Hiranyagarbha (donation)
Hiranyagarbha (IAST: hiraṇya-garbha) is an ancient Indian ceremony involving the donation of a golden vessel. It is mentioned as one of the sixteen great gifts in the historical texts.[1]
Ritual
The word hiranyagarbha literally means "golden womb": it signifies a golden pot (kunda) donated to a brahmana, and also refers to the god Vishnu.[2]
The donor performs an archana (worship ritual), and utters a mantra praising the lord Hiranyagarbha, that is, Vishnu. The performer then enters into the "golden womb", as the priests perform the rites usually performed for a pregnant woman: garbhadhana, pumsavana, and simantonnayana.[2]
Next, the donor is taken out of the "golden womb", and the priests perform jatakarma and other rites usually performed for a newborn. The donor utters a mantra announcing a "rebirth" from the divine womb, and is called "born of the hiranyagarbha".[2]
After the ceremony, the donor gives away the "golden womb" and other gifts to the priests.[3]
History
The Atharvaveda-parishishta, composed in the 1st millennium BCE, describes hiranyagarbha, besides tulapurusha and gosahasra donations.[4] These three donations are included among the sixteen great gifts in the later text Matsya Purana; the relevant section of the text appears to have been composed during 550-650 CE.[5] It states that several ancient kings performed the great gifts.[4] The Linga Purana also mentions the sixteen great donations; according to R. C. Hazara, the relevant portion of the text was composed during c. 600-1000 CE, most probably after 800 CE. The great gifts are also described in the later digests devoted to the topic of charity (dāna), such as Ballala's Dana-sagara, and the Danakhanda section of Hemadri's Chaturvarga-chintamani (13th century).[4]
The Chalukya king Pulakeshin I (c. 540-567) is known to have performed the hiranyagarbha ritual (although not mentioned as a great gift) to proclaim his sovereignty.[6] The 7th century Pandya king Jayantavarman (alias Cendan), according to one of his inscriptions, performed three of the great gifts: hiranyagarbha, gosahasra, and tulapursuha.[7]
The great gifts went on to become the principal sign of a king's beneficence, overlordship, and independence in the subsequent centuries.[8] In particular, hiranyagarbha finds a mention in multiple historical inscriptions of Indian kings, including:[9]
- King Attivarman (c. 4th century) of Ananda dynasty, who is called hiranyagarbha-prasava ("born of the golden womb") in the Gorantala inscription.[9]
- Damodaravarman of Ananda dynasty.[10]
- Vishnukundin king Madhavarman I, who is called hiranyagarbha-prasuta ("born of the golden womb") in the Ipur and Polamuru inscriptions.[11]
- Mangalesha (r. c. 592-610 CE), who is called hiranyagarbha-sambhuta ("produced from the golden womb") in the Mahakuta Pillar inscription[9]
- Dantidurga (r. c. 735-756) of Rashtrakuta dynasty[10]
- Yashahkarna (r. c. 1073-1123) of Kalachuri dynasty of Tripuri[10]
- Jaya Pala (r. c. 1075-1110)[10]
References
- ^ D. C. Sircar 1971, p. 164.
- ^ a b c D. C. Sircar 1971, p. 166.
- ^ D. C. Sircar 1971, p. 167.
- ^ a b c Annette Schmiedchen 2006, p. 146.
- ^ Annette Schmiedchen 2006, pp. 145–146.
- ^ Daud Ali 2000, p. 146.
- ^ Florinda De Simini 2016, p. 32.
- ^ Nicholas B. Dirks 1993, p. 37.
- ^ a b c D. C. Sircar 1971, pp. 164–165.
- ^ a b c d Vijay Nath 2001, p. 120.
- ^ D. C. Sircar 1971, p. 165.
Bibliography
- Annette Schmiedchen (2006). "The Ceremony of Tulāpuruṣa: The Purāṇic Concept and the Epigraphical Evidence". In Adalbert J. Gail; Gerd J. R. Mevissen; Richard Salomon (eds.). Script and Image: Papers on Art and Epigraphy. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-2944-2.
- D. C. Sircar (1971). Studies in the Religious Life of Ancient and Medieval India. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-2790-5.
- Daud Ali (2000). "Royal Eulogy as World History: Rethinking Copper-Plate Inscriptions in Cola India". Querying the Medieval: Texts and the History of Practices in South Asia. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-512430-9.
- Florinda De Simini (2016). "Manuscripts, Ritual, and the State in Indian Sources". Of Gods and Books: Ritual and Knowledge Transmission in the Manuscript Cultures of Premodern India. De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-047881-5.
- Nicholas B. Dirks (1993). The Hollow Crown: Ethnohistory of an Indian Kingdom. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08187-X.
- Vijay Nath (2001). Purāṇas and acculturation: a historico-anthropological perspective. Munshiram Manoharlal. ISBN 9788121509954.