The Sundhya, or, the Daily Prayers of the Brahmins/Plate 16

by Sophie Charlotte Belnos

PLATE 16.

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POOJA OF MAHADEO (MAHADEVA).

In the worship of this Deity the devotee requests grandeur and wealth. The horn of the deer is blown in this Pooja: offerings of fruit and sweetmeats are laid upon the Nundee; also the leaves of the bale-fruit tree, white flowers, a few blades of the dhoop-ghas (hay). The jeneo (brahmin-thread) is rolled up with areeka-nut and betel-leaves. The sign worn in this Pooja of Mahadeo is this , drawn with yellow sandal. The head, neck, and wrist are adorned with strings of the Roodrakh (the dried berries of the Eleocarpus).

Translation of the Version in the Pooja of Mahadeo.

1st verse. "O Earth! all the created beings who inhabit thee! and Devee, whom Vishnoo hath brought up from below! I likewise am thy inhabitant: sanctify me."

(Here the devotee takes up water in the palm of his right hand. After repeating the foregoing lines he sprinkles it under the mat upon which he is seated, puts some drops into his mouth, and, filling his half-closed palm with fresh water, says)—

2d verse. "O Shiu! fulfil the object of this my worship to thee. Give unto me all that my heart desireth, and deliver me from evil."

(He here pours out the water from his hand).

Muntra.

"Om Hrang, Hring, Hrong, Shivaya-nama."

(Then raising his joined hands to his head reverentially to the Deity, he spreads out his hands and fingers, which he slides down his whole figure from head to foot, and then makes the signs of the Kurna-nyas, after which the signs of the Hridayadi-nyas; then closing his eyes and folding his arms he proceeds to an inward contemplation of the gods, saying)—

1st verse. "I worship thee, Shiu! Thou art perpetually in my thoughts. Thou shinest like polished silver; and refulgent as the moon are thine ear-rings, and thy form appears resplendent with bright and precious jewels. In one hand thou bearest an axe, and in the other the skin of the deer. Thou sittest, with thy feet under thee, upon thy throne; and all the gods praise thee.

2d verse. "Thy covering is of the lion's skin; and thou art the first Male. Thou art the type of the world; and thou deliverest mankind from fear and danger. Thou hast five faces. Such art thou, Shiu. Reverence be unto thee.

3d verse. "Thou art light as the purest camphor. Thy mercies are infinite. The first and the last in the universe. Thy necklace is of entwined serpents. Such is Shiu: the Shiu who has Parbutee seated beside him. Reverence be to him."

(The devotee here makes a rough image, of mud, of Mahadeo, and places it upon the singhasun; then throws over it some grains of raw rice, and white flowers of dhatoora, saying)—

4th verse. "O Soopan, approach! O Pinakadhur, be thou seated here!"

(Then putting in the urgha some raw rice, flowers, and sandal, and holding it between his hands, he stands up before the idol).

5th verse. "From three dreadful diseases thou art the deliverer; and thou bestowest happiness on mankind. Receive my offerings, and preserve me from these three afflictions. Be merciful to my sons and daughters; and may they find grace before thee, O Bhooswamin."

(He pours out the contents of the urgha upon the image; then, dipping his fourth finger in honey, he touches the image: then, sprinkling the water over it, he performs the ceremony of ablution upon the idol. First he pours curds over it, then water, then melted butter (ghee), then water, then honey; water again, then milk; and finally, the five things together, and then washes out the whole with pure water. He then dresses the idol, and wraps an additional covering round it; and, throwing the jeneo over its shoulders, says)—

"The Yagnopaveet (the brahmanic thread) is a sign of holiness: it was brought from the heart of Brahma. He who wears it lives to a great age. Put away, then, all other works, O man! and invest thy body with the jeneo, for it bringeth light and strength."

(He then presents sandal, raw rice, areka-nuts, and the flowers thereof). "Thou art fruit in thyself; and thou bringest forth good fruit in them that worship thee. Thou art born of the genius Brihasput."

(He offers the sooparee (areka-nuts), and the flowers and leaves of the bale-tree; then the artee of eleven lamps. He next places sweetmeats before the image; then pours out some water before it. Laying down some leaves of betel, and some coins, he takes up rice in one hand, whilst with the other he throws a few grains upon the image, from time to time repeating the following):

"Aghor, I offer thee this! Pusooput, receive this! Bhyrav, I present thee this! Kupurdee, accept this! Isa, I offer thee this! Maheswar, accept my offering!"

(Then taking up more rice he says)—

"O thou who art in thyself earth, water, fire, wind, and the firmament, accept my offerings, and be merciful unto me! Shiva and Parbutee, have mercy upon me, and preserve me from all the evils of this life!"

(Joining his hands in supplication, he says)—

"Manifold are my sins; and I am ignorant of thy true worship. Neither do I know how to invoke thee, nor to sing thy praise, nor any single form of thy worship. As such have mercy upon me, and forgive my sins.

"He who shall chaunt thy praise when the day dawns shall obtain forgiveness for the sins of the past night. He who prays unto thee at mid-day, his sins, from his birth, shall be washed away; and he who worshippeth thee at the close of the day shall be purified from the sins of seven births. Even as the gift of five millions of milch-cows to as many Brahmins is propitious to the donor, and good in thy sight, so may this humble offering of thy servant find favour before thee."

(Then joining his hands again, he says)—

"O Hur, O Maheswar, O Sambhu, O Shiva, O Pusooput, Mahadeo, reverence be to thee!"

(Then taking up some raw rice and water in the palm of his hand he presents it to the image, concluding)—

"Accept this, O Deity; and give success to all my undertakings, and realize all the desires of my heart!"

PLATE 16

POOJAH OF MAHADEO

Day & Son, lith^rs. to the Queen.