Nīrājana Vidhi

Nīrājana Vidhi, “the rite of waving lights”

Nīrājana is the rite of waving lighted lamps before a deva, known today as āratī. The Agni Purāṇa calls it ārati too (hārati). It is one of the most important upacāras (offerings) of a pūjā. In the Agni Purāṇa, chapter 268 gives the nīrājana vidhi as part of the yearly royal ceremony. Chapter 269 gives the mantras that consecrate the royal insignia: the parasol (chatra), horse, elephant, flag (patākā), sword (khaḍga) and drum (dundubhi).

Pushkara teaches the nīrājana to Paraśurāma in the setting of the king’s yearly ceremonies (sāṃvatsara-karma). The chapter places the nīrājana within a larger round of royal worship through the seasons. It includes the worship of the stars and planets, the raising of Indra‘s dhvaja, the consecration of the weapons of battle and the great procession of the king’s army.

The Agni Purāṇa speaks of nīrājana in other rites as well. When the kalaśas are set up for the consecration of a mūrti, a vessel for nīrājana stands in the south-east and sixty-eight lamps are set for it (Chapter 57). On the seventh day before a king marches to war, his weapons and vehicles are worshipped with the nīrājana mantras (Chapter 236). And among the marks of the best army, Śrī Rāma names soldiers who perform ārati for the horses and elephants of their own army (Chapter 239).

The annual royal nīrājana (chapter 268)

The king’s yearly worship

Before the nīrājana itself, the Agni Purāṇa gives the yearly round of worship for the king:

• On the king’s birth nakshatra, that nakshatra is worshipped.
• Every month, and on every saṃkrānti (the sun’s passage into a new sign), Bhagavān Sūrya and the homa devas are worshipped.
• At the rising of Agastya (the star Canopus), the ṛshi Agastya is worshipped.
• During the cāturmāsya (the four months of the rest of Bhagavān Vishṇu), Bhagavān Hari is worshipped.
• On Śayana Ekādaśī and Utthāna Ekādaśī, a five-day utsava (festival) is kept.

The Indra-dhvaja festival

In the month of Bhādrapada, on Śukla Pratipad, a building is made to the east of the royal camp for the Indra pūjā.

1. The Indra-dhvaja (the standard of Indra) is set up there.
2. Śacī and Indra are both worshipped from Pratipad to Ashṭamī.
3. On Ashṭamī, with the sound of instruments, the daṇḍa (staff) is fitted to the Indra-dhvaja.
4. On Ekādaśī the king fasts.
5. On Dvādaśī the dhvaja is raised.

A kalaśa covered with cloth stands for Indra and Śacī. The king prays:

O Pākaśāsana (Indra), slayer of Vṛtra, great one, may you be victorious! You have come to this earth. You are the eternal and supreme ruler, and you care for the welfare of all beings. You are of endless tejas. You are the virāṭ-purusha, the increaser of yaśas (fame) and jaya (victory). You are the Indra who sends the finest rains. May all the devas increase your tejas! Brahmā, Vishṇu, Maheśvara, Kārttikeya, Vināyaka, the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Sādhyas, the Bhṛgus, the directions, the Marudgaṇas, the Lokapālas, the grahas, the Yakshas, the mountains, the rivers, the seas, Lakshmī, Bhūmi, Gaurī, Caṇḍikā and Sarasvatī: may all of these increase your tejas! O Indra, spouse of Śacī, be victorious! May your victory always bring śubha (good) to me! Bless the brāhmaṇas, the people and the king, all of them. May the earth be ever fertile through your grace! May all enjoy unhindered auspiciousness! May all the īti-bādhas (enemies of the crops: drought, too much rain, locusts and the like) end completely!

One who worships Indra with this mantra wins the earth and reaches svarga.

The nīrājana: the lamp-waving ceremony

Bhadrakālī. On Āśvīyuja Śukla Ashṭamī (the eighth bright day of the month of Āśvina), Bhadrakālī is painted on cloth and worshipped by those who seek victory. The king’s weapons are worshipped with flowers and the other upacāras: the āyudhamāla (garlands of weapons), the dhanus (bow), the dhvaja (flag), the chatra (parasol) and the rāti-cihna (stone-emblems). The king keeps vigil through the night, offers bali, and worships again the next day.

