Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study)
by Maitreyee Goswami | 2018 | 55,000 words
This page relates ‘Discussion on Ashokashtami-vrata’ of the study dealing with the Vratas (vows) depicted in the Gangajala—a Smriti-Nibandha, i.e., a text belonging to the Kamarupa School of Dharma-shastra literature which deals with social topics, religious rites and local traditions. The term Vrata refers to ritual vows aimed at spiritual and moral purification. This essay explores its socio-religious implications reflecting medieval Assam.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 3.1 - Discussion on Aśokāṣṭamī-vrata
[Full title: Discussion on certain important Vratas dealt with in the vrataviveka-pariccheda of the Gaṅgājala II (A): The Aśokāṣṭamī-vrata]
Time of the festivity: 8th tithi of caitra month in bright fortnight.
Celebrated in the places: Guwahati, Sualkuchi, Nagaon, Gauripur, Bongaigaon and many places situated on the Bank of the river Brahmaputra.
Worship and Offerings: Devotees pay tribute to the mighty river Brahmaputra and worship in its holy water and offer dūrva, flowers, fruits etc. for purification of sins and offer piṇḍas to their deceased persons for attainment of salvation.
| Tithi | Nakṣatra | Pakṣa | Day | Month | Result |
| 8th | Punarvasu | Śukla | Wednesday | Caitra | Wealth, good health, prosperity, purification etc. |
The great diversity of Indian people and their religious believes are projected through the various festivals that are being celebrated in different parts of the country.
Aśokāṣṭamīvrata, one of the popular festivals is being observed in Kāmarūpa and its neighbouring states with its special features. It falls on the eighth tithi of white fortnight in the month of Caitra in presence of Punarvasu asterism, which Dāmodara Miśra has quoted from the Garuḍapurāṇa[1] P.V. Kane, in his History of Dharmaśāstra , included a list of vratas where he mentioned about this vrata twice.[2]
Aśokāṣṭamī is celebrated as a festival right from the days of Purāṇas. The Kālikāpurāṇa deals with the birth of the river Brahmaputra which wear a mythological garment. According to the Hindu tradition both Brahmaputra and aṣṭamītithi are auspicious. Aśokāṣṭamīvrata which occupies a prominent place in the socio-religious and cultural history of Assam, influenced Dāmodara Miśra to include it in his work. Accordingly, he stated about the proper timing of the observance of this vrata along with the results.[3]
Aśokāṣṭamīvrata is a bit different from other Hindu rituals in respect of the fact that herein the importance of the river Brahmaputra is focused. On that day the devotees assembled on the Bank of the river Brahmaputra. As a part of the festival Aśokāṣṭamī, the devotees take a dip in the water of the Brahmaputra following the traditional injunctions which yields equal results with that of Aśvamedha, Vājapeya sacrifice etc.[4] Brahmaputra, son of Amoghā, looks as vast as an ocean near the Yonītirtha i.e., Kāmākhyā. On the day of Aśokāṣṭamī, it is believed that the waters from all the holy places of India get spiritually mixed with the water of the Brahmaputra thereby it becomes more sacred.[5] It implies that, the Brahmaputra contains water of other rivers within it on that day. So, on the day i.e., Aśokāṣṭamī, the water of Brahmaputra is considered as holy and sacred as that of the other holy rivers of India.
Belief goes that, bathing in the river Brahmaputra on that specific day leads one to the cessation of sins, which one is supposed to commit. Here, initially the performer of Aśokāṣṭamīvrata as per injunction laid down in the śāstras has to pronounce the specific nimajjanamantra for the eradication of sin[6] and for offering arghya.[7]
The worshipper offers oblation with milk, water, darbha (a kind of sacred grass), akṣata (pounded rice), flowers and fruits to Lauhitya. This ritualistic performance of the performer signifies the desire for the attainment of liberation from earthly sufferings. Completion of ritualistic bath is immediately followed by drinking of water with eight Aśoka flower buds. Referring to Liṅgapurāṇa, KāmākhyāMāhātmyam discusses the names of eight Aśoka flower buds.[8] Though the name Aśoka is high-lighted here yet it includes altogether eight flower buds namely-Aśoka, viśoka, Nandaka, Puṣṭivardhaka, Śaṃkasura, Maṇigriba, Svastika and Aparājitā. Dāmodara Miśra although explained the Aśokāṣṭamīvrata very briefly, it bears high philosophical significance. The devotee will be free from the sufferings of seven births by worshipping Durgā with Aśoka buds as stated in the Garuḍapurāṇa (Garuḍapurāṇa), which is endorsed by Dāmodara Miśra also.[9] Just as marriage remains incomplete so long Madhuparka (a mixture of honey, ghee, milk, sugar, butter) is not accepted and regular Vedic rituals become futile without partaking of soma juice, similarly in Aśokāṣṭamī, a devotee without taking eight buds of aśoka cannot achieve well-beings, good health, beauty and long life etc.[10] Aśokāṣṭamīvrata is performed by one with a definite motive. Dāmodara Miśra, later on adds some details to it. According to him, even in the absence of Punarvasu asterism, one can perform this vrata by observing scriptural rites. The concept of immortality of the soul, virtue and vice takes an important place in Indian philosophy. The sacred meaning of Aśokāṣṭamīvrata lies in the attainment of salvation, which attracts one to take a dip in the river Brahmaputra. Normally in that tithi, one can take an opportunity to offer water to their dead ones and also to deposit the ashes of the deceased persons in the holy water of Brahamaputra, similitude to that of Gaṅgā and other holy rivers. That is why
Aśokāṣṭamī is locally known as Gaṅgāpūjā.[11] Gaṅgāpūjā is mostly arranged by the Bengali community on the bank of river in their respective places. Even some devotees worship Gaṅgā by establishing an earthen image with the help of brāhmaṇa priest.[12] People who are unable to move outside Assam due to different reasons prefer deposit the ashes of their deceased ones in the mighty river Lauhitya i.e., Brahamaputra.
