Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study)
by Maitreyee Goswami | 2018 | 55,000 words
This page relates ‘study on the Caitra Madana Trayodashi 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 3.3 - A study on the Caitra Madana Trayodaśī Vrata
[Full title: Study on the Vratas particularly practised in the Kāmarūpa (C): Caitra Madana Trayodaśī Vrata]
Dāmadara Miśra describes Madana Trayodaśīvrata in his Gaṅgājala II very elaborately.[1] The Vrataparicaya terms it as Madanapūjā to be performed on the same manner as suggested by Dāmadara Miśra.[2] P.V. Kane left no stone unturned to make an ellaborate discussion on it with its varied names along with different forms of application besides prescribed period of performance.[3]
In Anaṅgatrayodaśī, for example, where Anaṅga i.e., Kāmadeva is identified with Śambhu, is to be worshipped in his twelve names in the twelve months of a year with different flowers. The date of this worship is thirteenth tithi of śukla in each month.[4] Quoting Kālaviveka of Jīmūtavāhana, he further states that the Kāmamahotsava (a festival to be performed on fourteenth of caitraśuklatithi) is also known as Caitrāvratī and Madanabhānjī in the Āgamaśāstra that belongs to śaivism.[5] This Kāmamahotsava festival takes two days for its performance.
On the thirteenth of the caitraśuklatithi the performers establish two idols of Madana and Ratī in a public place and in the next day i.e., on the fourteenth day, the divine couple is worshiped followed by the celebration of the festival. In this festival, song and music of exotic nature, uttering of obscene words are found exercised. It possesses some similarities with the festival of sāvara held on the occasion of the immersion of Devī Durgā. Dāmodara Miśra suggests that, the appropriate tithi for the observance of Madanapūja is trayodaśī, conjoint with dvādaśī. He also suggestes that trayodaśī conjoint with caturdaśī is also favorable for the observance of this vrata. However the festival related to Madanatrayodaśī should be observed on purṇimā conjoint with caturdaśī. The relevant prescript regarding the pūjā and festival in his works is found mentioned.[6]
Ramānāth Vidyālaṅkāra in his Gaṅgājalārthapraveśikāṭīkā of the concerned verse commented that the said tithidvaya is synonymous to tithitraya and thereby suggested two orders pertaining to the festival–that after completion of the pūjā on the thirteenth śukla caitra the festival should start forthwith that requires to continue up to pūrṇimā and secondly the pūjā will be exclusively on thirteenth and on the following two days there will be celebration of festival in particular.[7]
In case of a muktakatithi, the God of Love along with his wife Rati should be worshipped during evening by the people. There are regulations of offering different flowers to the deity including placing of a Madanapallava, an identification mark of Madana locally known as dhaturā.[8] The piece of dhatura has been substituted by Daman or Damanaka in Bengal School of Dharmaśāstra in respect of performing Madana trayodaśī. Difference lies only in respect of the trees which may be treated as identification of Madana in the procedure of worshipping.[9]
The digest writers to enhance the glory of this festival legitimately have allowed the people to scatter colourful water through sṛngakas i.e., syringes of water tubes. Besides singing of songs and music and utterance obscene words are in practice in the festival. It may attract some similarities with that of the festival of sāvara held on the occasion of the immersion of the goddess Durgā.[10]
Further Dāmodara Miśra put suggests some injunctions on it in his digest. If trayodaśītithi touches dvādaśī, if caturdaśītithi touches trayadaśī by rising of the Sun, then the people can celebrate the festival on caturadaśītithi.[11] But, there are restrictions also to be noted. For example–if trayodaśī touches dvādaśī, but no caturdaśī is found by the day on the trayodaśī, then on this situation observance of the Madana festival should be given up. Again, if the last day of sauraphālguna is thirteenth and the first day of sauracaitra is fourteenth white, then both pūjā and festival would be celebrated.[12]
In Kāmarūpa School, there is injunction to worship madana from the eighth tithi of caitra to purṇimā, where the use of Aśoka, a flower is particularly found prescribed. More or less the digest writers believe that Aśoka bears a quality that can annihilate sorrows and sufferings. Madana trayodaśī, when celebrated in caitra bears this specific term Vasantikā[13] as it falls in the season Vasanta of the Hindu year. Dāmodara Miśra however approves some relaxation for the performers that they can resort to trantrika method to perform it in a single day i.e., thirteenth white of caitra to attain merits.
From this injunction it becomes clear that, in mediaeval Kāmarūpa worshipping of Madana had its prevelance in two folds i.e., Vedic and trantric, which is no doubt a product of the religious faith exhibited by the inhabitants of this part of this country.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[3]:
Kane, P.V., History of Dharmaśāstra,Vol.v, pt-1, pp. 257,282,368
[4]:
Ibid., p.282
[5]:
Ibid., p. 282
[6]:
[7]:
Miśra, Dāmodara, Gaṅgājalārthapraveśikāṭīkā, p.16
[8]:
[9]:
caitra śuklatrayodaśyaṃ damanaṃ madanātmakam/
kṛtvā saṃpūjya vidhivat nīayedvpjanena tu// Smṛticintāmaṇi,p.92
[11]:
[12]:
trayodaśī yadā kumbhe caitre śukla caturdaśī/
trayodaśī tu caitrasya śeṣe meṣe caturdaśī//
Ibid.,p.18