Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

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YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
body with ashes, three times a day, but to the habit of sleeping on such ashes in the shrine of the deity, and mentions also the custom of ceremonial circumambulation in the course of the devotions. Ijyā is 'worship’, 'adoration', the word being found in the Ratna commentary in connection with the worship of the phallus of Śiva. Ātmaviờambana or self-humiliation refers to a group of curious and ludicrous practices calculated to bring the devotee into contempt.
The Ratna commentary says that these practices are designed to create a feeling of disrespect ( apamāna) in the minds of the people in that the devotee may suffer humiliation, apamāna being compared to a forest-fire and regarded as something desirable, probably because it destroys one's pride and teaches one to be meek and mild. This is no doubt a very curious method of inculcating humility; and we are also told that the devotee should indulge in certain antics in full view of a crowd, like an actor on the stage. The practices in question are krāthana or pretending to be asleep while awake; spandana or shaking the limbs like one suffering from an epileptic fit; mandana or walking like a lame man; srngārana or indulging in amorous gestures as if at the sight of a beautiful young woman; apitatarana or acting in a disgraceful manner like one devoid of commonsense; and apitadbhāşana or uttering incoherent and meaningless words.
1 E. g., STRESITZai aforgu gala *..* ....... Tara 1974 atsipalat Tar
पादतलमस्तकं यावत् प्रभूतेन भस्मनाङ्गं प्रत्यक्षं च प्रयत्नातिशयेन निघृष्य निघृष्य लानमाचरेदित्येवं मध्याहापराह्नसन्ध्ययोरपीति'.........."अथायतनसन्धिनं भूप्रदेशं दिवा............... भस्मनैव शुचि कुर्यात् । तदनु तत्रोपविश्य विध्य भिनि विष्टस्तावत्तिष्ठेद्यावदतिनिद्राभिभूतः श्रान्तश्च भवति । ततः पुनरुत्थाय विवेचयेत् । तदनु मत्रैः संस्कृत्य भस्म प्रभूतं प्रस्तरेत् । ततस्तत्र पंच मत्रानावर्तयन्नेव स्वपेत् ।''..."निष्क्रम्येशं प्रणम्य प्रणामान्तं प्रदक्षिणत्रयं जपन्नेव शनैः gala' etc. This is mentioned prior to the nightly vigil in the shrine of the god
(p. 19). See under verse 7. 2 'Era GET Tea Garganta FIRE SAUT a' ete. Ijyä may also be equivalent
to Yaga, a technical term of the Pasupatas. The entire ritualistic process is called Carya which is the means to Dharma. Caryā is composed of Däna, Yaga and Täpa. Däna is self-surrender to the deity accompanied by salutations. Yåga is the proper execution of the prescribed ritualistic acts such as smearing the body with ashes. Täpa is patient endurance of suffering in the discharge of one's religious duties. See katnarikö under verse 7. Caryā is called also Vidhi and defined as
: TIF with whiclı may be compared the definition of Vidli cited in next Chapter ( section on Pasupatas). Caryā is described also as twofold: vrata and the dvaras. Smearing the body with ashes, sleeping over them, offerings, japa and pradaksina
constitute vrata. The dvüras are the practices known as kräthana, spandana etc. 3 'न चैषां क्रमो नियम्यते । किन्त्वपमानादिनिष्पादकत्वं येन परिभवं गच्छेदित्युपदेशाद्दवाग्मितुल्यत्वेनापमानादेरिष्टतमत्वा.
दिति। 4 'रङ्गवदवस्थितेषु जनेषु मध्ये नटवदवस्थितो विवेच्य विवेच्य क्राथनादीनि कुर्यात् ।"