A religious faith goes on from an early period in Assam that, soul attains Vaikuṇṭha if his ashes of bones are deposited in the river Brahmaputra on the day of Aśokāṣṭamī. Padagayā, also known as Gayātīrtha, a particular place near aśvaklāntadevālaya is famous for the purpose of depositing bones.[13]
A story related to Paraśurāma, is referred to in the Kālikāpurāṇa, in its 83rd chapter.[14] Paraśurāma went to Brahmakuṇḍa, the fountain head of Brahmaputra for washing of his sins committed by killing of his mother Renukā. Following the advice from Jamadagni, his father for the remission of sins, Paraśurāma jumped into the river Lauhitya on the day of Aśokāṣṭamī and made himself free from sins of his mother’s beheading.[15] This faith of absolving from the sins is still prevalent in the minds of the people of Kāmarūpa and its neighboring states throughout centuries. Haridāsa Sarma, a digest writer of Bengal School of Dharmaśāstra in his Smṛticintāmaṇi, narrated Aśokāṣṭamī by quoting different verses from purāṇas like Brahmapurāṇa, LP, Garuḍapurāṇa etc. and Smṛtis (Manu,Viṣṇu).[16] He moves one step further and raised problems regarding the disparity of the performance of the festival and at the same time offer suggestions in his treatise. Smṛticintāmaṇi expressly mentions some conditions following which desired results can be attained, which is not even mentioned by Dāmodara Miśra. According to Haridāsa Śarma, if the asterism Punarvasu continues for two days covering the eighth tithi and pervades up to the 5th yamārdha then, the devotee can take the buds of eight Aśoka flowers along with water on the next day.[17] Later on, he confirmed that, there is no hard and fast rule, that Punarvasu should be conjoint with the eighth tithi on the day of Aśokāṣṭamī. No doubt, the presence of punarvasu will certainly yield special fruits, which is also agreed by Dāmodara Miśra as stated in his Gaṅgājala II All rituals associated with this festival bring happiness and peace to the minds of the devotees. It is believed that, taking the holy bath in the mighty river Brahmaputra, a sinner can get rid of his sin he has committed besides acquiring blessing from Brahmā, the first of the Hindu trinity and the creator of the universe.
In places like Barkurihā at Nalbari district, Rāmdiā at Hājo and Śualkuchi both at Kāmarūpa district, Śilghāt at Nagāon district, this vrata is celebrated as a day-long festival. At Śualkuchi, the image of Mādhava from Hājo, Bhṛngeśvar from Vaṃśar, Siddheśvar from Śualkuchi and images of Viṣṇu from neighboring places brought together by biting drums, conch, cymbals etc., on that tithi. As stated, these images (idols) are placed on the Bank of the river Brahmaputra under one pavilion so that, the devotees can have a glance at these images and pray for their welfare.[18] Celebration of this festival with pomp and glory is also found prevalent in Kochbihar, Gaurīpur, Bongāigaon etc., for two to three days from a remote past.[19] This festival is found observed in the month of Caitra because during this month the water level of Brahmaputra got diminished and the strong current of Brahmaputra becomes slower than its normal speed. Therefore, this month is suitable for taking a dip in the Lauhitya for the worshippers. Both the banks especially the northern Bank of the river Brahmaputra becomes filled up with gatherings of people for a community bath, on the day of Aśokāṣṭamī. On these days temporary shades are arranged for business purposes. People used to amuse others by performing different type of songs, dances by biting drums etc.[20] Thus through the Aśokāṣṭamīvrata and festival thousands of the Hindus of Assam glorifies the tradition where the unity in diversity finds place among the masses.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
Kane, P.V., History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol-V, pt-I, pp. 265-266
[3]:
[4]:
Kālikāpurāṇa, LXXXI.38
[5]:
pṛthivyāṃ yāni tīrthāni saritaḥ sāgarādayaḥ/
sarve lauhityamāyānti caitremāsi siṭāṣṭamīm// Gaṅgājala II, p.19
[6]:
oṃ Brahmaputra mahāvāho śāntanoḥ kulanandana/
amoghā garbha sambhuta pāpaṃ lauhitya me hara//
Ibid.,p.19
[7]:
[8]:
Sarma, Sivakrisna Panda, Sarma, Visnukanta Panda, Kāmākhyā-Māhātmyam, p.16
[9]:
[10]:
aśoka kalikā aṣṭau yajñe somalatā rasam/
vivāhe madhuparkañca bhuktākarma samācaret//
Ibid., p. 20
[12]:
Ibid., p.77
[13]:
Das, Ansuman, Axamar Saṃkriti Butali, p.230
[14]:
[15]:
a) tasminnavasare rāmo jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān/
cakre mātṛvadhaṃ gharamyuktaṃ piturājñyayā/
tasya pāpasya mokṣāya svapiturupadeśataḥ//
sa agāma mahākuṇḍaṃ brahmākhyaṃ snātumicchayā//
Ibid., LXXXII., p.41-42
[16]:
aśokakalikā ca aṣṭau ye pivanti punarvasau/
caitre māsi sitāṣṭamyāṃ na te śokamavāpnuyu ḥ// Smṛticintāmaṇi, P.42
[17]:
[18]:
Das, Ansuman, Axamar Saṃkriti Butali, p.230
[19]:
Ibid., p.230
[20]:
Sarma, Hemanta Kumar, Fast and Festivals in the District of Kāmarūpa, p. 110