Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra
by T. S. Syamkumar | 2017 | 59,416 words
This page relates ‘Concept of Muhurtaprayashcitta’ 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.
9.1. Concept of Muhūrtaprāyaścitta
There were a lot of references seen in early scriptures on the subject of time-related expiatory rituals. In the Vedic period, it seems that the performance of rituals, done in an auspicious time, only can lead to several positive results and an inauspicious time leads to harmful results. The seers of the early period have knowledge of time as well as they developed the year calendar having solar and lunar months. In addition, they also possess awareness of stars and planets, even though it is limited while comparing today’s knowledge. They believed time as a protector and as a destructor.[1] Śatapathabrāhmaṇa states that doing any ritual at night can affect harmfully, because the Rākṣasas are associated with night.[2] Gopathabrāhmaṇa shares the same view saying that the gods associated with day and the Asuras with the night and it says that the Asuras frightens the sacrificers with their negative powers.[3] Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa points out the importance of the proper time to be used for the ritual actions.[4] Moreover, the Brāhmaṇa treatises indicate the way for determining the right or specific time for various rituals. In this manner, many Brāhmaṇa texts bring out the importance of specific time for the various rituals.[5]
If one cannot follow the proper time for ritual actions, expiatory rites (Muhūrttaprāyaścitta) are to be done to avoid the ill-effects. Śatapathabrāhmaṇa indicates that if one commits a mistake in identifying the new full moon day, he has to offer three chief oblations to fire as expiation.[6] If one has performed ritual actions, which do not follow proper time, the Tāṇḍyamahābrāhmaṇa, recommends the Mahāvrata rite as expiation.[7] Thus, various expiatory actions can be seen in Vedic literature. In this manner Gṛhyasūtras also proclaim the importance of auspicious and inauspicious time.[8] The priestly class exactly follows it and they deeply believe in proper time of rituals. As a result, it leads increased expiatory actions for the removal of bad deeds of inauspicious actions. The Vedāṅgajyotiṣa treatise of Lagadha is composed for satisfying the need of the sacrificers.
Most of the early Āgamas and Tantras of Kerala do not discuss the subject matter of Muhūrttaprāyaścitta. They deal only with the right time of installation ceremony; and do not deeply recommend the expiation regarding the inauspicious time. By all means in the commencement of Tantrasamuccaya, Keralite Tantra is attaining new turning point. Tantrasamuccaya recommends the right time for the installation ceremony. In the pre-Tantrasamuccaya period most of the Tantric manuals gives the power to a Tantrin in ascertaining right Muhūrtta and for determining the nature if expiation to be done; later on, Tantrasamuccaya recommended and gives the authority to an astrologer for determining the specific time.[9] Gradually astrologers prescribed remedies for the defects and bad effects of temples related to inauspicious timing. Muhūrttapadavi[10] is an authoritative work in the field of expiatory rites regarding the observance of proper time. It recommends Dāna as a major expiation for removing the bad deeds of performance of Tantric rituals in inauspicious timings.[11]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa, 6.5.4.6.
[3]:
GB, 2.5.1 & 2.5.5. Here M.R. Deshpandey opines: “[……….] the night is considered to be auspicious according to the latter view and inauspicious according to the former,” See The concept of Time in Vedic Rituals, New Bharatiya Book Corporation, Delhi, 2001, p. 258.
[4]:
Taittarīya-brāhmaṇa, 3.3.9.12.
[5]:
Vide Ṣaḍviṃśabrāhmaṇa, 1.6.3; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa, 11.2.1.1; GB, 1.3.12.
[6]:
Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa, 11.1.5.4.
[7]:
Tāṇḍyamahā-brāhmaṇa, 21.15.4.
[8]:
See Bodhāyanagṛhyasūtra, 2.2.2, 2.3.2 and 2.4.2; Satyāṣaḍhagṛhyasūtra, 1.1.5; Mānavagṛhyasūtra, 1.7.5.
[9]:
Tantrasamuccaya, 6.38.
[10]:
Ullūr S. Paramesvara Iyyar considered that the author of Muhūrttapadavi is Māttūr Nampūtirippadu. According to him, four other Muhūrttapadavi are also available in Kerala. As well Ullūr thinks that the two Muhūrttapadvis were originated before the period of Maḻamaṅgalam Śaṅkaran Nampūtiri and the other two are composed after his period. Keralasahityacaritraṃ, Vol. 2, pp.122-124.
[11]:
tatra dakṣiṇāyane ca kṛṣṇapakṣe ca avihitatārāsu ca niṣiddhāsu tithiṣu ca pratiṣṭhā kṛtā cedāvarttanā kāryā | kṛṣṇapakṣe ṣaṣṭhyaḥ pūrvatithiṣu kṛtam cedāvarttanaṃ na kāryamiti saṅkocādīnāṃ bhedaḥ dakṣiṇāyane'pi kṛṣṇapakṣe'pi …...... doṣeṣu pratiṣṭhādayaḥ kṛtāśced yathāśakti prāyaścittaṃ godānādikaṃ kartavyam | Muhūrttapadavi, Panchangam Book Stall, Kunnamkulam, 1999, pp. 268-277. The Tiruvalla Granthavari Vol. 2 states that this astrological determination was performed in the medieval Kerala temple society: “Muhūrttaṃ vāmanapaṇikkar paṇaṃ onnu” (See Record No. 5) “Muhūrttaṃ pāṭakaśśerikka paṇaṃ onnu” (See Record No. 8). It is a visible impact of astrology on Tantric rituals in Kerala temples.