - a n a is K u r i n a t h e g r e a t t o r t o i s e s a i d t o u p h o l d t h e
e a r th on its b a c k . T h e m a iu f e s ta lio ii o f force in a
s e a t i s t h e S u . s t a i n i n g F o r c e , a n d s h e is t l i e r e f o v e s t y l e d
th e lo tu s-,se ateJ as th e m o st d e lic a te of all seats.

(2 0 ) T in s is a sy m b o lical p u ’- i f i o a t i o n of th e
bodv. I t is s u p p o s e d t h a t s i n i n t h e f o r m of a b lack
p e r s o n is l o c a t e d t u t h e l e f t c a v i t y o f t h e tlio rax , and
i t is c o n s u m e d t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e c o r p o r e a l body of th e
w o r s l i i p p e r b y t h e f ire g e n e r a t e d b y t h e reten tio n or
e .x h alatio ii o f b r e a t h lor s o m e tim e . I t m a y be o lise rv e d
t h a t tills a n c ie n t id e a coincides w ith th e iio d e n i f h e o ry
o f C o r r e l a t i o n o f t h e P 'ay sical F o rc e s , tli“ s u s p e n s io n of
vital force g e n e r a t i n g lig iit a n d h e a t. I t m a y n o t b e o u t
o f p lace to m e n t i o n i i e r e t l i a t a sim ila r r i t e is o b s e rv e d
b y t h e M a h o m e d a n s a t t h e C o n clu sio n o f e a c h p r a y e r
w ith s h o r t a ddres.ses to t h e tw o f e r is h ta s o r g o o d a n d
evil sp irits r e s i d i n g in t h e tw o sid e s o f t h e b o d y ,
th e evil sp irit re sid in g in th e left. The le ft side
 XXX

is the origin of evil according to the Hebrew scripture,

and with the left rib Eve the mother of sin was
created. In the cavity of the skull are supposed to be
sitttiited a thousand petalled lotus and the moon,
from which distil drops of nectar, and with this
nectar are rebuilt the several organs of the body ;
which thus formed is considered free from former vices
and fit for any ceremony. It is a symoolical Tantric
rite enjoined evidently for the composition of the mind
before the performance of a ceremony.
The shatchakras or spheres are as follows:
1st. The muladhara (the coccyx or the anus with
the several muscles of the rectum ?) an organ in the
form of a quadrupetalous lotus having the formula
Vasa (base'or seat) consisting of four letters Va, Sa
Sha, and Sa, inscribed on the four leave? representing
four gods.
2nd. The Svadhishthana the organ with the uterine
canal in the form of a hexapetallous lotus^ having
the formula Bata (force, agency) in the centre and
the letters Ba, Bba, Ma, Ya, Ha, and La inscribed on
its si.x petals.
3rd. Maiiipura the abdominal organ resembling aten-
petalled lotus with the formula Daplia in its pericarp
and the ten letters form da to pha inscribed on its ten
leaves. The region below the diaphragm is the chief
characteristic of Mammalian myology, being equally
developed both in Man and in the Monotreme. This
is supposed in the Tantras to be like a full-blown in­
verted lotus, as it is vaulted and convex towards the
thorax ; and to have ten petals, for tire diaphragm eon- .
sists of earneous and tendinous parts,the latter eliiefly
in the expanded and aponeurotic form, the earneous
fasciculi being divided into “ costal” or greater and
the ‘ Vertebral’ or smaller muscles, the costal por­
tions arising from the ensiform cartilege and those of
the eigtith to the twelvth ribs connected by fasciculi,
, which interdigitate with those of the ‘ transver*.
 xxn

salis abdominis’ muscle. The orifice through which

jivatma (coiporeal soul) passes upwards towards
theParamatma (the Divine spirit) is situated between
the right and the middle tracts, for the inferior vena
cava (‘ post eaval’ of Mammals) passes through it.
Behind the tendon and to the left of the median line
(for the aponeuroeis called ‘ centrum tendineura’ or
‘cordiform tendon’ is widely notched towards the
spine and divided anteriorly into three tracts, of
which the right is usually the largest) is also located
another orifice for the oesophagus and pneumogastric
nerves. The aorta also passes from the chest to the
abdomen between the ‘ crura’ of the lesser muscle. It
is difficult however now to guess which of these pass­
ages are referred to by the Tantras. Is it one for the
‘Vena cava?’
4th. Anahata the chest-like, a duodeeafolea lotus,
having the formula Katha with its twelve letters
from ka to tha marked on each leaf.
5th. Visuddha the vocal organ in the throat likened
to a sixteen-petalled lotus, the sixteen vowels with
the nasal anusvaras inscribed on each petal.
6th. Ajna a bipetalous lotiform organ between the
eye-brows with the letters Ha and Ksha inscribed on
two petals.
7tli- Tlie Brahma randhra or the divine orifice the
anterior .superior fontanelle. The unclosed suture of
the frontal bones in tbe new-born child is covered
with the skin, which is heaved up and depressed at
each vibration of tbe lieart. This is filled U p by the
formation of Warmian-bones and the marks of these
sutures are left in the sknll even after death. These
marks are likened bv the'I'antras to a mille-petalled
lotus retentive of the marks of a thousand characters.
8th. Kailasa the cranium or seat of Mahadeva.

(21.) Nyasa literally means setting or placing of

articles in their proper localities. According to the
 XX Xl l

'J’a i i t r a s t h e s e v e r s i l U'fctt>rs o f th e a lp h a b e t are sup­

posed to r e p re s e n t th e several M a t r i k a divinihes
(s e e N o t e 4 7 .) o r su s ta in e r.s o f o u r c o r p o r e a l organs,
t h e f u n c t i o n s o f t l i e s a m e heiii<>’ c o n s i d e r e d a^ so
niaiiy fo rce s o r s a k tis of th e M a trik a .s. T h e M a lri-
k a s t h e r e f o r e a r e tlio d e i f i c a t i o n s ol' t h e s e v e r a l P liv
s i o l o g i o a l F o r c e s v ie w e d in t h e l i g h t o f t h e T a i it i a s
T h e l e t t e r s o f t h e a l p h a b e t b e in g tlie u l t i m a t e parli-'
c l e s w i t h w h i c h t h o u g h t s a r e e x p r e . s s e d , a r e coii.si-
( l e r p d t o pos.ses.s a t t i ' i l i u t c s . s u p e r n a t u r a l a n d u n k n o w - '
able. The W ^ord o f ^ o d , t h e V e d a s , is c o n s i d e r e d as
e t e r n a l , i n d e e d c o - e . \ i s t e n t w i t h t h e D e i t y , w h e n c e tiie
J l i i n a n s a a p h o r i s m *• S a v d o j o u i t v a t B r a h m a n ” s o u n d
is i u c r e a te B r a h m a n . I t is n o t t h e r e f o r e u n n a t u r a l to
su p p o .s e t h a t t h e a u t h o r s o f t h e T a n t r a s , w h o view ed
e v e r v t h i n g w i t h a n e y e o f m y s t i c i s m s h o u l d have,
i n d u l g e d in h i g h m y s l i e s a n d t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s p e c u i a -
tio n s p e c u lia r to th e d .irk a g e s o f t h e w orld.
T lie p n 'p e r lo c a tio n o f t h e se v e ra l le tte rs of the
a l p h a b e t a s s y m b o l s o f t h e . s a k e i s (fo rc e .'^) in t h e
s e v e r a l p a r t s o f t h e b o d y o v e r w h i e h t h e iM alrik a
S ak ti.s ( P h y s i o l o g i c a l F o r c e s ) a r e s u p p o s e d to p re ­
s i d e i s t h e A i a t r i k a Iv'\ a s a .

(2 2 .) ^ ^ Daplia, Katha are not as may

he supposed sin g le vijas or ro o ts co u si.stiiig ot th e
le tte rs da, p h a , ka, and th a, b u t a re fo rm u la ex p ress­
i n g a c o n c a t e n a t i o n o r s e r i e s o f v i j a s o r r o o t.s . They
a r e m a n t r a s o r m n e m o n i a c . s v lla h le .s o f c e r t a i n f e m a l e
d e itie s i n d i c a t e d h v t h e tw o ( i n it i a l a n d final) le tte rs
to g eth ei w ith th o se co m in g b e tw e e n th em . In th e
sam e way t h e S am k y tik a S ain ah ara o f V opadeva
o r in d ic a to ry fig u re s o r m o d e s o f logicians o r ab ­
b r e v i a t e d P r a t y a h a r a t e r m i n o l o g y o f P aiiiiii s t a n d s
fo r th e le tte rs in d ic a te d bv th e m . A cco rd in g ly D a p h a
expresses ten l e t t e r s o f t h e a l p h a b e t com iiieiiciiig
fro m da and en d in g w ith p h a. D a p h a m e a n in g th e
o c e a n fire ( l a t e n t h eat) b ein g fanned by th e storm »
 XXXlll

