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SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
379
"किं नु खलु ऋतुत्सवेऽपि निरुत्सवारम्भमिव राजकुलं दृश्यते""
The sprout of the mango tree is deemed the all-in-all of the life of the Spring months (Season) being the auspicious harbinger of the season.
'आताम्रहरितपाण्डुरं जीवितसर्ववसन्तमासस्य (योः)। दृष्टोऽसि चूतकोरकऋतुमंगलं त्वां प्रसादयामि।।”
Cuckoo gets maddened at the sight of the mango blossom. The maidens enjoy the privilege of intoxicated movements and raving ditties or impassioned songs. Standing on tip-toe the ladies worship the God of love with mango blossom in hand. The worship marking the celebration of the spring festival is as under :
__ "Here do I offer you, O mango blossom, to the God of Love, who has taken up his bow. Do you become the most effective arrow of his fire, having for you making the young wives of men journeying abroad."
The word 'Vasantotsava' also occurs following on - "कंचुकी- मा तावदनात्मज्ञे। देवेन प्रतिषिद्धे वसन्तोत्सवे त्वामाम्रकलिकाभंगं किमारभसे।। Dhanapāla describes the glory of spring in its festal melee as under -
"Spring season is the sole abode of loveliness of the entire triad of worlds, the paramount sovereign of the seasons, creating morbid transformations in the blooming youth rendered goadless, shattering the hopes of life of the wives of the journeying men, making the Cupid void of compassion, making the fresh stalks of mangoes bend low with the weight of blossoms." The advent of Spring has been associated with the festivities on the 13th of the full moon day (of Caitra) the day on which Kamadeva is honoured and worshipped.
"Today there is the festival or procession, in the shrine of Cupid, ensued on the thirteenth (of the full moon day) of Madana (i.e. Kāma). The entire
1. Abhi. Sāk Act. Vi p. 210. M.R. Kale edition. 2. Ibid. verse 2. 3. प्रथमा चूतकलिकां दृष्ट्वोन्मत्ता परभृतिका भवति।
द्वितीया सहर्षं त्वरयोपगम्य कथमुपस्थितो मधुमासः। प्रथमा मधुकरिके तवेदानी कालः एषः मदविभ्रमगीतानाम्। द्वितीया सखि अवलम्बस्वमाः यावदग्रपाद स्थिता भूत्वा चूतकलिकां गृहीत्वा कामदेवार्चनं करोमि।
त्वमसि मया चूतांकुरदत्तः कामाय गृहीतधनुषे पथिकजनयुवतिलक्ष्यः पंचाभ्यधिकः शरो भव। Ibid. 4. Ibid. p. 214. 5. मुकुलभरनम्रनूतनाम्रस्तम्बे......निष्करुणमकरध्वजे...... जर्जरिताध्वगवधजनजीविताशे निरंकुशीकृताभिनवयौवनविकारे
चक्रवर्तिनि प्रवृत्ते सकलत्रैलोक्यरामणीयकैकवसतौ वसन्तसमये। TM Sm. ed. pp. 297-298.
