________________
OCTOBER, 1877.]
ON THE KRISHNAJANMASHTAMI.
283
during the time is to be provided with arms, fire, cowherd's cot,ll and to be filled with milklinks, full jugs, lights, with a pestle, and with maids (OC.). Fetters for women, iron swords, pictures painted in water-colours (probably for a sacrificial post, along with a black (N.) he-goat protection against bad demons).
are to be found inside ; a pestle is to be laid down sk. contains other accounts of the sútika at the door, guards are to be placed in it, likewise griha, under the word itself, and words of si- the goddess Shash thi,* and all sorts of milar signification sútikágeha*, sútikávása, su
selected meats for the gods (idols) in rich abundtikábhavana, sútigriha, and sútigrina. Accordance (OC. Sa.) Of the decoration of the walls ing to it, arishța in Amara (&c. see Pet. W., with pictures from the "holy history," which S. v.) is also to be taken as a synonym for Sa. (Ms.) mentions here, Oc. treat but in the it (so indeed Ragh. III. 15). According to sequel, see below. According to Sa, the setting the Bhavaprakasat it is to be made eight up of the sútikagriha is also to be accompanied hands long and four wide (that would be a with music of all kinds, dancing and singing. very narrow measurement!). According to the It is highly surprising, first of all, that, accordVahnipurana, chap. prajapatisarga,t bad demons ing to these statements, the sútikágriham is to surround it, but good spirits stay there too, be set up like a gokulam. For the legend itself who then, on the sixth (the specially critical)
is quite consistent throughout, in stating that day after the birth, are to be worshipped with Devak i gave birth to Krishna in prison. offerings. The night of that day is to be Evidently a transference has here taken place passed waking, -50 according to the Vishnu
to Devaki of those circumstances in which dharmottara.
Yaso dâ, who received the newly born child The accounts in this place of the setting up of
immediately after his birth, on her part gave the sitikágriha agree with these statements,
birth to her own child, that magical girl who is at the same time they also show some special
exchanged with him. The reason of this indeed peculiarities.
can only be that, from the beginning, the cele
bration of the Janmashtami festival stood in The pillars (N) made of plantain stems
close relation to the representation of Krishare to be covered with lotus-coloured (ruby red),
ņa's growing up among cowherds, and convariegated (00), with white, yellow, red,
sequently this conception entirely preponstriped or green (Sa. D.) cloths. It is to be
derated over the other, according to which he decorated with wreaths of sandalwood, pearls
was a prince born in prison. and jewels (C, with amulets 0. Sa. N.), with
The following is the wording of the texts new pitchers (kalasa) filled with water (N.), with
belonging to this --First of all, OC. (the first numerous flowers and fruits, and rows of lamps,
sloka also in B. v. 696, 70): and to be perfumed with wreaths of flowers,
tatah endtvà cha madhydhne nadyddu vimale jale! sandalwood and agallochum. It is to be
devyah susobhanan karyad Dovakyah sútilágriarranged quite like a gokulan, byre, or hamt | 25 |
T dashham sütikagaram yudhais cha viheshatah vahnina tindakalataih pärnakumbhaib pradipakaih musalena tath& värivarnakaiá chitritena cha Tinduka Diospyros embryopteris, Pers. (Pet. Wört.); Diospyros glutinosa, a species of ebony, from the fruit of which kind of resin is obtained, that is used in India as pitch for caulking vessels, &e. (Wilson.)
* Compare Brahmavarivarta, Srikrishnajanmakhanda adhy, 4:
jagama sdtikågeham nårirupar vidhaya bhah jayasabdah sajikhasabdo harisabdo babhuva hal
+ ashtahastayatam chåru chaturhastavilAlakam průchidvAram udagdvaram vidadhyât adtik&griham
I sarvatragAn apratighân sútik Agrihasevidah prishthata b-pánípAdans cha prishthagriven surabhasah II evamvidhän pis&chans cha drishtvå brahma'nukampays antardhanam veram pridat kêmaskyitvam eva chall.
$ sutikavaganilaya janmadi nama devatah tekmo yaganimittarthar suddhir janmani kirtita shnahthe 'hni råtriylgarn tu janmadan Am cha k Arayet rakshaniyê sada shasthi nisam tatra višeshatah | Ráma jagaranan karyam janmad Anale tatha balib ||
Under gokula, šk. has the following-gogam thah tatparyayah 1 godhanam, gavkih vrajah ity Amarah | gos-
thanam, yathå: gokule kanduálkyarn taila yantrekshuyantrayoh amiminsyani saucháni strishu valatureshu cha 11 iti tithy&ditattvam Mathuraikadese sri-Nandasya våsasthanam, yathả : kälena vrajata tâta gokule R&makesavau jAnubhyarh saha pånibhyári riñgamanau vijabratuḥ iti áribh&gavatam
? vadh 2-karair 0, veshtakart si, trinkhald Ms. Probably the fetters are meant, which, according to the legend, Kanga had caused to be put on his sister Devak 1 and her husband Vasudeva (see above, p. 176). The pestle and the guards, on the other hand, are probably (see above, p. 282) the universal requisites of every sdtikagriha, intended for protection against pisachas and similar sorcer. ers. They therefore, probably, do not refer to the prison guards, who are directly mentioned further on.
• See p. 174, probably a picture of her to be painted on the wall. Compare Samsk. Kaust. fol. 59a, tatah kudy Bilikhitapratimasu tandulapufijeshu va janmadh (namely :) Jivantyaparanämnim Shashthim Skandar Rakam Sinivalim Kahům khadg&lishu bhagavatini cha shodaéopach Araih půjayet janmad åbhyo nama iti nimamantrena janmadanm svahan di
Thus 0, C has sndtvi tu (B.) and chitran harmyacharam kuryad.