wind, a symbolical expression of the vital heat

being generated by respiration. This formnla is
the compendium of all the symbols connected with
vitality or life or existence of a being and its seat is
therefore the navel, the terminus of the cord, which
nourished the foetal being when in the womb of the
mother (Matrika). But the pha of Dapha is per-
mutable in grammar to pa and bha, its homogeneous
soft and hard sounds which make Dapa, and Dahlia
both meaning a heap or collection (of food) deposited
in the stomach and concocted into chyle by tlie fj^re-
siding deities represented by da (Siva as latent heat),
pha (Sivani as digestive wind) and others. Katha
similarly stands for the twelve consonants from ka to
tha. Katha means sound made by the movement of
the respiratory organa i. e. Hansa and Sobam. These
two formula are Sacred to two Antarmatris, inherent
in two of the six spheres or zones or regions of the
human body, and the letters implied by them apper­
tain to the minor saktis or forces residing in those
two parts of the human frame, which is on that
account emphatically styled the microcosm or mun­
dane monad or rather the c o r p u s d eoru m of the
Pythagoreans.
These two parts are the Manipura or the abdomi­
nal circle, navel or the seat of foetal life, and the
anahata, or the region of the heart, the seat of the
extra-uterine life. The Matris Vaishnavi the goddess
of cupidity and Eudrani of fury residing in these regi­
ons are called Mahamatrikas, by reason of their
important functions both in the foetal and subsequent
conditions, that is of assimilating food into blood in
the latter, and vivifying the corporeal frame by the
distribution of the vital fluid in the former.
It may be observed that the Anandalabari of San-
karacharya in praise of ‘ Siva, conjoined with Sakti,’
Ids Energy, in her different forms of the Matris in
the six spheres of the human-body, is the most elegant
metaphysical poem that has ever been written on
 xxxiv

the subject. Its commentator Jagadisa has explained

how from each couplet the Vija for each form of Sakti
commencing with Hansa, the Vija for Tripurasundari,
could be derived. Eamapi'asada, the great Sakta poet,
has composed many songs on the meditation of the
Six spheres and contemplation of the universe within
one’s self. He eomwiences one of them as follows;

II

(23) Phat is the vija or root of destructive 'wea'

ponsjagreeing with the Arabic Fat (death, destruction.)
It is pronounced in washing and puritying the Santi-
pot, the arghya vessel, and the sacrificial vases ; in
invoking the removal of all hinderances, heretics
and unbelievers, and in several other ceremonies. It
is also used as a mantra in Tantrie rites for the re­
moval of evil spirits &o. Similarly the mantras Spliyem,
Sphoum and such other derivatives of the noun Sphyara
literally meaning a wooden sword, perhaps the primi­
tive sword of the aborigines, and mostly used in des­
patching sacrificial animals according to the Tantras.
Svaha is a mantra uttered before offering an obla­
tion of glii to the fire. It is described, in the 37th
chapter of the Blirama Vaivartha Parana a.s the
daughter of Brahma and as the wife of Agni, The story
of her origin is as follows. The gods after creation
having notliing to e.at became hungry and applied to
Brahma for I'ood. Brahma thereupon meditated on
Vishnu, who forthwith assumed the form of Sacrifice,
Yajna under the naihe of Yajuesvara presiding over all
sacrifices, and consumed all ghi offered to fire, instead
of sharing it with the gods. The latter again applied
^to Brahma complaining of Vishnu’s behaviour, where- ^
 XXXV

‘ upon Bvalima once more meditated on (Force) tlie

female attribute of Vielrim, and she appeared to
Braiima as Svaha, and at Brahma’s request married
Agni, and as his attribute, consuming flame, she
bore away all oblations made to fire for the gods.
Svadha is the daughter of Dak-slia or according to
some of Brahma. She is married to the Pitrs, and
bears away all oblations offered to the pitrs or the
departed.
Vasliat, Vaushat, and such other mantras are used
in offering oblations of ghi to fire. They are much
used in the Tantras in the several Nyasas.
In the Talttiviya Aranyakaof the Black Tajurveda,
fourth Book, several mantras are given as meet for the
Pravargya Homa, the fire for which is lighted with
thorny faggots and in section 28 of tiie same the
following imprecatory phrases Occur, m z., Khat, Phat,
Jahi, Chhindhi, Bhindhi, Handhi, Kat &e., and these
are said in the text to be maledictory. The derivation
ot these phrases may be traced to the roots implying
to split, to remove, to sever to pierce, to destroy, and
to cut. Sayanacharya the Commentator says that
these sounds imply threat. Khat and the two
following are words imitative of the sounds used
in threatening. And the rest are verbs for killing in
the imperative mood. These six are harsh sounds.
The Taittiriya Brahman in Book 2, Chapter 1,
Section 2 gives an anecdote of the origin of Svalia.
It runs thus. In the beginning Prajapati the Creator
created Agni, who having nothing to eat applied to
Him but in vain, and consequently attacked Creator
with his fellow creatures. Prajapati, liowevev, to
avoid Agni retreated backwards but failed to stop
him, and in the exertion thus made felt fatigued and
wiped off the sweat of his brow. His sweat became ghi
and being not certain as to its purity (being an exe­
cration) for offering the same to Agni as an oblaibn
held the same in bis right hand and mentally a.sked
1 the question what it is, and a voice from heaven
 XXXVl

announced Svaham (Sva-Aliam) I am thyself, and

whereupon Prajapati repeating the word Svahatn offer­
ed the oblation to Agni. Hence Svaha is the root of
Horaa, and is pronounced as a mantra in offering
oblations to fire. Vashat is used in the Taittirya
Brahman in the same sense as Khat, Phat &o., in the
Taittirya Aranyaka. TheCommentator adds Vashat is
to be uttered after the ten imprecatoiT phrases men­
tioned above at the end of a sacrifice for the final
destruction of enemy.
The Taittiriya Brahman relates an interesting anec­
dote regarding the origin of the word Vashat. The
God presiding over Vashat is Vashatkara. The anec­
dote is as follows. Once upon a time Vrhaspati struck
the goddess Gayatri on the head, which was smashed
into pieces and the brain spilt. But Gayatri is
immortal, and every drop of her brain so spilt was
alive and became Vashatkara. The Commentator adds
Vashat is derived from Vasa, grease, brain-matter.
The sa of Vasa preoeding the eelebral ta is changed
into sUa. It may be mentioned that Vrhaspati
is the planet Jupiter and also the teacher of the
gods. He is. also the aatlior of the Charvak (atheis­
tic) philosophy, which it is said was invented by him
to mislead the Asuras, the enemies of the gods.
Vriiaspati is the wisest among botli the immortals
and mortals. The Gayatri, the saefed formula of the
Hindus, the mantra which is repeated in the daily
service, has been i>ersouified into a Goddess, of tlie
same name, wlio is invoked and worshipped morning
and evening.
The anecdote stripped of its metaphorical garb im­
plies as follows. The atheists, ignorant of the meaning
of the mantra and not recognising the excellent
principle inculcated by the words contained in it,
regarded it as a mere collection of certain labial
sounds, wliicb in contempt they typified by va, sa,
and ta. Indeed the Gayatri consists of 9 labial conso­
nants, 9 dentals, 3 dental ses, and 8 other consonants,
 XXXVll

five of which again have the lahial vowels attached

to them.
Vrliaspati therefore was not far from the point when
he called Gayatri as a concatenation of the letters va,
sa, and ta in the same way that some critic patting
Vyasa) the author of the Mahabharata, on the telly
said it was filled Tvith cha, vai, tn, and hi, meaning­
less monads profusely introduced by Vyasa in his
great epic to preserve the measures of his lines. Tlie
dental sounds are considered soft sounds, and as such
they are rarely used to express angry sentiments or
harsh words. The cerebral equivalents are used to
express imprecations. Hence vasata has been changed
into Vashat. To Call such a sacred mantra as tlie
Gayatri by so low a name as Vashat is to strike on the
head of Gayatri and the constituent braimmatter
thus spilt represents the syllables. From the above
it will be seen that these words are sounds imita­
tive of the cruel actions indicated by them, and are
therefore used in'lnvoking the removal of evil spirits
or sin from one’s own person or in despatching sacri­
fices.

(24) PiTHA literally means the seat (see Note,

50.) The Pitha Nyasa is therefore the location of
several Energies or deities presiding over the several
parts of the body. In performing tbe Pitba Nyasa
the several great seats nr props of the earth accord­
ing to the Hindu cosmogony are invoked. Prakrti is
Nature, Kurma is supposed to hold Va-uki (Ananta)
the great serpent on its back, and Ananta to bold the
earth on its hoods. The tortoise is said to swim on
the ocean, but the ocean of milk here referred teas
being seated in the thorax is evidently an allegorical
expression for chyme which is tlie first step gained by
Vital Force towards the assimilation of food and the
conversion of vegetable into animal organism. The
 xxxvm

sternum in a human skeleton ^located as it is above

the region of the stomach must have suggested the
idea of a white island.
The Kalpa tree is one of the “ propria” of the deity.
The tree is said to give any thing that is asked of
it. In primitive ages when the rfruit yielding tree
and the milk-yielding eow constituted the only pro­
perties man had, the ITalpa tree and the Kama Dhenu
were regarded as the proper possessions of the deity.
■
“ Wliatever goeth in doth not defile a man but
whatever cometh out of the mouth defibth him.” The
mouth 5s therefore thO source of unrighteousness.
Right (rectus) represents the righti'ess of a thing
and left (sinister) the wrongness, and tl>e seat of
Dliarma (Virtue) is therefore the right side and that
of Sin the left. Bnt why is the left shoulder regarded
as the seat of intelligence ? It is observable tliat the
sacerdotal thread which distinguishes, the Ifrahman
front the Sudra, the knowing caste from the unknow-
ing> is placed on the left sltouldev. “
The navel is the part of the body, fhrough which
the vita] fluid is circuhited for'the sustenance of the
feetus, and it ts therefore hold to be the passage,
through which ‘ worldliuess’ enters the body of the
foetus.
The sun is said to have twelve phases for it passes
through the twelve signs of the zodiac to complete
the cycle of the year. Similai-ly the moon has sixteen
phases or digits. The sacrificial fire in the Dasa'iotra
Yajna is .-aid to be of ten kinds. The several phases
of Agni are named in the Taittiriya Araii3'aka under
Chaturhotra and otlier sacrifices.

