DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0157
Vaishnavism. Caitanya Sect.
H5
god was of course supposed to consume the food or feast on
its aroma, receiving at the end of the meal an offering of betel
for the supposed cleansing of the mouth after eating, and
a spoonful more water for a second sipping. Finally the
priest prostrated himself before the idol, and terminated the
whole ceremony by putting the god comfortably to sleep for
the day.
While he was going through these ceremonial acts he
appeared to be muttering texts, and I observed that during
the whole service a Brahman was seated on the ground not
far off, who intoned portions of the tenth book of the Bhaga-
vata-purana, descriptive of the life of Krishna, reading from
a copy of the work placed before him. At the same time a
band of musicians outside the temple over the entrance to
the compound played a discordant accompaniment with tom-
toms, fifes, and drums.
In the evening the process of waking, undressing, and re-
dressing the image was repeated, but without bathing.
Flowers and food were again offered, prayers and texts were
intoned, a musical service was performed, and the idol put to
sleep once more.
The cooked food offered to the idol is ultimately eaten by
the priests. In large temples it is also distributed to the
worshippers, who receive it eagerly as divine nutriment, and
at some places (for example at a particular temple in
Benares) considerable portions are sold at high prices to
outside applicants. The water in which the idol is washed
is called tirtha, and is drunk as holy water.
H5
god was of course supposed to consume the food or feast on
its aroma, receiving at the end of the meal an offering of betel
for the supposed cleansing of the mouth after eating, and
a spoonful more water for a second sipping. Finally the
priest prostrated himself before the idol, and terminated the
whole ceremony by putting the god comfortably to sleep for
the day.
While he was going through these ceremonial acts he
appeared to be muttering texts, and I observed that during
the whole service a Brahman was seated on the ground not
far off, who intoned portions of the tenth book of the Bhaga-
vata-purana, descriptive of the life of Krishna, reading from
a copy of the work placed before him. At the same time a
band of musicians outside the temple over the entrance to
the compound played a discordant accompaniment with tom-
toms, fifes, and drums.
In the evening the process of waking, undressing, and re-
dressing the image was repeated, but without bathing.
Flowers and food were again offered, prayers and texts were
intoned, a musical service was performed, and the idol put to
sleep once more.
The cooked food offered to the idol is ultimately eaten by
the priests. In large temples it is also distributed to the
worshippers, who receive it eagerly as divine nutriment, and
at some places (for example at a particular temple in
Benares) considerable portions are sold at high prices to
outside applicants. The water in which the idol is washed
is called tirtha, and is drunk as holy water.