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Additional Notes
201
The other passage, 7. 111 ff., concerns the exiled prince Amarasena who has reached Kāñcanapura :
tasminç ca samaye tatra pure rājā mộto 'sutaḥ. tato hasty-acva-kalaça-chatra-cāmaralakṣaṇam, bambhramīti pure devādhişthitaṁ vastupañcakam. naraṁ rājyadharaṁ kas cit tenānveşayatā bahiḥ, gatvā so 'marasenākhyaḥ kumāraḥ sahasāçritaḥ. ārūdho 'tha gajaskandham divyaveşadharo nặpaḥ, prañamya mantrisāmantanāgarāir abhinanditaḥ. upariştād dhịtachatraḥ svetacāmaravījitaḥ, puraḥ kāutukibhir lokāiḥ kṣtasamgitamañgalah. srņvan jayajayārāvam janād ikşitum āgatāt,
pure praviçya çobhādhye nītyā rājyam karoti saḥ. ‘At that juncture the king there in the city died sonless. Then the five objects defined as elefant, horse, pitcher, umbrella, and chowries, inhabited by god (or, a god), roamed about the city. Seeking some man who should rule the kingdom, the oracle went promptly outside, where was Prince Amarasena. Dressed in divine (magic) garments, he mounted as king upon the back of the elefant, and was acclaimed by the ministers, vassals, and citizens who bowed down before him. The umbrella stood above him; the white chowries waved over him. In front went the admiring people, singing songs and uttering blessings. Hearing the repeated cry of victory from the people, who had come to look on, he entered the festively adorned city, and ruled with discretion.
Here the word devādhişthitam, 'god-ridden,' (in a good sense) is perhaps the clearest explanation of adhivāsita, as yet available. But Pārgva, no more than other texts, tells precisely how the five royal insignia are imbued with their divinatory power. Pariçiştaparvan 6. 236, pañcadivyāny abhişiktāni, seems to indicate consecration by water—the Hindu equivalent of coronation as the method, or, perhaps better, one of the methods. This coincides with Prabandhacintāmaņi, text, p. 288, where the elefant alone is mentioned, tatrāputriņi nộpatāu pañcatvam upāgate sati sacivāir abhişiktapațțahastī nikhile pi nagare yadrchayā babhrāma. But there is no reason why this should not have been accompanied, or diversified by the use of mantras, perfumes, etc.; see Edgerton, I. c., p. 163, top.
