Dik-Devatās and Lokapālas

The Dik-Devatās are the devīs of the directions. The Varāha Purāṇa says Brahmā made them from his ears when he was creating the first beings. Each is joined to a Lokapāla, a guardian of the world, who holds one direction. The Agni Purāṇa describes the Dikpāla-yāga, a fire rite for the eight guardians of the directions, and the Dikpāla-snāna, a rite of bathing for them.

The ten directional devīs (Varāha Purāṇa, Chapter 29)

Brahmā was creating the first beings. He was anxious about who would hold them. Then ten maidens came out of his ears, all shining. Six of these were the main dik-devatās (devīs of the directions).

The four other maidens, the ten less the six main ones, were given to the upādiś (the intermediate directions). All ten became known by their husbands’ names, such as aindrī and āgneyī.

What the devīs asked

Before they were married, the maidens asked Brahmā:

“Give us a place and husbands. Where shall we live happily with our partners?”

Brahmā answered:

“This Brahmāṇḍa extends a hundred crore [yojanas]. At its limits, live as you wish. I will create suitable husbands.”

Daśamī

The marriages of the Dik-Devatās and the giving of the directions took place on Daśamī, the tenth lunar day. Brahmā gave Daśamī to the Dik-Devatās as their day and gave them the names of their husbands of the directions.

Observance: eat curds and rice (perugu-annaṃ). The Dik-Devatās will take away all pāpa (sin) every day.

Phala (the fruit of hearing)

A person who reads the birth account of the Dik-Devatās (janma-vṛttāntaṃ) with a steady mind reaches nitya-nivāsa (a lasting home) in Brahmaloka.

Kubera, born from Vāyu (Varāha Purāṇa, Chapter 30)

The Varāha Purāṇa also tells of Vāyu (Wind), who came from Brahmā’s mouth. He burst out with force and threw hailstones. Brahmā calmed him and made him dhanapati, the master of wealth. He was to guard all the wealth that the devas earn by their tapas and deeds. Brahmā told him:

“You shall protect the accumulated wealth and earned fruits of all devas.”

In this way Vāyu became Kubera in one respect, the master of all treasured goods.

Ekādaśī: Brahmā gave Ekādaśī to Kubera. A person who fasts on Ekādaśī and eats only uncooked (parārtha) food gains Kubera’s grace and the fulfilment of all wishes.

The Dikpāla-yāga in the Agni Purāṇa (Chapter 56)

Chapter 56 of the Agni Purāṇa describes the Dikpāla-yāga. It is an essential part of the pratishṭhā of a temple (the rite of setting up the mūrti). It is a fire rite for the eight guardians of the directions, who protect the holy place. Hayagrīva tells this chapter to Brahmā.

How the yāga is done

Before the Dikpāla-yāga, a maṇḍapa (pavilion) is built in front of the temple. It measures eight, sixteen or twenty hastas (cubits). The ground is cleansed with pañcagavya (the five products of the cow). Flagpoles (dhvajas) of fitting colours are set in the eight directions: red in the east, fire-coloured in the southeast, black in the south, white in the southwest, yellow in the west, red in the northwest, white in the north and blue in the northeast. Kalaśas (water pots) filled with red-hot (heated) water are set up in the eight directions. Then each Dikpāla is invited (āvāhana) into his own kalaśa.

The eight Dikpālas, their directions, mounts, weapons and invocations are:

• Indra (east, the “Suśobhana” gate) rides Airāvata and holds the vajra. The invocation is “O Deva-rāja Indra, come with your devas and protect this eastern gate; salutation to you.” He is honoured with the mantra “Trātāram Indram”.
• Agni (southeast, the “Subhadra” gate) rides a ram (mesha) and holds the śakti. The invocation is “O Agni-deva, come and protect this Āgneya direction.” He is honoured with “Agniḥ Pūrvebhyaḥ” or “Agnaye Namaḥ”.
• Yama (south, the “Sukarma” gate) rides a mahisha (buffalo) and holds the daṇḍa (rod). He is invoked as the son of Sūrya. He is honoured with “Vaivasvataṃ Saṃgamanam”.
• Nirṛti (southwest) rides a human being and holds a khaḍga (sword). The invocation is “O Nirṛti, come; accept this arghya and protect the Nairṛtī direction.” He is honoured with “Upāsate Nirṛte”.
• Varuṇa (west, the “Suhotra” gate) rides a makara (sea creature) and holds a pāśa (noose). He is invoked as “Mahābalaśāli Varuṇa”. He is honoured with “Uruṃhi Rājā Varuṇaḥ”.
• Vāyu (northwest) rides a deer (mṛga) and holds a dhvaja (banner). The invocation is “O Vāyu, come with the Maruts and protect the Vāyavya direction.” He is honoured with “Vāta Āvātu” or “Oṃ Namo Vāyave”.
• Kubera or Soma (north) rides a ram (ghaṭa) and holds a gadā (mace). The text invokes “Soma” as the protector of the north, with Kubera as his companion. He is honoured with “Somaṃ Rājānam” or “Oṃ Somāya Namaḥ”.
• Īśāna (northeast) rides a vṛshabha (bull) and holds a śūla (trident). He is invoked as an aspect of Maheśvara. He is honoured with “Īśānasya” or “Īśānāya Namaḥ”.

