Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 378

30
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
shami leaves are then mixed with the muddy earth, and small balls of the mixture are made. A pice and betel-nut are placed in each ball, and they are presented to the worshipper as a mark of good luck. Travellers carry such balls with them on their journeys for luck. Kings carry the same to obtain success on the battle-field. The Pandavas had such balls with them on the field of Kurukshetra when they obtained a victory over the Kauravas, 1 The balls are also used as pastānā,* The javala in the balls are taken out and allowed to grow in an earthen vessel filled with clay and manure till they reach a span in heigth, when they are taken up and used.2
Earth-worship is performed before burying treasure underground, and also when a marriage procession, at the time of returning, reaches the limits of the bridegroom's village.3
In some places, virgins worship the plot of ground on which the Holi is lighted, for about ten or twelve days after the Holi holiday.*
Another occasion for earth-worship is the third day of the bright half of Chaitra (the sixth month), on which day Vishnu saved the earth in his Varaha (or Boar) incarnation, when it was being carried to the nether regions by the demon Shankhäsur.5
On the eighth day of the bright half of Magh and also of Ashvin (the fourth and the last month respectively), naivedya (an oblation of food) is offered to the earth-mother, and is then used as her prasad (gift). No
cooked food is allowed to fall on the ground on this day: even the leavings after meals are given away to cows,
When any ceremony is to be performed on the earth's surface, as much of the spot as is required for the ceremony is cleansed by watering it and plastering it with cow-dung. A betel-nut and a pice are then placed on it as the Chada or rent of the spot."
On those occasions when dakshina is given to Brahmans outside the village limits, worship of the earth-mother is performed by pouring milk on the ground, and by placing seven betel-nuts and seven single copperpieces thereon.8
Some ambititious Brahmans dig earth from near the roots of a banyan tree after offering prayer to the earth, and out of it, make an image of Parthishwar-Lord of the Earth- hoping thereby to obtain wealth. The same ceremony, if observed near the roots of a pipal tree (ficus religiosa), is believed to confer wealth and male issue.2
When Vishnu killed the demons Madhu and Kaitabha, the earth was strewn with their flesh and marrow (méda). Therefore the earth is called medeni, and for the same reason is unclean, and no holy objects are allowed to touch it. Another explanation is that the earth was rendered unclean because blood was shed on its surface in the combat of the demon Vritrasur with the god Indra.10
The things polluted by a contact with the earth are either objects which are to be 2 Mr. Jairam Vasaram, Jodia, Mr. Talakshi Dharashi, Sayala.
1 Mr. N. D. Vora, Rajpara.
Mr. H. M. Bhatt, Ganod,
Mr. B. K, Dave. Kotda-Sangani.
• Mr. Nandlal Kalidas, Chhaträsä, and the Schoolmaster of Jäsdän.
"The Schoolmaster of Patanväv.
Mr. Laxmichand Hemji, Vasavad,
* Some Hindus, when intending to go on a journey, consult an astrologer as to the muhurt or auspi cious hour for setting out. If they do not happen to leave their place at the prescribed moment, they put a pastānā some of the articles to be carried by them in their journey-such as a suit of clothes or a box, in a peighbour's house as a token of their having set out at the stated time.-K. D. Desai,
The Schoolmaster of Sultanpur. 10 Mr. Madhowji Tulsiram, Movaiya.