The prayer to Bhadrakālī:

Bhadrakālī, Mahākālī, Durgā! O Durgā who removes durgati (adversity), O Trailokya-vijayā, O Caṇḍī, give me śānti (peace) and vijaya (victory)!

The hall and the devas. The nīrājana proper is then described.

1. A deva-mandira (hall of the devas) is built in the Īśāna (north-east) direction with three doors. Worship of the devas is done there without a break.
2. The nīrājana begins when Sūrya leaves the Citrā nakshatra and enters Svātī. The pūjā goes on as long as Sūrya stays in Svātī.
3. In this time a full set of devas is worshipped: Bṛhaspati, Vishṇu, Śambhu (Śiva), Śakra (Indra), Agni, Vāyu, Vināyaka, Kumāra, Varuṇa, Kubera, the Viśvedevas and Vaiśravaṇa.
4. The eight dik-gajas (elephants of the directions) are also worshipped: Kumuda, Airāvata, Padma, Pushpadanta, Vāmana, Supratīka, Añjana and Nīla.

The homa and the bathing. The royal purohita offers ājya (ghee), samit (sticks) and siddhārtha and tila (mustard and sesame) as homa. Eight kalaśas are worshipped. The best horses and elephants are bathed with the kalaśa water. The elephants are first given their fodder (grāsa). Then they are brought through the toraṇa-dvāra (the ceremonial gate), while the whole assembly walks in procession outside. They must not be taken across the gopuras (gate-towers). When all have come out, the royal insignia are worshipped in the house itself.

Varuṇa and the day of Viśākhā. On the Śatabhishā nakshatra, Varuṇa is worshipped and bali is given to the bhūtas. When Sūrya enters Viśākhā, the king stays in the royal āśrama. On that day the vehicles are richly adorned, and the royal insignia are worshipped and handed to their keepers. The jyotisha (astrologer), who knows the right times, consecrates with mantras (abhimantraṇa) the elephants, horses, chatra, khaḍga (sword), dhanus, dundubhi (war-drum), dhvaja and patākā, and they are placed on the elephants. The jyotisha and the purohita also mount an elephant, and all go out by the gate. The king, mounted on an elephant, comes out by the royal gate and offers bali according to the rule.

The procession. The king himself rides an elephant. With the full caturaṅga-senā (four-division army), he makes three pradakshiṇās (rounds) of the blazing kāgaḍā (torches or columns of fire). Steady in mind, he has the whole army shout “jaya” (victory) as they go round the torches that light up the horizons. Water (jala) is offered: he gives jalāñjali, water poured from the joined palms. The king then returns home.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 268

The Agni Purāṇa says of it:

This ceremony called nīrājana gives śānti and vṛddhi (peace and growth); it causes the destruction of enemies.

The chatra and the royal insignia (chapter 269)

Chapter 269 is also told by Pushkara to Paraśurāma. It gives the mantra for the consecration of each item of royal regalia. Worshipping these things with these mantras gives vijaya (victory) and other auspicious fruits.

Chatra mantra (parasol)

O great-minded Chatra-deva! You shine with the bright whiteness of ice, of jasmine blossoms and of the moon. By the power of Brahmā’s truthful word and the powers of Varuṇa and Sūrya, may you always grow in glory. As the clouds cover the earth for auspiciousness, may you cover the king for victory and for the growth of his health. Protect the king!

Aśva mantra (horse)

O horse, you were born in the Gandharva line. Do not disgrace your line. By Brahmā’s satya-vākya (true word), by the power of homa and of Varuṇa, Agni and Sūrya, and the tapas of the ṛshis, and Rudra’s brahmacarya, and the strength of Vāyu, may you always go forward! Remember that you are a son of Aśvarāja. Remember the Kaustubha jewel.

The mantra then speaks of the fate of those who commit brahma-hatyā (the killing of a brāhmaṇa), pitṛ-hatyā (the killing of a father) and mātṛ-hatyā (the killing of a mother), of those who lie for land, and of kshatriyas who run from battle. It warns the horse:

May you never suffer such an ignoble fate! May you stay with your master and slay the enemies in battle!

