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ᎢᎻᎬ FoᏞᏦᏞ0ᎡE OF GUJᏎᎡᏎᎢ
holy texts in honour of the sun. It all goes to cause the destruction of sin. The subject well on Sunday, Brahmans, Sadhus and has been dwelt on at length in the Dharmaother pious persons are entertained at a feast. sindhu-grantha, Vrataraja, and ShodashopaThis feast is known as vrat.ujararun. Some chāra among the Dharma-Shāstras of the persons hare the sun's image (an ashtadal) Hindus, engraved on a copper or a golden plate for The object round which turns are taken daily or weekly worship. 1
is either the image of a god, such as of On the twelfth day after the delivery of a Ganpati, Mahadev or Vishmus or tire portrait child, the sun is worshipped and the home of a guru, or his footmarks engraved or sacrifice is performed.
impressed upon some substance, or the agniIf it a wedding the sun happens to be in kunda (the fire-pit)," or the holy cow lo, or an unfavourable position according to the some sacred tree or plant, such as the Vad bridegroom's horoscope, an image of the sun (banyan tree), the Pipal (ficus religiosa),11 is drawn on gold-lent and given away in the Shami (prosopis spicegera), the Amba charity. Charity in any other form is also (mango tree), the Asopalava tree (Polycommon on such an occasion. ?
althea longi folia), or the Tulsi (sweet A Nagar bride performs sun-worship for the seven days preceding her wedding."
It is said to have been a custom of the In Hindu funeral ceremonies three arghyas Brahmans in ancient times to complete their are offered to the sun, and the following daily rites before sunrise every morning, mantra is chanted :
and then to take turns round temples and आदित्यो भास्करी भान रविः सूर्यो दिवाकरः। boly objects. The practice is much less षण्नाम स्मरेन्नित्यं महापातकनाशनम् ||
common now than formerly. 1.3 Still, visitors It means-one should ever recite the six to a temple or an idol, usually are careful to names of the Sun, Aditya, Bhāskar, Bhanu, yo round it a few times at least (generally Ravi, Surya, Divakar, which destroy sin. fire or seven). The usual procedure at such
The sun is also worshipped on the thirteenth a time is to strike gongs or ring bells after day:ifter the death of a person, when argh yas the turns, to cast a glance at the shiklar are offered, and two earthen pots, contain- or the pinnacle of the temple, and then to ing a handful of raw khichedi-rice and return. pulse--and covered with yellow pieces of Women observing the chaturmas-vrat, or the cotton are placed outside the house. This monsoon vow, lasting from the eleventh day of cereinony is called gadāso bharvo.
the bright half of Ashādh (the ninth month) Rajahs of the solar race always worship to the eleventh day of the bright half of Kärthe rising sun. They also keep a goldentik (the first month) first worship the object, image of the sun in their palaces, and engage round which they wish to take turns, with learned Brahmans to recite verses in his panchämrit (a mixture of milk, curds, sugar, Ironour. On Sundays they take only oneghi and honey). The number of turns may meal and that of simple rice (for white food be either 5, 7, 21 or 108. At each turn is most acceptable to the sun).
they keep entwining a fine cotton thread Circumambulations round images and other and place a penda* or a bantāsát or a betelholy objects are considered meritorious and leat' or an almond, a cocoanut, a fig or some
Mr. G. K. Dave, Sultanpur.
Mr. H. M. Bhatt, Schoolmaster, Ganod, * Girijashankar Karunashankar, Schoolmaster, Songadh. Mr. H. M. Bhatt, Schoolmaster, Ganod, Mr. Chhaganlal Motiram, Wala Taluka.
Mr. R. B. Pandya, Jetpur, Sanskrit School 7 Mrs. Raju Ramjee Kanjee, Girls' School, Ganod. Mr. D. K. Pandya, Schoolmaster, Dhhank. Mr. R. B. Pandya, Jetpur Sanskrit School,
19 Mr. J. D. Khandhar, Sayala. 1 Mr. D. K. Pandya. Dhhank.
14 Mr. V. D. Vora, Rajpara. 11 Mr. D. K. Pandya. Schoolmaster, Dhhark.
* Mr. N. D. Vora, Schoolmaster, Rajpara. • Milk and sugar ball.
A sugar cake,
