Part 3.5 - A study on the Śakrotthāna-vrata

[Full title: Study on the Vratas particularly practised in the Kāmarūpa (E): Śakrotthāna-vrata]

Author Dāmodara Miśra speaks of relevant codes regarding the performance of the festival the act of raising Indra’s Banner i.e., Śakrotthāna. It is a calendric festival usually observed in the twelfth white half of the lunar month of Bhādra. On that particular tithi, at the first pāda of the Śravaṇā asterism, the pole concerned i.e., śakra is prescribed to raise by day. So far its immersion is concerned, the Hindu law suggests to do it at midnight, when Bharaṇī asterism attains its last pāda i.e., fourth pāda.^[1]

Another prescription of raising the pole, suggested by the author is that, the worshipper may raise it in any tithi which falls in between daśamī and pūrṇimā of the above said month, provided the expected tithi, bears first pāda of the Śravaṇā asterism in the day only.

If the above dvādaśītithi does not include the first pāda of the Śravaṇā asterism, but the other three or any of it or it covered viśva i.e., Uttarsāddhā or Dhanu i.e., Dhaniṣṭhā then, the raising of the pole on the day of the above tithi is found prescribed according to the code of ancient Hindu law i.e., Smṛti.^[2]

If there is total absence of these above mentioned three asterisms, on the twelfth white half, then the raising of the pole as well as worshipping will take place on the time of the above tithi on Bhādra pāda.^[3] The raising of the banner is acceptable in other tithis also provided it covers the first pāda of the Śravaṇā asterism. However, this prescription is not widely accepted by many digest writers as observed by Dāmodara Miśra.

But, here in this situation the prescribed injunction is–one should not deviate from the act of raising the banner, if the tithi other than the twelfth bright half covers the first pāda of the śravaṇā by day. To him, who does not obey this scriptural prescript Yama’s injunction on that situation is very effective.

If the worshipper raises the banner at night in the presence of Viśva or Dhaniṣṭhā asterism and emerge the same in the presence of Vājinī or Anala asterism, then the king and the Earth will face total distraction along with its harvest.^[4] Dāmodara Miśra, refers three conditions from Viṣṇupurāṇa in Gaṅgājala II, specifically to deal with the rising time of necessary zodiacal signs auspicious for raising the śakra.^[5] Accordingly, when the planets Bṛhaspati and Śūkra dwell on tārāpati (candra) and when the calm and peaceful planets i.e., candra, budha, bṛhaspatī dwell on langna, then the raising of the banner of Indra will yield good results. If, the banner is raised in an improper time, then the consequence will be loss of the kingdom as well as the miseries for his subjects.^[6] It also forbids the worshipper of Śakrotthānam to raise it on Sunday and Tuesday. Again on the occasion of impurity caused by birth and death and on calamity caused by earthquake.^[7]

Accordingly when the somya (quite) planets viz., Śukra, Budha, and Bṛhaspati are dwelling in the lagna of candra, at that very period the worshipper is allowed to raise the banner of Indra.^[8]

The Vrataparichaya^[9] in respect of the immersion of the Śakrotthāna, recommended the following suggestions:

(a) On Sunday and Tuesday no immersion could take place;
(b) After attaining purity from birth and death, the worshipper can imerge it;
(c) He can do it at the end of a work in the case of an earthquake.

The Kālikāpurāṇa, which is a milestone of the socio-cultural and religious documents of Kāmarūpa made a long and elaborate discussion on the topic Śakrotthāna. The Kālikāpurāṇa and Gaṅgājala II both bear certain common issues in respect of raising the Śakradvaja. This may be justified from the internal evidences of both the works in hand. For example, Kālikāpurāṇa suggests as is done by Gaṅgājala II, the first quarter of the śravaṇā asterism for raising the Indra’s banner. It suggests the twelfth tithi and day time besides the same asterism i.e., śravaṇā for raising. In the matter of immersion also, Kālikāpurāṇa suggested that, it should be performed at night when bharaṇī asterism is in the fourth pāda.^[10] Both these works refer impurity caused by both birth and death that necessitates formulation of new injunctions for immersion of the banner.^{[11] [12]}