In addition, Brahmā (the direction above) is invoked on a haṃsa (goose), holding the sruk and sruva (sacrificial ladles). He is honoured with “Hiraṇyagarbha”. Ananta (the direction below) sits on a tortoise and holds the cakra. He guards the downward direction and is honoured with “Namostu Sarvebhyaḥ”.

The images of the Dikpālas (Chapter 51)

Chapter 51 gives the images of the Dikpālas as follows:

• Indra on an elephant with the vajra.
• Agni on a goat with the śakti.
• Yama on a buffalo with the daṇḍa.
• Nirṛti on a human with the khaḍga.
• Varuṇa on a makara with the pāśa.
• Vāyu on a deer with the vajra.
• Kubera on a ram with the gadā.
• Īśāna on a vṛshabha with jaṭā (matted hair) and the śūla.

All the Dikpālas have two arms (dvibhuja) and show the varada-mudrā (the gesture of giving vara, a boon). Each holds two lotuses.

The Dikpāla-snāna in the Agni Purāṇa (Chapter 265)

Chapter 265 describes the Dikpāla-snāna. This is a full bathing rite for the eight guardians of the directions. It is part of a larger rite of cleansing, healing and consecration. Agni-deva speaks on this to Paraśurāma.

The chapter begins with the right places for bathing, by purpose:

• For the home and for Bhagavān Śrī Mahāvishṇu: the river bank (nadī-tīra).
• For fever and the troubles of the planets (graha-bādhā): the temple (devālaya).
• To gain vidyā (knowledge): a tank or inside the home.
• For victory: the water of a tīrtha (holy place).
• For women who lose the child in the womb: a pushkariṇī (sacred pond).
• For women whose newborn children keep dying: near an aśoka tree.
• For women who seek the monthly flow, sons or saubhāgya (good fortune): a forest full of flowers, the sea, or the home, in that order.

For the bath there is a seven-day time of preparation (utsādana) with a paste of herbs. The paste holds punarnava, gorocana, śatāṅga, guru-ṇi, bark, madhūka, two kinds of turmeric, tagara, nāgakesara, ambari, mañjishṭhā, jaṭāmāṃsī, yāsaka, kardama, priyaṅgu, white mustard, kushṭha, balā, brāhmī and kuṅkuma. All are mixed with sattvas and pañcagavya and rubbed on the body before the bath.

The procedure

On a copper plate a padma-maṇḍala (lotus diagram) is drawn. Bhagavān Vishṇu is set at the karṇikā (the centre of the lotus). Brahmā is on his right and Bhagavān Śiva is on his left. In the eight directions, four main and four between, the Dikpālas are set with their āyudhas (weapons) and companions in eight separate bathing maṇḍalas.

Eight kalaśas are set up, named Bhadra, Subhadra, Siddhārtha, Pushṭivardhana, Amogha, Citrabhānu, Parjanya and Sudarśana. These groups of divine beings are invited into them: Aśvinī, Rudra, the Marudgaṇa, the Viśvedevas, the Daityas, the Vasus, Durgā and the munis.

The eight kalaśas hold good things, among them jayantī, vijaya, jayā, śatāvarī, śatapushpa, vishṇukrānta, aparājitā, jyotishmatī, atibala, candana, āśīra, kesara, kastūrī, karpūra, pālaka, patraka, tvac, jātīphala, lavaṅga, sacred clay (mṛttikā) and pañcagavya.

Then brāhmaṇas bathe the person for whom the rite is done (the sādhya). He sits on a bhadra-pīṭha (a seat), and they pour these waters while saying the mantras of the Dikpālas. A separate homa is made for each Dikpāla in the maṇḍala: one hundred and eight āhutis (offerings) for each, with samidhas (sticks), tila (sesame) and ghṛta (ghee). After the pūrṇāhuti (the final offering), the guru receives dakshiṇā (a gift).

The Agni Purāṇa says that Bṛhaspati once did this Dikpāla-snāna for Indra, and after it Indra was able to kill the Daityas. This is said to be the origin of the rite as a vijaya-pradāyaka, a giver of victory.

Sources

• Varāha Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 29, 30
• Agni Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 51, 56, 265