(25.) The upael\aras are articles of worship, they

are sixty in number viz., the carpet, perfumed oil,
the bath, the seat in the bath room, pure water,
ointment, warm water, water of holy places in a gold
 XXXIX

vessel, a white napkin, red wearing vestment, red

wrapper, painted hall, painted seat, pomades, unguent
ointment of sandal, agallocha, croceus, camphor,
mu*k, roehana (a substitute of turmeric, it is ti>e
bilious secretion of the bull), garlands made of bios*
soms of several season flowers such as the several
Jasmines, eliampaca &e., ornaments. Jewelled seat,
gemmed crown, canopy, vermilion, tiinka, ©ollyrium,
earrings, nose-rings, rouge for the lips (misi), necklace,
gold sabbots, silver sandals, pearl-necklaces, a single
necklace, breast plate, four bracelets, wrist-rings, finger-
rings, gold-zones, girdle, sobha, anklets, nupuras,
toe-rings, noose, goad, bow, arrow, crystal foot-stool,
lion-seat, bed-stead, Spoon, water for wasbing the face,
camphor pills. Joyous smiles, lustrations, wbice um­
brella, chauris, mirror, fan, perfumes, flowers, incenses,
lamps, eatables, water for washing and for ablution,
betel leaves, and prayer.
These are abridged into thirty-six, eighteen, sixteen,
ten, and sometimes five article according to the varying
eircumstanees of worshippers. The Hhavishya Parana
says that puja made without a sacrifice leads to'famine,
without sandal unguent to misfortune, without incense
to anxiety, and without apparel to poverty. 'I’lieKurma
Parana adds the following offerings, viz., cocoa-nuts,
betel-nuts, pomegranates, syrup of emblica, frumenty,
cakes, barley bread,wheat bread, sweetmeats, and sever­
al confections of gUi and rice, boiled with ghi and sugar,
all kinds of curries, milk, curd, whay, fresh cheese, and
butter, of cow and buffalo milk. Rice and curry cooked
by Brahmans even in the house of a Siulra might be
offered to Durga together with, says tlie Satatapa
Brahman, meats of different kinds.
Each article of offering is lorded by a god, and in
presenting the same to any god or goddess the lord
of the article should be worshipped, together with
the article and the god or goddess to whom tiie same
is offered. This ceremony is called the arcliana of the
 xl

^article. The Sastras say that tlw offering of an article

accompanied bj^ an archaiia is meritorious both to the
donor and the donee.
The gods 'who preside over the several articles are
as foflows : Moon is the lord of silver, Vrhaspati of
cloth, Varuna of water, Vanaspati of flower, Gand-
harva of incense, Agni of goat, Varuna of sheep, Yama
or Bhairava of buffalo, Kurma of carpet, Agni of
gold, &c. &e. and Vishnu of all. Indeed in ordinary
ceremonies the Brahmans generally name Vishnu as
the lord of the articles offered. But the Vedas give
a different list of the lords of articles. In the
Taittiriya Brahman B 11. the following anecdote
regarding the orgin of the lords of articles and
the necessity of their mediation in the presentation
of articles to gods is given. The gods themselves
had at one time officiated as priests at a sacrifice made
by Varuna and received several sacrificial articles as
their fees or honorarium for the service rendered. The
aceepthnoe of these direct gifts ( i. e. without inter­
vention of a third person) made the gods sick, where­
upon they eansed a mutual transfer of the gifts, which
changing hands brought back their health. It may
be here noted that a gift is not quite so meritorious
to the donee aS it is to the donor,
Hience the naming the lord of an article before it
is given away protects the receiver from the injurious
efleets of receiving a direct gift. The acceptance of
a gilt by a god or a priest is held to be an acceptance
of the thing by tlie divinity. Thus gold was given to
Agni who gave it back to another god and hence Agni
is called the lord of gold. Similarly cloth to the Moon,
CoW to Rudra, water to Varuna, person to Prajapati,
bed to Manu, bedstead to Angirasa. The commentator
adds that gold was given to Agni on account of the
resemblance of liis color to the brilliancy of the metal,
and white vestment to Soma, the moon, for the same ’
reason.
 xli

* The Tantras view things in an allegorical and philo-

sophieal light. Tlie manasa puja or worship witli
mental offerings .substituted for the tangible rice, the
tangible flower <feo., is a necessary adjunct to the
bliutasuddhi, &o. processes meant but for composing
of the mind. The Tautras however are not singular
in prescribing mental worship. The Vedas also in the
Taittirya Aranyaka have identified mind, speech &o.
with the .several articles of sacrifice.
The Bamayana mentions that Ramachandra having
vowed to worship Darga with one lac of lotxis flowers
and finding one of them missing plucked out one of
his eye-balls a)id offered it as a substitute. Suck
tvanseendeiital devotion and piety sometimes over­
power common sense and lead tlie jealous devotes to
offer even the blood of his body as an aoeeptible
offering to the deity.

(2G.) The Muses or six sentiments of Hindn

composition are the Si ingara (erotic), the Ha.sya (ludi­
crous), the Kanina (pathetic) the Vira (heroic), .the
Eudia (vehement) and the Ifliayanaka (terrific). Some
add the Adbhuta (marvellous) and the Vibhatsa
(Batyrio).

(27) The Devi Mahatmya is a portion of the

Markandeya Parana. In it are deseiihed several
incarnations of the Devi, and the battles she fought,
the demons sho destroyed as well as the forms
in which she was worshipped, and the meritm-ious
effects which follow worship. It is ordinarily called
the Chandi. It is recited with certain other mantras
calk'd the argahi, the kilaka, the kavaeha &c.
The Chandipatha or tlie reading of the Davi
Mahatmya from the Markandeya Purana i.s performed
by first reading the Argala (tlie bolt), the Kdaka (the
spine) and the Kavaeha (the armour) of the Devi
 xlU

Mahatmya. Some peculiarities should be observed in

reading blie Chandi. The reading should not be too load
nor so low as not to be audible frorn a hundred yards.
It should not be read fast nor so slow as to impair the
sense of what is read. Tlie book in the pothi form
should be placed upon a raised table and the cloth
round the waist should be slightly loosened.
The rshi of the first part is Brahma, the Goddess,
is Mahakali, the metre is Gayatri, the Sakti is Naracla
the root Raktadantika, and the meaping Agni. Ma­
hakali is described as ten-faced, ten-armed, and
black as the beetle or lamp-black, she is decorated
with thirty large eyes, her teeth protrude beyond her
lips, she is terrific and fierce. She holds a sword, a
dart, a mace, an arrow, an iron crow-bar ; a club, a
javelin, a bow, a skull, and a goad, she was bom in
the war of Madhukaitabha and was turn black.
Vishnus is the rshi of the middle portion, of Devi
Mahatmya, the goddess is Mahalakshmi, the metre is
Anustupa, the Sakti is Sakambhari, the root is Durga,
and the object Surva. Mahalakshmi is described as
white-faced, hlue-arnied, pure white-bosomed, red waist-
ed. red-bodied, thick-thighed, full-breasted, and round-
ebeeked, wonderfully decoratedt and possessed of all
kinds of felicity; eighteen-armed ; she was worshipped
in the battle of the thousand-armed.
Rudra is the rshi of the last portion,, of Devi
Mahatiny'a, Sarasvafi is the goddess, Ushnika the
metre, Bhima the Sakti, Bhramari the root, Vayu
is the object, Sarasvati is described as born of the
body of Gauri, the fountain of all merits, and the
destroyer of Sumbha demon. Eight-armed and hold­
ing an arrow, a club, a dart, a discus, a conolishell,
a bell, a plough, and a bow in each arm respective­
ly. She was worshipped at the time of Sumbha
and Nisumbha’s destruction,
Tlie Sastras enumerate the merits of reciting the Devi
Mahatmya many times over in the following manner ;
 xliii