Accordingly, both these works suggest first, expiry of the impurity period and secondly, extension of one week period from the date of its early scheduled period to make one able to immerge the banner of Indra. Upto this, both these works share similar views. But so far the days are concerned regarding immersion, they exhibit minor dissimilarities. The Gaṅgājala II, does not prescribe immersion of the banner on sunday and tuesday. On the contrary, the Kālikāpurāṇa restricted it both on Tuesday and Saturday.^[13] It discards importence of Sunday in Gaṅgājala II and also of Saturday in Kālikāpurāṇa^[14]

Dāmodara Miśra’s prescript regarding the raising of śakra is found also in Nirṇayasindhu^[15] which the author of the later, quoted from Garga’s Aparāka. Both these work suggested Bhādrapadamāsa, Śukla pakṣa, dvādaśitithi, asterism viz.,-Viśva, Śravaṇā and Dhaniṣṭhā, Uttarasādha, Śravaṇā and Dhaniṣṭhā serially.^[16]

That the practice of Śakroṭṭhāna festival was prevalent in ancient Kāmarūpa can be proved from the Howrāghat plate of Balavarma iii. This Śakrotthāna festival as Abdapūjā was celebrated during his stay at Hāruppeśvara.^[17]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

śakrotsava mahaṃ vakṣe yathāvanmuni bhāṣitam/
cāndra māsena bhādrasya śuklāyāṃ dvādaśī dine/
śravaṇādya pāde dvādaśayāṃ śakrumutthāpayet divā/
daśamī pūrnoyo madhye yasyāmeva tithau divā// Gaṅgājala II, p.51

[2]:

Ibid., p.51

[3]:

śrāvanādya pāde dvādaśyāṃ śakraṃ uthāpayeddivā/
bharaṇyāmanta pādetu madhya rātrau visarjayet / Ibid.,p.51

[4]:

vaśve dhane vā yadi rātribhāge uthāpanaṃ devapateh kadācit visarjanaṃ vājini cānale vā nṛpaṃ saśasyāṃ vinihanti pṛthīm//
Ibid.,p.52

[5]:

tārāpatau tṛdaśa dānava mantribhāge/
somya grahai navama pañ cama kantasthaiḥ/
lagneṣu daitya sacivaj ña bṛhaspatināṃ/
utthāpanaṃ śubhaṃ karaṃ bhuvi vrajrapāṇeḥ//
Ibid.,p.52

[6]:

ayathā kālaprāptetu śakramuthāpayetyadi/
rāj ño rāṣṭraṃ vinaśyeta prajā caiva nipīḍyate//
Ibid., p. 52

[7]:

sauri bhūmijayorvāre sūtake mṛtake'pi vā/
bhūmikampādikot pāte śakraṃ naiva pravāsayet//
Ibid., p. 53

[8]:

^(a) Ibid., p. 52

[9]:

Sarma,Hanuman, Vrataparichaya, p.41

[10]:

śravaṇakṣyutāyāntu dvādaśyāṃ parthivah svayam/
antapāde bharaṇyāntu niśi śatruṃ visarjjayet// Kālikāpurāṇa,LXXXVII, 87.45

[11]:

^(a) sauri bhūnijayarvāre sūtake mṛtake'pi vā/
bhūmikampādikaī pāte śakkramnaiva pravāsayet// Gaṅgājala II,52

[12]:

sūtake tathā saṃprāpte vyatite sūtake pūnaḥ/
yasmin tasmin dine caiva sūtakānte visarjjyet// Kālikāpurāṇa,LXXXVII, 87.52

[13]:

^(a) Miśra Dāmodara, Gaṅgājala II, p.53

[14]:

Kālikāpurāṇa, LXXXVII,50-51

[15]:

atraiva śakrodhayothāpanamuktamaparārke gargeṇa// Nirṇayasindhu, p.203

[16]:

dvādasyaṃ tu site pakṣe māsi prauṣṭha pade tathā/
sakramuthāpayet rājā viśvaśrāvaṇa vāsare//
Ibid., p. 203

[17]:

abdapūjāyam/
śakrothāne vidhinābhṛsaṃ daśa pañcama varṣe// Kāmarūpa-śāsanāvalī,p.70