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court festival; and it is mentioned also in Bāna's Harsacarita, Book VIII, which refers to the sacrifice of buffaloes on the occasion. Somadeva does not indeed speak of animal sacrifices in connection with Mahānavami; and it is quite possible that they were sometimes omitted, specially when the festival was celebrated under the auspices of a court like that of the Răstrakūtas, susceptible to the influence of Jaina ideas.
Mahānavami is followed by Dipotsava or the Festival of Lights, corresponding to the modern Diwali. The short description of it addressed to the king by a bard in Yasastilaka 3. 462-4 refers to the whitewashed palaces and the white flags and the rows of lights on the lofty terraces of the edifices of the city; and speaks of the women excited by gambling', the gaiety of courtesans, and the sweet notes of music. According to Padmapurāna (Uttarakhanda), the Dipotsava commences on the fourteenth day of the dark half of Kārttika, and importance is given to a ceremonial bath on that day followed by a salutation to Yama. The illuminations take place in the evening; temples, buildings, shrines, assembly-halls, stables and fortifications are decorated with lights as are also river-banks, tanks, gardens and gateways. Next day the king entertains the citizens in a large-scale reception; and the Dipotasva seems to have provided a suitable occasion for promoting cordial relations between the ruler and the ruled. The king is expected to gratify the various classes of people on the joyous occasion, the good men with courtesy and others with food and drink and the learned with conversation and the inmates of the inner apartments with presents of cloth, betel, flowers, camphor and saffron and various delicacies. The village headmen are rewarded with gifts, and money presents are made to the tributaries; while ornaments are distributed among troops, ministers and kinsmen. Seated on a raised platform, the king witnesses bull-fights reviews the assembled clansmen and the troops and the actors, dancers and minstrels. An interesting item is the ceremonial fastening of the Mārgapāli, a wreath of Kuśa and Kāśa grass with numerous streamers, to a pillar of the fort or a tree, under which are assembled the horses, elephants and the cattle to ensure protection against disease. During the night the people indulge in gambling, and at midnight the women of the city cast out Alakşaıī, the goddess of poverty, from their homes to the sound of drums and music, The most important item of the nocturnal festivities is the worship of the
1 'महानवमीमहं महिषमण्डलानाम्'. The citation in पुरुषार्थचिन्तामणि (op. cit.) goes on to say सा
पुण्या सा पवित्रा च सुधर्मसुखदायिनी । तस्यां सदा पूजनीया चामुण्डा मुण्डमालिनी ॥ तस्यां ये छुपहन्यन्ते प्राणिनो
महिषादयः। सर्वे ते स्वर्गतिं यान्ति नतां पापं न विद्यते ।। 9 See also Chap. VII.
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