^ For the overcoming' of hinderances men should

thrice read the Chandi, for propitiating the evil influ­
ences of planets five times, for obtaining safety from
imminent danger seven times, for attoining the merits
of a Vajapeya sacrifice nine times and so on—
(28.)—The Arati, properly Aratrilcam. It means the
lustration of arms or lights presented on occasions
of religious ceremonies as well as of martial rites. It
is performed with lighted lamps, with lighted
camphor, with white clothes, with flowers, with
several sacred leaves, with a mirror, with a chauri,
and with several other things. The great Nii'ajana,
which is celebrated in North Western Province on
the occasion of Dasahara is performed on the 19th
day of Asvina. The Sastras enjoin. Then with the
mulamantra ofifer three handsful of flowers, make the
great nirajana with joyous sound and music, and
’ light ghi or camphor in good Aratrikm (lamps for
lustration) with many tapei’s but uneven in number.
The Aratrika or the Arati lamp as it is called is
ordinarily made of brass, tt con.sists of a brass
figure of an angel bolding on her two hands a series
of live chirags. The body of the angel forms the
handle with which the priest h o ld s the article. In
making the arati the hall in which the idols are
located is perfumed with exquisite aromatic fragrance
of incenses of dhuna (resin of Shorea robusta)
guggul and dhupa. The Dhupa is a composition
incense, it consists of guggul, the resin of Balsamoden*
dron agallocha, of saral, the resin of Finns longifolia,
wormwood, sandal, myrohalans, shell-lac, Nardosta-
chys, jatarnansi, and such other aromatic drugs. These
are pounded together and a paste is made with ghi
and molasses.
The priest having made the aehaman purifies the
lighted Arati lamps and takes the figure up in his
right hand and graoefuliy moves it round before the
idol, while with his left he rings a bell. The Sastras
 xliv

s a y t h a t t h e l u s tr a tio n s h o u ld n o t c o n s i s t o f less th a n
fo u r r e v o lu tio n s b e fo re t h e fe e t, n o t less th a n tw o
b e f o r e t h e fa c e a n d n o t le s s t l i a n s e v e n b e f o re all
p a r t s o f tlie b o d y , a n d w h e n i t is f in is h e d a la m p of
lig h te d c a m p h o r is ta k e n a n d t h e s a m e n u m b e r of
c u rv e s is d e s c rib e d , t h e n th e s a m e w itli a p iece o f w hite
c l o t h , a flo w e r, a m i r r o r , a c h a u r i &c. A l l tliis w h ile th e
p r i e s t r i n g s t h e bell, a n d o th e r p a r t i e s s o u n d tlie g o n g ,
a co n o h sh e ll a n d several o tlier i n s tr u m e n ts .
I n t h e D u j - g o t s a v a t h e A r a t r i k a is g e n e r a l l y a w ell
s h a p e d s m a ll c a n d e la b ra of silv er, b e a r in g several
la m p s :

A n A T RIKA.
 xlv

The arati is celebrated with great eclat, all the

members of the family being assembled stand in
regular lines by the piers leaving the opening be­
tween the arches free to the view of the crowd which
collect in the courtyard, the woi'ship hall where
tl)e Devi is seated, and in the aisles. Several
Drahmans are engaged to swing the chauris be­
fore the goddess, and these generally stand on
both sides of the goddess. The devotees clapped
their hands in musical cadence and recite in devo­
tional tunes prayers in Sanskrit, drums, dhols, and
dhaks beat in the courtyard while the Nahovat and the
Koshana-chaukis play at their respective places.
Three priests performthe Arati with three sets-of Ara-
ti’ikas and three hells. After the arati is over a ciiv
curaambulation is made and the priests then prostrate
themselves before the goddess.
At the time of Arati certain musical instruments
are prohibited to be used in the worship of certain
gods. The. Yogiui Tantra says, that in the house of
Siva cymbals should not be rung, nor should the
conehshell be blown in the hall of Surya, nor the
bamboo flute in that of Durga. The Matsya Purana
adds, avoid the drum in the temple of Brahma, and
the bell in that of Lakshmi. The arati should be
always accompanied with songs and the music
of instruments, but where the poor worshipper can­
not afford for expensive music, he can substitute the
bell which is considered the compendium of all music.
The great arati festival of the Devi is performed on
the morning of the Dasami when the Devi is prayed
to retire. The Pnja Eatnakara says that the goddess
is to be respectfully lustrated with figures made of
pounded rice, with'damps, with the twigs of the religious
fig tree and other trees, with medicinal drugs and
balsams &o., accompanied by the blowing of conch-
shells, the beating of drums, and shouts of victory.
 xlvi

( 2 9 .) A d t i i v a s a literally means the fumigation

of a persi'u or god with incenses. It'is a peculiar
rite observed on tlie evening j/receding certain cere­
monies. Tims the bridegroom is said to have ?liis
adliivasa before his marriage. It is something like
the preparation of tlie person to be worshipped or
blessed. It is a preliminary to the auspicious cere­
monies as Sanjama is to Sraddha. The articles with
which adliivasa of Durgajs performed are enumerated
in Kote (44.)

(30.) SvASTiCA literally means auspicious. Svastiea

is made of dough of rice. It is moulded by Brahman
ladies and painted yellow. It is supposed to repre­
sent the generative principle of tlie deity. It is s h a p e d
like a triangle. It forms a part of the Sri, a figure
of which is subjoined :

SRL
Sri is supposed to represent the mount Meru. It
is an auspicious article. It is painted yellow, red and
purple at parts.
 xlvii

( S i ") T h e < le ta ils g i v e n i n t l i e p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e

p r e l i m i n a r y p u j a s a r e d a ily r e p e a t e d i n p r a c t i c e . E v e r y
d a y t h e u a u a l a c h a m a n a , t h e b h u ta a n d a s a n a s u d d h is ,
t h e n y a s a s , t h e i> ra n a y a m a a n d t h e w o r s h i p o f t h e
s u n a n d fiv e o t h e r god.s a r e o b s e r v e d . O n t h e s a p t a m i
d a y t h e i d o l s a r e v i v i f i e d , t l i e i r lif e is s u p p o s e d t o
c o n t i n u e t i l l t h e g o d s r e p r e s e n t e d h v t h e id o ls a r e
r e q u e s te d to r e tir e . O n e g o a t *lsaorifiee i s g e n e r a l l y
o f fe r e d o n t h e S a p t a m i d a y .

(32).—^The Snana is the solemn, anointing of a

doity with drugs, cosmetics, and waters from various
tirthas or holy i laces. The Snana of the Nava-
patricas (a figure of which is given on the cover) is
observed with some solemnity, for the Sastras say,
he who anoints the Goddess with great eclat
and pomp attains beatitude. The first article used
in the Lathing of the Goddess is- an ointment of
turmorio and oil. The people of tortain parts of Ben­
gal, specially, those of the eastern districts up to this
day anoint their br'dy with turmeric and oil before
tliey go to bathe. The tunneric is considered useful
in many resi'ccts, firstly because it is supposed to be
a preventive of attacks of crocodiles, which abound in
most of the rivers of Bengal; secondly because it is
a voru'.ifnge ; thirdly because it paints the body yellow
and according to taste tickles the fancy.
Tho several attributes named in the text are in'
vokcd to anoint the Goddess. This is done metapoh-
rically. The Goddess as it were is blessed with the
attributes.
Similarly in anointing, her with infusion of
flowers she is said to be anointed with the drugs of the
Asviui Kumaras, tho physicians of the Gods, with the
essential glory of Brahma the Deity, with drugs of
Sarasvati and with the organ of organs (mind).
 xlviii

Sarasvati is here meant for the Goddess of the river ^

of the sadie name. In the Rig Veda however Sarasvati
is described as a groat sea, full of all sacrifices,
beautified with variously forriied fi.shes, and presides
over the seas, she is the repository of all drugs and
jewels, for in the Sastras the sea is said to be jewel-
wonibed.
Cocoanut water is pfifered with the mantra Hrim.
Pliat to the weapons, a veryprop>er mantra for cutting
the fruit with a catan.
The sahasradhara is an earthen bowl used in bath­
ing- gods. It has at its bottom many small holes
thi'ough which water falls in thousand currents like
those from the rose of a shower-bath.
Bathing with eight jars of water. The first filled
with Ganga water is said to be poured by the gods,
as the Ganga is supposed to be a conl^inuation of the
Heavenly stream, the Mandakini. The rain water
is supposed to be poured by the gods of clouds, asthey
raise water to the clouds which pour the same on the
earth by condensing it. Tlie Vidyadharas are supposed
to pour Sarasvati water, as Sarasvati is also the goddess
of the Muses. Indra, the lord of the firmament and r>
the gods presiding over the ten quarters are said to
pour sea water as they are the likely lords of the high
sea.
The five tonics are barks of Mirausops elengi,
Acacia arabica, Syzigiuni Jambolana, Zizyphus jujuba,
and Sida cordifoUa. These are all medicinal plants,
and the decoction of these is used as astringent and
mucilagenous drinks in dysentery and like diseases.
Kakhol commonly called Kaukla or Kankhra in
Bengal is a small roundish aromatic fruit of Hydralea
Zeylanica.

( 3 3 .) M a n a is a n o b l e a r u m m u c h u s e d b y t h e
n a t i v e s i n t h e i r c u r r ie s . I t is w o rs h ip p e d i n c e rta in
 xlix

parts of Bengal under the name of Managiri or

Managosvami, for further particulars connected with
tree-worsliip see J. A. S. B. Vol. XXXIX. part P.
p 2 1 2 et seq.

(34.) The Hindu Sastras enumerate seven great

oceans encircling the seven great continents into
which they divide the earth. The oceans ai'e described
in the Vedas as being raised by the moon, indeed one
of the names of ocean in Sanskrit (Samudra) is derived
from Chandra at whose rise it (ocean) heaves up.
Some however have translated the Sanskrit word
Samudra into sea, perhaps laying a great stress on the
last portion of the word Sa-Mudra, thoroughly encom­
passed by land.
The gods and the demons are said to have churned
nectar out of the ocean. In the great anointing of the
Xavajratrica, sea water is used because the sea is the
receiver of the water of holy rivers and therefore
regarded as a compendium of all tirthas.

