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206
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SÚTRA
Ch. IV
of Hastināpura sprinkled, swept & besmeared with cowdung by his servants, and caused to erect thousand pillars (yūpas) and thousand discuses (cakka). Then he worshipped and honoured them with great pomp and grandeur."
The king celebrated this auspicious birth ceremony together with his friends, relatives, kinsmen, staff and subjects for ten days. By his order it was marked with the remission of customs and taxes (U88 ukkam-ukkaraṁ), non-cultivation of land (ukkithan), non-donation (adijan i. e. selling), non-measuring (amijjar), non entrance of the royal officers into the house of cultivators (i. e. unwelcome visit of police officers, abhad appa. . vesam) non-taking of anything with impunity and unjust punish. ment (adamdakodam dimai) and non-payment of debt (adhariman)."
This celebration of birth was provided with songs and dances presented by courtesans and actors followed by many classes of actors (a negatālācarānucariyan) and the unbarnessed Mrdanga and it was furnished with the unfaded flower garlands for the social entertainment of the people.
Thus the birth-ceremony of his son was made delightful and sportive (Pamuiyan-pakkiliyan) by the king Bala together with the city and country people (sapurajanojānarayam) for ten days.'
On this occasion he offered and caused to offer hundreds, thousands, lakhs of sacrifices, gifts, shares of desired objects and himself received and caused to receive such quantities of presents during this period extending for ten days.
The king and queen, Bala and Prabhāvati Deví performed the birth-ceremony (jāyakamma) of their child by cutting his naval-string and burying it into the ground on the first day, that of showing the moon and the sun to him (Camda Súradarsanaya) on the third day, that of keeping the whole night vigil (jāgariyar)
| Bhs, 11, 11, 429.
exaggeration)
6
16,
2.4 10, 11, 11, 429. (The figure of Sacrifices seems to be an
6 Ib, 11, 11, 429.
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