Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)
by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words
This page relates ‘Similarities (7): Vedic Practices and Sacrifices’ of the English study on the Harshacharita: A Sanskrit (poetical work) which can be studied as a Historical book of Indian society during the 7th century. It was originally written by Banabhatta who based his Harsacarita on the life of the Gupta emperor Harshavardhana. This study researches the religion, philosophy, flora and fauna and society of ancient India as reflected in the Harsha-Charita.
1. Similarities (7): Vedic Practices and Sacrifices
[Full title: Similarities between the Two Societies of the Kādambarī and the Harṣacarita (7): Vedic Practices and Sacrifices]
The writer mentions that the people in both the societies (i.e., in Harṣacarita and in Kādambarī) always performed various Vedic practices and sacrifices such as saṃdhyopāsanā,[1] offering to kuladevatā,[2] and reciting the Vedic mantras.[3] One of the rituals was that the image of the Śiva was washed with milk.[4] It is mentioned in both the kāvyas that the brāhmaṇas offered the vaiśvadeva[5] oblation which was among the five daily sacrifices at that time. Both the societies describe in the two kāvyas believed in the power of aghamarṣaṇamantra.[6] This mantra was used in the Harṣacarita, when the hermit got light hearted, being free from the poisonous disease of sin that was removed by the aghamarṣaṇa hymn.[7] It is found that after bathing, the king Śūdraka[8] in Kādambarī and king Prabhākaravardhana[9] in the Harṣacarita always worshiped the Sun.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Harṣacarita,III.p.41
[2]:
praṇamya kuladevatābhyaḥ, Ibid.,II.p.26
[5]:
[a] Kādambarī,p.70 [b] Harṣacarita,p.21
[6]:
[a] Ibid., I. p.5 [b] Kādambarī,p.68
[7]:
aghamarṣaṇamuṣitakilbiṣaviṣagadollāghalaghuṣu yatiṣu.., Harṣacarita, I. p.5
[8]:
Kādambarī,p.33
[9]:
Harṣacarita,p.58