(35.) A ccordino to the Sastras the river Ganga

is said to be present in the heavens, in the earth, as
well as in the nether worlds. In the heavens; it is
known by the name of Mandiikini, which is said to
have sprung from the feet of Vislinu and hence calljed
the Vishnu torrent. Its glory is great, because it
is tlie only stream in all India, which supplies a pure
and wholesome beverage from its source to its fall.
This river is said to have been brought down to
the eai’fh hy Bhagiratha a prince of the solar race of
Kshatriyas and the Ganga in the earth therefore is
called t!ie Bhajirathi. The Ganga in the nether
worlds is called Bhogavati from which water was
raised for Bhisna Deva, the Nestor of the Kauiavas,
in his last moments, by Arjuna, who pierced the
lower region with an arrow.
 The milky way in the heavens seemed to have
suggested the idea 6 f the existence of a river in the
•Upper regions, and the inaccessible sources of the
Ganges lost in the higher peaks of the Himavat
favbred this idea. The heavenly torrent is said to
have giished forth from the feet Of the god of dayj
whose one name is Vishnu, because the milky way
follows the track of the sun.
The Pauranic idea of the Ganga is that it is the
iiquification of a mass of matter by the glory of
Visimu (the sun.) Does it refet to the melting of
the ice on the Hemavat by the rays of the sun or
does it mean the Iiquification of that which is absorb­
ed by the Sun, of to express in the language of
Science the liquified sun, for such indeed is the Sans­
krit phrase 1 Possibly our ancestors traced the ubi­
quitous Gaiiga in the nether worlds to the springs,
which came from below.

( 3 6 .) W arm water is considered medicinal inbath-

ing, but for drinking tbe Sastras enjoin water that
is pure, free from bubbles, cold and transparent. Tbe
Water for bathing Durga should not be too hot nor
too Cold. The Sastras say, water should be such as
not to produce the sensation of cold or heat when
touched or in other trords it should be equal to the
temperature of the body. The mantras to be re­
peated in using hot water are ntimerons. The Tait-
tiriya Aranyaka under head of Pravargya mantras
has the following mantra, which is recited when warm
water is poured over the body of tbe yajamana :
Om may the wind residing in space bless us, ntay
the sun bless us with his cheering rays, Om may the
days be pleasant to us. May XTsha Devi bid us a
good morning, may Aditya (the sun) rise for our
prosperity &c. &c. &C.
 li

* (S 7.) I n earlier days there vere two modes of

extracting the perfumes of floweis. The one was
by the infusion of flowers in water, and the other
by boiling the same in water. The former being
the easier and cheaper of tlie two was frequently
resorted to. But in the advanced days of Kalidasa the
extract of flowers was much in vogue. Kalidasa pro­
nounces benediction to his readers at the end of the
first canto of his poem on the seasons saying, may
you pass the evening hours of the hot season sprink­
ling your person with the fragrant infusion of lotuses
and the essence of roses &c. &c.
The Asvina Kumaras are the twin physicians of the
gods, and they are thereforce invoked to anoint the
Devi with drugs and infusions of flowers. Sarasvati
is the goddess of a river of that name as well as of
the ocean, and she is therefore invoked to anoint the
Devi with her marine drugs.

(38.) T h e five Gabyas or bovine articles s o much

prized in Hindu religious ceremonies are the cow dung,
the cow-urine, the milk, the curd, and the clarified
butter from cow-milk. They are used in anoint­
ing a Salagram, in purifying a polluted Vigraha or
idol, and in expiating certain pollutions.
Cow-dung is considered a great purifier, and the
kitchen and the place where the dinner is taken
are daily washed with cow-dung. Bull-dung however'
is quite useless for such pui'po.ses. Cow-urine is also
a purifier but not quite so, tliough it is valued for
its medicinal properties. It contains a good pro­
portion of ammonia and One or two tea spoonsful are
often administered in cases of new fevers.

(39.) T a n k water o f the text is evidently the W ater

of what is called Bandhs in the West Burdwau Dis>
 lii

tricts, Tanks in Lower Bengal are excavated, wHile the

Bandjhs or tanks, of the Sastras, “ in which water from
hills are retained, permanently,” are reservoirs of water
formed on the slopes of hills by the erection of
mouiids or embankments on the sloping sides. The
water during the rains and even afterwards coming
down the hills is retained within the enclosure.

(40.) Thm goddess is anointed with ten kinds of

earth. This is evidently a symbolical anointing of
the goddess with meritorious or virtuous actions which
are said to reside in the earth.
The earth from the banks of a river is shpposed to
contain the meritorious actions of persons who cross
it, similarly the earth from the doors of a prosti­
tute, for in the Sastras it is said that the virtxies ?of
a peltson entering a prostitute’s house are deposited
on the threshold, i
The Taittiriya Aranyaka enjoins the use of earth
dug up by the tusk of a boar and piled by the ants in
the construction of the Mahavira pot for the sacrifice
and the commentator adds that the use of the earth
dug by the tusk of a boar is typical of the sacrifices
bearing away the ill-luck of the Yajamana in the
same manner the Boar incarnation of Vishnu held
the earth on its tusk. The earth from ant hills
similarly typifies the strength of such minute insects.

(41.) Tbte Rgas are the modes of the Hindus for a

complete analysis of the same see Sir W. Jones’
Works Yol. I. p. 428.

(42.) tiAJACA is what we call Khai in^Bengali.

It is snow-white baked paddy. I t is considered as a
light food for the sick, and being very light in weight
 liii

is easily scattered and blown about by the slightest ’

puff of wind. It is scattered on occasions of festivity
and merry making.
It is an ancient preparation of rice and is mentioned
in the Vediis as a necessary article in the Homa for
Asvamedha Sacrifice. The ten articles prescribed
for the Asvamedha are ghi or clarified butter, honey,
rice, flattejied rice (chipitaka, chire), baked rice (khai),
powdered barley mixed with clarified butter, fried
barley-meal, baked barley, masusi and grains of
Panieum italicum.

(43.) Os the fourth (Chaturthi) day the madhu-

parka, the tilaka, and the collyriuih are dedicated to
the goddess. 'I’he madhuparka literally means a con­
fection of honey. It is a food of the gods. It con­
sists of honey, ghi, curd and sugar. No woivship
is complete without it, and all the gods are equally
pleased with it. It is an ancient confection and is
said to have been invented by Brahma. It is pre­
sented to the gods in a cup, and in the Durgotsava
the principal idols viz. Gauesa, K.artikeya, Siva,
Narayana, Ramachandra, the Asura, the lion, the
serpent, the peacock, the mouse, and Sarasvati and
Lakshmi are daily worshipped u'ith this con lection
in new brazen cups, which are appi opriated by the
officiating priests. The Devi however is presented with
this delicious confection in a silver cup and the princi­
pal officiating priest takes it. It is one of the sixteen
articles of offering. Many are of opinion that it is a
Tantric composition, but it can be traced to the age of
the Aranyaka and the Brahmans of the Vedas, for in
Taittiriya Aranyaka of the Black Yajur Veda, the
mantras for preparing the same and offering it to
Agni are given. Sayanacharya says, honey is mixed
with curd in the cup and the following mantra is pro­
nounced ; “ O Dharma, this curd mixed with honey
 . liv

&c. is thy food, this cup also is full "with curd mixed
with honey. Be thou pleased with this and being pleas­
ed bestow on us pros]>erity and ivffluence. 0 Dharma
this full cup is thy food. It has been filled with curd
uiijced with honey. CimJ is the best Of all edibles in
taste and flavour. With this tasteful, the first of
foods, bless us with plenty and success.”

( 4 4 . ) T h e Sa^tras say that to see the idol is meritori^

ous but to bow to it is more meritorious than to see it
and to touch it more than to bow to it, and to
worship it more than to touch it. But to bathe it
is more than to tonch it and to offer oblations to it
more than to bathe it, but the most meritorious of
all hi to offer the meat of buffalo and kid as sacrifice.
The Bliavishya Pm-ana says, the goddess is gratified
for ten years if the blood of a goat is ofice offered,
but that of buffalo pleases her for a hundred years.
The Kalika Parana says, the goddess is propitiated
for twelve years by the blood of an antelope or of a'
boar. But the Devi Turana says, with the blood
of an antelope and of a rhinoceros Chandica is
gratified for 500 years, and with the meat of flohita
fish (CYprinus rohita) she is gratified for 300 years.
The animals fic for sacrifice are the goat, the sheep,
the buffalo, the- rhinoceros, several kinds of deer,
the tiger, and several kinds of fishes as well as
the gourd and the sugar-cane, which are considered
as equivalent to animal sacrifice. The animals
ordinarily sacrificed, however, ai’e the goal, the sheep
and the buffalo. Some however saci-ifire the fishes.
The goat for sacrifice should be well formed anfl
horned and of uniform black color.
On the day of Saptanii one goat is generally sacri­
ficed. .Some do not at all olf r any sacn'fice on the
Ashtami day. Bnt most families sacritioe a goat On
the occasion of the Saudhya Puja. The Navami is
 Iv

