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176
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
Then the night is further to be spent in all kinds of amusements, dance, music, song, &c., listening to the history of Devakî's son, especially to the Harivansa and the Bhagavata (137). Rich presents are due to the reader (váchaka). At daybreak the prayers to mother and son are repeated. After having fed, and given presents to the Brahmans, the landlord himself eats, with his family (150). Then Sanatkumara terminates with renewed promises for the celebration of the festival (till v. 160); and after this Brahman first makes a few calendaric statements (161-165), and then terminates by again praising the greatness of the festival.
(4) Samkara's Vratárka (= Sb.) fol. 145b1486,† in 81 verses.
After the termination of the Bhárata fight, Yudhishthira turns to Krishna with the request to communicate to him, after imparting so many benefits and instractions, also the Janmashtami-vratam. Krishna begins with the history antecedent to his birth, and narrates how the earth, tormented by Daitya hosts, had turned to Brahman for protection, and that the latter, accompanied by all the gods, had departed to Svetadvipa, in order to represent to him (to Vishnu) this suffering of the earth. That he had then promised his aid, and had, according to a promise formerly made to Vasudeva and to Devakî, taken up his abode in the womb of Devaki (v. 18), whilst Yogamâyâ had done so in that of Yasodâ. The further narrative is entirely as in B., although in quite different words. After the disappearance of the girl in the air, Kañsa being frightened, ordered a general slaughter of infants (válánám kadanaya), in order thus, possibly, to annihilate the new-born foe announced to him. Kansa's servants execute his command. He himself, however, growing up in the cowherd's house (goku(a), eluded all persecutions, slaying the wicked Patani,§ as well as other numerous servants of Kaisa, and lastly him also (v. 44). Joyfully saluted by his parents, and requested by the people streaming by in festive joy, he then
Vrataraja (sv. 2), fol. 100b-1026.
I It appears from v. 34 that the parents of Krishna were fettered after Vasudeva's return the doors closed themselves, and the fettera were as before, dvdráni pikitany daan pûrvavin nigadam tatab.
3 Aham cima gokule sthatva pútanám balaghatinim stanam datuh pravrittâm cha pranih samam asoshayam 42 | In Bhavabhati (Malatimadhavs 69, 14. 15. 70, 8 vitana m. f. appears in an appellative sense (putidus) as a ame of the spectres haunting cemeteries.
[JUNE, 1877.
explained the celebration of his birth-festival as follows (vv. 52-62). The following very laconic description is limited to the bath, the fast, the erection of the shed (mandapa, sútikagriha; then some particulars are given as to the arrangement and fabrication of the images of the holy family), the watching through the night with song, dance, &c. The performance of the birth-ritual is touched upon quite briefly,-puránaih stotrapathaiś cha játunámádishú 'tsavaiḥ); the argha-gift and the moon are not even mentioned. In the morning the fast is broken on feeding the Brâhmans. After two verses in glorification of the festival, a legend follows to the same purpose (vv. 65-78), about Satyajit, the son of the Añga king Amitrajit, who had by connection with heretics (pá. khandaiḥ) becoine an unbeliever, and then, after long heavy infernal punishments, roaming about in the form of a Pisácha, having been wholly exculpated by accidentally witnessing a celebration of the Janmashtami and listening to it, and had found direct entrance into the Vishnuworld. In conclusion two verses more are added in glorification of the festival, and finally the question is put to Yudhishthira what more he wished to hear.
(5.) Ibidem (= Sv.), fol. 1486-151a in 55
verses.
This piece directly follows the preceding one ;* the first verse especially, in which Yudhishthira announces his wish to be henceforth instructed concerning the udyápanavidhi by which "this vratam" is fulfilled, is probably meant as his actual reply to Krishna's question in the last verse of Sb. Krishna now gives, first, extensive details on the preparations for the festival. In the middle of a spot of the size of a cowhide, a circle is to be drawn where the gods (idols) Brahman, &c. are to be set up and worshipped. There a shed (mandapa) is to be erected of plantain-tree trunks-the sütikágriha of Devakî is not mentioned; in the circle a copper or earthen pitcher is to be placed (see above in D.); on this a vessel (pá
Kadachid daivayogena mama janmashtamidine | kriyamânâm mahapajam vratibhir munibhir dvijaiḥ || 75 || rátrau jagaranam chaiva námasamkirtanâdibhih dadaris sarvam vidhivach chhuśráva cha hareḥ kathah || 76 ||
In the Vrataraja sv. 3), fol. 1025-104a.
In the Vratardja, moreover, it is not even separated from it, but follows in immediate connection. In 3., however, 86. terminates with the subscription iti, and sec. begins anew: atha janmashtamiuratodyâpanam.
