DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0156
144 Vaishnavism. Caitanya Sect.
of hard work night and day in three months, and, on com-
plaining to his friend the Brahman that no result followed,
was told that he must have made some slight verbal mistake
in the repetition of some one text, and that any such slip
necessitated his going through the whole process again.
A great many treatises (such as the Caitanya-caritamrita
written by Krishna-das in 1590) have been composed by the
disciples of Caitanya in support of his tenets. These works
are in high repute in Bengal.
At the end of the chapter on Saivism I described the
ceremonial acts practised in worshipping the Linga of Siva,
as well as the exceptional rites performed at Bhuvanesvara
(pp. 90-94). The process of worshipping the images of
Krishna has many points of resemblance, but I had few oppor-
tunities of witnessing the detail of the ceremonies employed.
On one occasion, however, I was allowed to look through an
accidental crevice into the shrine of a Vaishnava temple at
Poona while the early morning service (puja) was performed.
The idol of the god Krishna first underwent a process of being
roused from its supposed nocturnal slumbers by the attendant
priest, who invoked the deity by name. Then a respectful
offering of water in a boat-shaped vessel was made to it.
Next the whole idol was bathed and holy water poured over
it from a small perforated metal lota. Then the attendant
priest standing near applied sandal-paste (candana) with his
finger to the idol's forehead and limbs, and, taking a brush,
painted the face with a bright colouring substance, probably
saffron. Next, the idol was dressed and decorated with costly
clothes and ornaments. Then the priest burnt camphor and
incense and waved lights before the image, at the same time
ringing a small bell (ghanta). Then flowers (pushpa) and the
leaves of the sacred tulsl plant were offered, followed by an
oblation of food (naivedya), consisting of cooked rice with
sugar. Next water was taken out of a small metal vessel
with a spoon and was presented for sipping (ac'amana). The
of hard work night and day in three months, and, on com-
plaining to his friend the Brahman that no result followed,
was told that he must have made some slight verbal mistake
in the repetition of some one text, and that any such slip
necessitated his going through the whole process again.
A great many treatises (such as the Caitanya-caritamrita
written by Krishna-das in 1590) have been composed by the
disciples of Caitanya in support of his tenets. These works
are in high repute in Bengal.
At the end of the chapter on Saivism I described the
ceremonial acts practised in worshipping the Linga of Siva,
as well as the exceptional rites performed at Bhuvanesvara
(pp. 90-94). The process of worshipping the images of
Krishna has many points of resemblance, but I had few oppor-
tunities of witnessing the detail of the ceremonies employed.
On one occasion, however, I was allowed to look through an
accidental crevice into the shrine of a Vaishnava temple at
Poona while the early morning service (puja) was performed.
The idol of the god Krishna first underwent a process of being
roused from its supposed nocturnal slumbers by the attendant
priest, who invoked the deity by name. Then a respectful
offering of water in a boat-shaped vessel was made to it.
Next the whole idol was bathed and holy water poured over
it from a small perforated metal lota. Then the attendant
priest standing near applied sandal-paste (candana) with his
finger to the idol's forehead and limbs, and, taking a brush,
painted the face with a bright colouring substance, probably
saffron. Next, the idol was dressed and decorated with costly
clothes and ornaments. Then the priest burnt camphor and
incense and waved lights before the image, at the same time
ringing a small bell (ghanta). Then flowers (pushpa) and the
leaves of the sacred tulsl plant were offered, followed by an
oblation of food (naivedya), consisting of cooked rice with
sugar. Next water was taken out of a small metal vessel
with a spoon and was presented for sipping (ac'amana). The