the day for abundant saciifices. The Brahma Vaivarta

Parana says, the goddef>s is gratified for twelve
months with the blood of the iguana, she is gratified
for twelve years with the blood of the antelope and
the boar, and for twenty-five years with the blood
of goats but for a century with the blood of buffalo
and rhinoceros and she is gratified for ever with the
blood of a tiger.
The Tantras quoting the Atharva Veda say that
the sacrificial animal should be young, free from
disea.ses, bearing horns, and other auspicious marks
on the body, pure, well-formed and fully deve­
loped. Chaudica destroys the children of those who
offer too young sacrifices, the pati'ons of those who
offer too old sacrifices, the friends of those who offer
' lean saciifices, the relatives of whose who offer
gigantic sacrifices, the tenants Of those who offer
mutilated sacrifices, the wives of those who offer
sacrifices with broken horns, and the brothers of those
who offer blind animals, and the sacrificer himself
if the head of the sacrifice be party-colored, and again
the friends of the sacrificer if the back be copper-
colored and the prosperity of him who offers a tailless
animal.
In the earlier days the sacrificial animals were
selected with much cave. Certain kinds of animals
were considered fit for sacrifice to certain gods Thus
the Taittiriya Hrahmana of the Black Yajur Veda en­
joins the sacrifice of a white goat to Vayu the god of the
winds, a castrated goat to Pi ajapati, a black goat with
a white foot to Varuna, the grease ofa sheep to Aditya,
a black-necked sheep to Agni, a pregnant sbeop to
Indra, a dwarf cow to Vishnu, a drooping horned and
thick-legged cow to India and Mitva.
Both the Puranas and the Tantras proliibit the
sacrifice of female animal.
The animal should be despatched with one blow of
a sharp sword struck on the neck. All sacrifices of
iw't
 Ivi

animals offered by Hindus are made mtli a sword

striking on the back of the neck and severing the head
by one stroke, except those offered to Annapurna,
which are slain with a knife applied to the throat.
If by toy mischance the head of the animal be not
severed from the body by one stroke the sacrifice is
considered impure and rejected. Another aniinkl is
then sacrificed and an expiatoiy homa is made with
the flesh of the first rejected ’animal. Such an acci­
dent however is considered inauspicious, though in the
sacrifice of a buffalo no great cai-e is taken for that
animal may be despatched with more than one
blow. The Sastras permit two kinds of sacrifice, the
one consisting of an animal actually slain and the
other of an animal simply corsecrafced to the god and
then let loose. The animal is slain Only when the
Sastras require that blood and flesh of the animal
should be offered, otherwise the sword is just placed
on the neck of the animal, which is considered
as .slain by the mere touch of it. Thus when an
animal is offered to the river Ganga, it is only thrown
into it. In the North-Western Provinces some cut ofi
a bit of the oartilege of the right ear of the animal and
then set it free. Such an animal is never touched
by a good Hindu. Many animals consecraited to the
gods are let loose without any mutilation, but such
animals are marked by some distinguishing signs such
as a collar &c.
Young calves are branded with the marks of a dis­
cus at the poles of whose rectitndinally intersecting
diameters are attached the trident, such calves are
held saOred and the branding of calves in sacrifices is
considered meritorious. The Vrshotsarga or tiie conse­
cration of a Vrsha or bull is an ancient ceremony, and
it is held to be specially necessary for the salva­
tion of the sOubof the departed. The Sastras say,
many sons are desirable, for one of them may visit
Gaya (to offer the pinda or cake) to the manes of the
 Ivii

departed, or perform the Asvamecllia (the horse ^

sacrifice) or dedicate or consecrate a Nilavrsha a-
blue bull (Nilgao,) (Proc. A. S. B. 1868. p. 235).
In those days when beef was an acceptable food of the
Hindus the branding of bull with four cows
and then letting them loose was evidently done
with a view for the preservation of the species.
In sacrificing an animal before an idol supposed
to be eternal, such as the goddess Kali of Kali-
ghata, no mantras need be repeated, the mere
slaying of the saci’ificial animal before the idol is quite
sufficient. The meat however is afterwards cooked and
then offered to the goddess.
The buffalo sacrifice should nowhere be made
without an archaua. The preliminaries of a buffalo
sacrifice are the same as those of the goat except
the prayer, which differs. The buffalo sacrifice is
offered to the Bhairavi manil'estation of Sakti in
the same way as the Sandhya jiuja is made of Cha-
munda manifestation. The lord of buffalo is Yama,
and it is consecrated with the mantia, Om as' you
bear*! Devi Chandica and also contest with her, so
Subdue my enemies and bear me happily. You are
bearer of Yama, you are most noble and imperishable.
Grant me life, wealth and renown, oh Kasara I bow
to you.
The subjoined is a figure of the sacrificial pillar.

SACRIFICIAL PILLAR.

'S'
 Iviii

‘ It is fixed on tlie ground and tlie neck of the animal

is yoked on it. The Y-shaped post is generally made
of red sandal wood, and it is securely fixed in the
courtyard facing the pratima. The sword with which
the sacrificial animal is despatched is a peculiarly
formed instrument. The subjoined is a rough sketch
of a sacrificial sword :

JSaerificldl

In the archana of the sacrificial animal a hymn

from the Vedas is recited in which it is stated that
the gods were animals. In the Chaturhotra Chiti
the several limbs of the sacrificial animals are identi­
fied with several gods. Om the sun is thine eye, Vayu
thy life, the sky thy back.
The Khadga or the sacrificial sword is said to have
been begotten by Brahma from his sacrificial fire.
Though iron repeatedly occurs in the Vedas, it
is interesting to note that no iron-sword was used
in ancient days for making sacrifices. A wooden
sword-lilce instrument called Sphya is stated to
have been used for the several Vaidic sacrifices.
The sastras say,
“ Then from the scattered fire, it is said, arose the
sword, azure like the blue lotus, sharp-teethed, thin-
waisted, long, not easy of conquest, endlessly bright,
rustless, sharp, terrible like the destroyer of the
world. This sword Brahma gave to Budra to des­
troy the Baityas and the Danavas, Eudra again gave
it to Vishnu to defend religion, Vishnu gave it to
Marichi, he to .the great Rshis, they to Indra, he to
the Lokaj)alas, they to Manu the son of the sun.
 lix

lie to Ikshaku, lie to Pm*oravas, lie to Bhuisiisara,

he to Bharat, he to Idavida, he to DhundhuHiai a, he
to Kamboja, he to Muchakuuda, he to Marut, he to
TJshinara, he to Bhoja, he to Siva, be to Pratardana,
he to Ashtakar, he to Rshadasva, he to Bharadvaja,^he
to Drona, he to Krpa, and he to the Pandus.”

(45.) The Toginis are the associate goddesses of

Bhagavati, they are ten millions in number, but the
following are the principal sixty-live mentioned in the
Vrhannandikesvara Parana :
Narayaui, Gauri, Sakambhari, Bbima, Baktadan-
tica, Bliramari, Parvati, Burga, Katyayani, Mahadevi,
Chandrtghanta, Mahavidya, ^lahatapa, SaVitri, Brah-
mavadini, Bhadrakali, Visalakshi, liudrani, Krahna,
Piiigala, Agnijvala,Raudraniiikhi,Kalaiatri. Tapasvini,
Megiiasvana, Sahasrakshi, Vishnumaya, Jalodari, Ma-
hodari,Muktakesi,Ghorarupa.Mahavayu, Sruti, Smrti,
Bhiti, Tushti, Pushti, Medha, Vidya Lakshmi,
Sarasvati, Aparna, Amvica^ Yogini, Bakini,
Sakini, Hakiiii, Nakini, Lakini, Tridasesvari, Ma-
hashashthi, Sarv'amaiigala, Lajja, Kavisiki, Brah-
mani, Mahesvari, Kanniari, Vaishnavi, A'ndri, Naya-
sinhi, Yarahi, Chamunda, Sivadnti, VishnUtnaya,
and Matrica. The first 30 are the attributes and
different names of the goddess Sakti, the next eleven
are the manifestations of force in the mental world,
the next seven are the spirits which abide in
the region of the dead and now and then visit the
world of the living on special errands and the re­
maining, the female manifestations of the several
gods Indra &c.

(46) A virgin Brahmani as well as a Brahmani wife

are held in great esteem, by the Hindus, and they ate
 lx

‘both worshipped as Prakrti, the female producing agen­

cy. The Brabmani wife or the Sadhava is worship­
ped by a Bvahmana as well as the Virgin Brahmani
and the wroyship is held important in the Durga puja
as Durga herself is considered a Virgin (Virgo 1).
Thdl Kumari puja is performed after the arati, ’in
the forenoon which follows animal sacrifice, and it
is completed by offering betel-leaves to the brahmani
girl. The articles ordinarily ofiered to her are the
arghya, the padya (water for washing the feet), oil
and turmeric,j the dhupainoense, the lamp, water
for bathing, cosmetics, virmilion, alaktaka, a mir­
ror, and a toilet basket containing pomade, rib­
bons, a comb, pins, a necklace, a virmilion paste potj
also eatables, vestments, flowers and a garlapd.

