Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra
by T. S. Syamkumar | 2017 | 59,416 words
This page relates ‘Expiatory Rites in Sheshasamuccaya’ of the study on Expiatory Rites in Sanskrit literature and ancient Indian religion and society, with special reference to Keralite Tantra. Further references to texts include those found in Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism as well as Dharmashastra literature. This study also investigates temple records and inscriptions of Kerala in order to demonstrate the connection between social life and expiatory rites and its evolution.
3.1. Expiatory Rites in Śeṣasamuccaya
In the post-Tantrasamuccaya period, the number of expiatory rites and related Tantric rituals also increased. Tantraprāyaścitta is an important work in that field dedicated only for the subject of expiatory rites. Śeṣasamuccaya, Kalaśacandrikā, Kuḻikkāṭṭupacca and Kainikkarapacca are the commendable Tantric treatises of Kerala composed in the post-Tantrasamuccaya period. The post-Tantrasamuccaya Tantric scriptures of Kerala mostly concentrate on temple centered rituals. Moreover, the Tantric expiations are enlarged with due emphasis on caste based impurity. The post scriptural writings suggest expiations for the impurities, mistakes and omissions that affect in every temple rituals. Furthermore the expiatory rites became more time consuming and complicated nature.
Śeṣasamuccaya is a prominent ritual manual of Kerala, authored by Kṛṣṇa Śarman. It is regarded as a supplementary work to Tantrasamuccaya.[1] The sixth Paṭala of Śeṣa-samuccaya describes various expiations and renovation rituals.[2] Śeṣasamuccaya elucidates causes leading to expiations in the introductory verse of sixth chapter. It is almost similar to that of Tantrasamuccaya and other pre-Tantrasamuccaya ritual manuals of Kerala.[3] The expiatory rituals prescribed in Śeṣasamuccaya are: Sthānaśuddhi, Prāsādaśuddhi, Biṃbaśuddhi, Saptaśuddhi, Puṇyāha, recitation of Vedic Mantras (Vedapārāyaṇa), Prāyaścittahoma, Kalaśa, Śāntihoma, Tattvahoma, Adhivāsa and Bhūtabali. Here the noticeable fact is that the commentator of Śeṣasamuccaya recommends the Śāntihoma performed in Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava modes during the case of Kṛṣṇa and Mātṛs.[4] A comparative study of expiatory rites with Tantrasamuccaya brings out that almost all expiatory rituals recommended in Śeṣasamuccaya are very similar. But compared to Tantrasamuccaya, it talks about expiatory rituals related to the deities like Bhadrakālī, Jyeṣṭhā, Sarasvatī and Mātṛs.[5] It also recommends Proktahoma of Āditya, Vaiśravaṇa, Sarasvatī, Pāravatī, Jyeṣṭhā, Bhadrakālī, Kṣetrapāla and Mātṛs in the south side of sanctum sanctorum and it is to be done before the Prāyaścittahoma.[6]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
Śeṣasamuccaya, 6.1-6 and 6.35-36. The Prāyaścittapaṭala of Śeṣasamuccaya is given in the appendix I(C) of this thesis. Śeṣasamuccaya also recommends some minor expiation in its 9th Paṭala, but the details of expiations are not been indicated. See Śeṣasamuccaya 9.115, 124 & 125-135. It is to be noted that the Śeṣasamuccaya published by Aluva Tantravidyapeetham (ND) includes a Bali-Prāyaścitta in the appendix of the text.
[3]:
Śeṣasamuccaya, 6.1.
[4]:
tatra kṛṣṇe vaiṣṇavoktaprakāreṇa homaṃ kuryāditi | See the commentary of Śeṣasamuccaya, 6.21
mātṛṣu śaivokta eva śāntihoma | See the commentary of Śeṣasamuccaya, 6.27.
[5]:
Śeṣasamuccaya, 6.15-17 & 6.27,
[6]:
Śeṣasamuccaya, 6.18.