6. Some Beliefs Associated with Dressing

From Vedic period itself, we meet with certain beliefs regarding the dressing. In our literature, we are informed with the good and bad effects of wearing certain types of clothes. In this connection we meet with some taboos also.

Caraka^[1] has mentioned the benefits as well as the necessity of wearing clean clothes. Thus by wearing clean clothes, one acquires beauty, longevity and fame. Wearing torn clothes is considered by him as inauspicious.

Rājavallabha-nighaṇṭu also describes this idea thus—

[...].^[2]

Śivapurāṇa^[3] also mentions that garments will provide longevity. Stealing clothes was considered as a sin. Men doing such sins are believed to be reborn as different creatures. According to Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa^[4], one who steals Varṇaka, a kind of blanket will be reborn as a peacock. It is stated in Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa^[5] that stealing of Kauśeya leads one to the birth as a Cakravāka bird. It is believed that one stealing Dukūla also will be reborn as a peacock^[6], while stealing of Kārpāsika and Kṣauma will lead to the birth of Krauñca bird and boar respectively^[7].

It is a belief that one who gives clothes as gift will attain an easy death^[8].

According to one belief recorded in Baudhāyana-dharmasūtra^[9], offerings or worships made by wearing red garments are in vain. Clothes dyed in indigo also are strictly prohibited. Similarly one is not allowed to propitiate gods, clad in single. One who observes the Śakvara vow was not permitted to wear the black clothes. Any ritual without wearing an upper garment was considered fruitless.

Washing of clothes after bath, particularly in the river was a taboo, but washing after bath is allowed near a well or at home.

A householder having a son and whose father is alive is not allowed to wear Yogapaṭṭaka. Such a householder is also not permitted to wear clothes made using black sheep wool.

Wearing of clothes used by another person is normally considered as inauspicious. But in case one is unable to own a cloth, he may use clothes of other’s after cleansing. According to Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa^[10], one should not take food clothed in single garment. Similarly one should not wear red or black clothes on bed, for it will cause evil dreams.

There was a custom of discarding the wedding dress of the bride on the second day of the marriage. According to this belief attested in Vedas^[11] and in Gṛhyasūtras^[12], the garments worn by the bride at the night of the wedding day is infested with an evil named Kṛtyā. Hence it is to be disposed on the next day. Such a discarded cloth should be received by one who is well versed in Sūrya hymn.

In Bṛhatsaṃhitā^[13] there is a chapter entitled Vastracchedalakṣaṇa, which elaborately discusses the good or bad effects experienced by people on wearing new clothes in the twenty seven stars. The results experienced in each star are different. It is believed that gods, devils and men dwell on different parts of a cloth. Thus the abode of gods in a cloth is the four corners. For men, it is the middle portion of each broad side. All the remaining parts are dwellings of devils. Different shapes of stains or slits appeared on the different parts of a cloth were taken as omens. Stains or slits, which fall in the shape of inauspicious things even in the abode of gods, are ill omens. They will cause misfortunes, while some other stains or slits resembling the shape of auspicious things appearing on the inauspicious places (Dwellings of devils or men) are good omens.

It is also stated that the intensity of the good or bad effects caused by stains or slits appearing on a new cloth, short term used and an old one is gradually decreasing.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

59.28.18, 19

[2]:

2.132

[3]:

XV.48

[4]:

15.29

[5]:

15.26

[6]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 15.27

[7]:

Ibid, 15.27, 15.28

[8]:

Ibid, 10.69

[9]:

2.8.24

[10]:

15.70

[11]:

Ṛgveda, X.85

[12]:

Āpastamba-gṛhyasūtra, 3.9.11

[13]:

LXXI