C^7.) The Matris are Brahmani, Mahesvari Kau-

mari, Vishnavi, Varahj, Indrani, Jogisvari, Kapala-
malini, Chamunda, Sri, and Yakshini.
Brahmani is like Brahma fouv-ficed, four-armed
seated on a goose and holding in two hands the
beads »nd in the other two the Kamaadula or
sacrificial x*ase. Mahesvari is like Mahesvava, adoim-
ed with braided locks and a helmet, seated on a bull
and bearing a crescent moon on the forehead and hold­
ing in three hands a human skull, a spear, and a club,
and blessing with the fourth. Kaumari is like Kumara
seated on a beautiful peacock, dressed in red clothes
and like him holding in two hands a lance and a spear.
Vaishnavi is like Vishnu seatetl on Garnda (the bird
god), four-armed, and holding in tliree hands a discus,
a conchshell, and a club and blessing with the fourth.
Varahi is seated on a buffalo, she too is like Varaha
holding a bell, a chauri, a mace and a discus, she is
the destroyer of the prince of the Danavas. Indrani is
like India holding the thunderbolt, a spear, and a
club. The goddess is seated On an elephant and
 Ixi

covered Avith many eyes. Her complexion is that of

molten gold and. she is .adorned with ornaments of all
de.scriptions. Yogisvari holds a sharp sword, she is long-
tongued and her locks are erect : she bears a bone
in her hand and' has a fiei'ce look from a terrible set
of teeth, she is lean-stomached. Hapalamalini is
adorned with a wreath of human skulls, she holds in
her left hand a skull filled with flesh and blood
and in her right her own looks With a weapon.
She is seated on a vulture or a raven, she is
stomachless, and fierce-faced and three-eyed. Cha,-
muuda holds a bell and elephant skin, the four
quarters 'of the globe are her clothes, she is seated
on an ass, and she is skull-wreathed, her ornaments
consist of deep red flowers and she is decorated with
a flag. Sri is young ; her checks are round and
full, her lips are tinged with red, and her eye­
brows curved, her breast high and compact, her ear
Ornamented witli jewelled rings, her face is rounded,
and her head is Covered with beautiful looks of hair,
her hands holding lotus flower and the Svastica,
and her body protected by a waistcoat, her bosom
adorned with necklaces, her arms are like the round
and tapering body of the snake, she is dressed in
beautiful clothes and surrounded by lovely looking
girls, busily ensaged in fanning her with chauris, she
is seated on a lotus, she is bathed by elephants with
many kinds of vessels. Yakshini is surrounded by
Siddhas and Asuras, in the praying mood, with ghatas
filled with water on her sides and seated on a chair on
the step of which rest gods, Danavas and Nagas, «fcc.
r iie Matris otherwise denominated Dhatris or nurses
of the human frame, agents by means of which food is
converted into force, are personified Karanas dr organs
of the body, represented by the letters of the alphabet,
which on account of their symbolical character are
sometimes regarded as Matris, prototypes being taken
for their archetype. Ideas being expressed by words,
M
 Ixii

kand -orords being indicated by sounds, the sound is ve *

gai'ded to be the essence of thought. As the letters of
the alphabet represent the sounds, they are regarded by
a set of philosophers as the Mafzds or universal gene-
_trices.
The Matris according to the Maz’kander'a Parana are
female personifications of the energies of the gods
Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesa, Indra, Kiimara &c., and
ai-6 consequently denominated Brahmani, Vaishnavi
&c., who joined with the increate energy of the Devi
in her War with the Daityas, who durst invade the
dominion of heaven and defy Brahma the first-born
progeny of Narayana. The Varaha Purana gives
an intei'esting account of the genesis of the Matris
from Divine energies for the purpose of vanquishing
the numerous hosts of Dragons, which -incessantly
sprang from every drop of blood spilt from the body
of the demon Andbaka (Pavkness) whom Siva killed
witli bis trident. The Kaktavijas or blood-springing
demons of the Hindus have their equivalents in teeth-
springing demons of Cadmus on the shores of
Greece. The philosophy of this worship seems
to be the adoration of the Energy, which redvrced
the bnite sounds of primitive man to the speak­
ing language of man aS a thinking animal- Phe
Matiis are divided into three classes of Antar,
Vahya and Sanhara Matris' i. e, internal, external
and destructive or contracting. The Antarmatris
are represented, in a metaphysical narrative of the
above-named Parana as allegorical prosopopcea of the
' eight principal passions or secondary powers or princi­
ples or motives of action of ethical writers, originating
from the energies e x e rg a sia ) of superior powei's and
faculties and giving a continuous impetus to liuinane
activity. They are eight in number, and are reckoned
in the following order ;—
1st.—^Yogesvari the goddess of concupiscence, eohabi-
tiveness, formed of a flame issuing from the breast of
Siva (Jove). 2nd Eudrani, Pury springing from Iludra i
 I x i ii

‘ (rage) or Maliesvara the great Osiris. 3rd Vaishnavt ‘

the goddess of vassalage, cupidity and covetousness,
arising from Vishnu. 4th Bralimani representative of
m a d a (madness) another name for pride.prooeeding from
Brahman, the god of greatness. 5th Kaumari, Virgi-
nity, ignorance and nudity, primitiveness and the sus-
tainer of the Rig Veda, female form of combativeness
otherwise called ignorance, derived from Kumara the
god of youth and valour. 6 th Indrani, representation
of envy springing from Indra th^ god of ambition.
7tb Yarai, female form of malice, sprung yama the re­
gent of death. 8 th Varahi the goddess of calumny,
proceeding from VaraVia incarnation of the gory boar.
The Matrieas reside in conjunction with their male
agents in the system of the sis spheres and the two
higher regions of the human body enumerated in
Shat-chakra, V id e Bhutasuddhi.
The fifty letters of the Hindu alphabet represent as
many deities residing in various interior parts of the
body. Their local relation.^ and particular functions
are summed up in the eight spheres mentioned in Note
20. For further particulars see the Ekakshari Kesha
and the Tantras.
According to another authority there are sixteen
Matris, which are different attributes, corporeal and in­
tellectual,deemed necessary for the integrity of the body
and soul. These are Gauri (Brigetta), Sachi (Katha-
rina), Padma (Nymphoea), Medha (Memoria), Savitri
(Eleanora), Vijaya (Nicoloea), Jaya (Victoria), Deva-
sena (Bellona), Svaha, Svadha, Santi (Rosamunda),
Pushti (Rebecca), Dhrti (Patientia), Tushti (Beatrix),
Atmadevata and Kuladevata.
(48.) T h e Nayikas are attendant energies o f Durga
Sakti. They are eight in number and appear to ha
verbal modifications of the manifestation of Chanda.
They are thus worshipped on the Ashtami and Navami
days in the mystic circular lotus-formed yantra (see
, Note 56) : “ Om you are most respected and you defeat
 Ix iv

every body, you reside like a bird, in the forelock, in ^

space, and in the world, do you descent on this circle”
Then follows the worship, of each of the Nayikas.
I. Urgrachanda (Violent Chanda) is invoked and wor­
shipped on the eastern petal of the lotus ; Hrim Srim
to Urgrachanda. She is described as red coloured,
sixteen armed, decorated with many ornaments, bearing
Wonderful garlands and dressed in variegated clothes
and holding manv weapons in her hands. Om obei­
sance to Ugrachimda, the destroyer of the demon
Chanda. Do you bless us in the form of Chanda O Devi.
IL Prachanda is invoked on the south-eastern petal
of the lotus. She is saffron coloured and fourteen­
armed variously ornamented and armed with several
weapons. Om Prachanda ! Do you always bless us with
children atid preside over the Prachandaganas &o.
III. ChandOgra (Chanda the Violent) is said to be
black coloured and twelve armed residing in the
southern petal of the lotus. Om you are the sustainer
of all existences and the defender of all beings &c.,
Chandogra has the particle Ugra (violent) placed
after the name. IV. Chandanayika (emphatically th e
Nayika or Sakti of Chanda) is invoked on the south­
western petal of the lotus. Slie is described as blue
coloured, sixteen-armed and bolding a skull, a shield,
a bell, a mirror, a bow, a flag, a noose, a spear, a club,
a lance, a thunderbolt, a sword, a goad, an arrow, a
discus and a javelin. Y. Chanda is invoked on the
western petal of the lotus. She is said to be white
coloured and eight armed. VI. Chandavati pertaining
to Chanda is invoked on the north-western petal of
the lotus. She is brown coloured and six-armed.
VII. Chandarupa (Chanda-formed) is invoked on
the northern petal of the lotus. She is red coloured
and four-armed. VIII. Atiohandika (great Chandi) is
invoked on the north-eastern petal of the lotus. She
is black coloured and four armed, bearing a eonchshell,
a discus, a mace and a lotus flower. Eudrachanda is
, invoked in the pericarp.
 Ixv

The above are the Nayikas of Sakti but there are

according to the Sastras Nayikas or female attributes
of nine other gods.

(49.) The Yatukas are infantine ni.anifestations o^

Siva and as sueli are not quite so ferocious as the
Kudras and the Bhairavas. Vatuka literally means a
boy. The Vatukas are therefore young manifestations
of the several gods, thus we have' Brahmaniputra the
sou of Brahmani, Mahesvariputra the son of Mahesvari
&c. Besides these there are Vatukas who are sons of
Dakinis, Bakinis, Lakinis, Kakinis, Sakinis, Hakinis,
and Malinis. Their form is said to be three-fold ac­
cording to the class of worshippers. They are mild-
fonned for the sattika (sincere, spontaneous or secular)
worshippers, less mild-formed, the Eajasa (showy
ostentatiou.s, pure, civil or political) for the Eajasa wor­
shipper and awfully terrific for the Tamasa (perverted
ignorant, demoniac or diabolical) worshippers.

(50.) Pitha literally means a seat, a carpet, and

as the Sastras enumerate seats of certain metals, wood
and crystals a&auspicious for certain ceremonies we
have silver seats, gold seats, crystal seats, jewelled seats
&c. The seat of Durga being the back of the lion stand­
ing on a jewelled platform,in the Pitiia Nyasa therefore
the jewelled seat is said to have claw or teeth as hard as
the thunderbolt. But according to theSastra.s, Pithas
are holy places where the several parts of the corpse
of Sati, the daughter of Daksha and wife of Siva, se­
vered by Vishnu with his discus, had fallen. They are
fifty-one in number. The Kaligliata and the Kamakhya
Pithas are much respected by the Hindus of Bengal.

(51.) The titular deities are numerous. Annapurna

aird Visalakshi are in Benares, Lingadharini in Nai-,
 Ix v i

misha, Lalita in Prayaga (Allaliabad), Gandhesvavi

in Gandbamadana hill, Rukslimini in Dvaraka, Ra-
dliica in VThdatana, Kshemankari in the Madhya-
desa (central provinces), Duiga in Jambu D v ip a , &o,
I'he}’- are naaoifestations of Sakti and some of them
are also Pitlia deities.

(52.) The Saktis alluded to here are different from

the other manifestations of force or energy. They
are three in number, Victoria, Berenice, and Omnia.
These are the Saktis or attributes of Durga who is
represented as destroying the demon. J. A. S B. Vol.
XXXIX. part I. p. 201.

( 5 S .) T h e w e a p o n s o f D u r g a a r e e a c h s e p a r a te ly
i n v o k e d a n d w o r s h ip p e d . T h e w e a p o n s h a v e b e e n d e i­
f ie d a n d a d o r a t i o n is p a i d t o t h e m i n t h e f o llo w in g
m an n er.
1. Khadga, the sword. (Gladius,) Om to Isa!
thou art chastiser sharp-edged, invincible, producer
of fortune, victorious, and the defender of the faith,
I bow to thee.
The text has Srigarbha for the ‘ producer of for­
tune.’ Srigarblia is a compound word, Sri means
prosperity and garbha womb, i. e., one whose womb
contains Sri or prosperity. Is it because the sword is
the genetrix of fortune or wealth as steel is said to
be the “ acquirer of gold,”or because the curve of the
sacrificial sword is like the vowel sign of ^ in ^ ?
2. —Om Trident tri-regionis-benefactor ! thou art the
destroyer oi all our foes, give us thy blessing.
8 .—O.m Discus, thou art a form of Vishnu ever re­
siding in Vishnu’s palm as well as in that of Devi,
obeisance to thee oh good-looking ciicus!
4.—Om Arrow, thou art tiie best of all missiles
and the subduer of the demoniac forces, defend us
from all quarters, obeisance to thee.
 Ixvii

5.—Oin Sakti(j avelin) the weapon of the gods and

specially of Kai’tikeya protect us everywhere in thy
niisalle form.
G.—Ora Khetaka in thy club-like form destroy the
enemy ; located in Devi’s palms always protect us.
7. —Om Bow propeller of great weapons, and des­
troyer of the enemies of gods, defend us everywhere
and continue to be a bestower of bless'ing'on us.
8. —Om Serpeutine-noose, venomous and full of
poison, ever unbearable to thine enemy, obeisance to
thee.
9. —Om Goad, governor of elephants,for the defence
of the -worlds thou art placed in Parvati’s palm.
Om Shield oppose the glory of ^he enemy in
battle and defend me, for I am thy protege, obeisance
to the hide-bodied.
10.—Om the Bell, thou depressest the valour of
the enemy by the world-wide ring, purify us for ever
from our iniquities.
Om Axe victorious over the enemy of the gods, I bow
to thee the aunihilator of our adversaries.

(51) The Kshetrapalas are as the name implies

loi'ds of the field. 'Phey are said to preside over the
different parts of a cultivated field, and as"such they
are worshipped with Indra and otiier gods. In the
Panchataiitra the serpent is described to be one of the
lords of the field as are the rats and other animals
"which obstruct the growth of paddy. In the Tantras
however the Kshetrapalas are the masculine attendants
of the Matrikas, and they are therefore as many in
number as there are letters of the alphabet, Vide Note
47. The latter; Kshetrapalas (Lares?) appear to have
been derived from kslietra the womb, and hence their
relation with the Matrikas with whom they are wor­
shipped in the aocouohment room. Petronius saj's
“ the youth having entered into Trimaleion’s Ban-
queting-Hall, clad in white Tunicks, placed the
 Ixviii

Igods Lares upon the table adorned with B u llc s.” ^

The Matrikas are fifty in number, but as the last
letter ’fg; of the alphabet stands for the collective
Icshetrapalas, there are left only forty-nine letters to
be presided over by them. The initials of the names
of the kshetrapalas are formed by each letter of the
alphabet, thus we have Ajara, Apakumbha, Indra-
stuti, Idachara, Uktasanjna, XJnmada, Rshisudana,
Ilmukta, Lptakesa, Lpaka, Ekadanshtraira, Airavata,
Oghavandlio, Aushadhisa, Anana, Astravara, Kavala,
Kharukhanala, Gamukhya, Ghantada &o. &e.
Ill the Durgotsava eight Kshetrapalas are invoked,
they are evidently of the Tantrio group i . e. titular
deities of the field.

(55.) T h e Dikpalas are lords of the eight points of

the’cOmpass and of the upper and lower regions. They
are the well known gods Siva, Surya, Indra, Agni &c.,
but they are worshipped as Dikpalas inasmuch as they
are located in the points above mentioned. Indra, the
Sun, tlie Phases of the Moon, the Asterism, the Con­
junctions, and the Karanas preside over the east;
Agni, Hari, Sukra (Venus), Ganesa over the south
east; Raliu and Ketu (the nodes) o v e r th e south ;
the cruel Kshetrapala over the south-\ve.st; Varuna,
Garuda and the Ushis over the west; the Vasus, Cupid,
the Seasons. Vayu and the Moon over the north-west:
Kuvera, the Hills, the Earth and the Learned over the
north; and Isana and the Gurus over the north-east. •

(56.) S a r t a t o b h a d b a is a symmetrical figure.

Ajt is described with coloured powders. It consists
of a square in the geometrical centre of which is
drawn eight-petalled white lotus, the interstices be­
tween the petals being painted black. The peri­
carp is marked 3'ellow, and the anthers are distin-
^guished by alternate streaks of red, black and yellow.
 Ixix

This lotus is enclosed in a black circle interrupted by

a band of red which fofins the opening of the circle.
The circle is encompassed by a yellow square, which
is again enclosed in a larger red square. In the
same line of the opening of the circle is formed a
white band friezed yellow, connecting the small with
the large square. Tliis last square again is enclosed
in three square zones of whi^te, red and black color
from within outwards. The opening of the second
square from the centre is continued by a white band
to the extremity.
The second square is variegated by red and white
bands and the outer square by red, yellow and black,
the last being placed in the corners and one white
band in the middle of each side.

(57). Os' the day of Navami after the sacrifice

and Homa the priests are presented with their Dak-
shina or honourariura and the festival is considered at
an end, and the gods are requested to depart. On the
morning of Dasami, before tlie immersion in water,
takes place the goddess is said to reside in tlie heaps of
flowers which have been offered to the Devi and which
lie near the Gbata. The Goddess who is supposed to
re.side in the Nirmalya or offals is said to be Chan-'
dalini or a low caste Goddess, and therefore the food
offered to her is coarse and rude and consists of
flattened l ice, confection of baked rice, and of the
.stalks of Colocasia antiquorura.

(5 8 ). T h e a u s p ic io u s a rtic le s a re I s t l y a b ro a d
d is h c a l l e d a V a r a n a d a l a i n w h i c h t h e f o llo w in g
t h i n g s a r e d i s p l a y e d , v iz ., c l a y , s a n d a l w o o d , a p e b b le ,
p a d d y , d u r v a g r a s s , f lo w e is , f r u i t s , c u r d , g h i^ v ir m i-
l i o n , a c o n c l i s h e l l, c o l l y r i u m , g o r o c l i a n a , m u s ta r d ,
g o ld , s ilv e r , c o p p e r , a c h a u r i , a m i n o r , a la m p , a n d
f t u r m e r i c , 2 n d l y a w i c k e r h u s k i n g f a n o n w h ic h a r e ^
 Ixx

placed several painted earthen pots with lids and^

rice and cowries colonred yellow with turmeric, the
fan being covered with a red piece of silk, 3rdly the
Sri and Svastlca described above, 4thly a Ghata
filled with water. These are used in performing a
varana or adhivasa of an idol and a bridegroom. 'Pots
filled with water, plantain trees, twigs of mango
and asoka, and wreaths made of mango leaves, asoka
and nuts <fec., are placed at the entrance of the hall of
worship. -

(59.) C_0EACCIA3 Indica and the brahmani kite

are let loose on the oecas'ion of depositing the pra-
tima in water. The observance of such auguries is
not peculiar to Durgotsava. The Sastras say that if
one sees a corpse, a jackal and a ful-pot to the left,
and a cow, a deer and a brahman to the right at his
exit from honie on some business errand his journey
is attended with success. Again, if one sees or re­
collects or repeats the names of the following v i z . a
cow with her calf, a bull, an elephant, a horse, lighted
five on the right side, a handsome woman, a garland
of flowers, a prince, a prostitute, a flag, fresti meat,
ghi, curd, honey, silver, or white paddy he attains
the object of his journey.
00141943

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