Indra-dhvaja mantra (the standard of Indra)

O Mahāparākrama-dhvaja! Garuṭmanta, the vehicle of Vishṇu, slayer of serpents, son of Kaśyapa, has been set upon you. He who took amṛta by force from the devaloka, who bears mighty wings, who drank the nectar, he of measureless power, unbeaten in battle, has been placed upon you by Bhagavān Śrī Mahāvishṇu for the sake of Indra. O flag, always give me victory! Increase my strength! Protect my warriors, armoured with kavacas and āyudhas, and burn the enemies to ash!

Gaja mantra (elephant)

The eight great elephant-kings are Kumuda, Airāvata, Padma, Pushpadanta, Vāmana, Supratīka, Añjana and Nīla. They are of divine origin. Their sons and grandsons live in the eight forests. In each forest are born the auspicious kinds called bhadra, mandra, mṛga and saṅkīrṇa.

O great elephants, remember your noble birth! May the Vasus, Rudras, Ādityas and Marudgaṇas protect you! O Gajendra, remembering your origin, protect your master. Devendra, bearer of the vajra, riding Airāvata, follows you; may he protect you! May you go forward in battle and return victorious. May you gain the strength of Airāvata, the brightness of the moon’s maṇḍala, the bala of Vishṇu, the tejas of Sūrya, the vega (speed) of Vāyu, the sthirata (steadiness) of the mountain, the vijaya of Rudra and the yaśas of Indra!

The dikpālas, the dik-gajas, the Gandharvas and the Aśvikumāras are all called to guard the elephant in battle.

Patākā mantra (battle flag)

O patākā! May the destroying blows from all four sides, the arrows and the weapons of the enemies, be wiped out by your tejas! As you blazed in the battles of Kālanemi, in the destruction of Tripura and in the battle of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and in all the battles of the daityas, so blaze today! Remember your vow! Seeing you, dark and white and shining, the king’s enemies will die at once; they will be beaten by disease and by weapons. You are known by the names Pūtanā, Revatī, Lekhā and Kālarātri. O patākā, we take shelter in you. Burn all our enemies to ash!

Khaḍga mantra (sword)

O khaḍga, you are a second form of Nārāyaṇa’s sword Nandaka! You are dark blue like the petals of the nīlakamala (blue lotus). You destroy evil dreams. Brahmā gave you eight names: Asi, Vishasana, Khaḍga, Tīkshṇadhāra, Śrīgarbha, Vijaya, Dharma-pāla and Prabhā. Your nakshatra is Kṛttikā; Maheśvara is your guru; gold is your body; Janārdana is your deva. O khaḍga, protect the king resting in his city!

Kavaca mantra (armour)

O kavaca! You are auspicious on the battlefield. O pure one, I am worthy of your protection. Protect me! I bow to you.

Dundubhi mantra (war drum)

O dundubhi! By your sound make the hearts of the enemies tremble! Give victory and growth to our king’s armies. As fine elephants rejoice at the sound of thunder, may our army rejoice at your sound. As women are frightened by the thunder of clouds, may the enemies who come to battle be frightened in the same way by your sound!

The conclusion

When all the royal insignia have been worshipped with these mantras, they are put to use for victory.

1. The royal astrologer consecrates the elephants, horses, chatra, khaḍga, dhanus, dundubhi, dhvaja and patākā by abhimantraṇa (blessing with mantras).
2. These are loaded onto the elephants and brought out through the gate.
3. Each year the royal purohita performs the abhisheka of Bhagavān Vishṇu and the other devas, and of the king himself.
4. He also performs the rakshā-bandhana (the binding of protection) for the king.

Nīrājana in other rites

At the setting up of the kalaśas. In the kumbhādhivāsa, the setting up of the kalaśas before a mūrti is consecrated, each vessel of the upacāras has its own place. The vessel for nīrājana, with dūrvā grass and akshata (unbroken rice), is placed in the south-east, and sixty-eight lamps are set for the nīrājana. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 57)

Before the war march. Pushkara gives the rite of the seven days before a king marches to war. On the seventh day the king worships Trivikrama and worships his āyudhas (weapons) and vāhanas (vehicles) with the nīrājana mantras. Then, hearing the words “puṇyāha” and “jaya” and the blessing of the brāhmaṇas, he goes forward. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 236)

In the best army. Teaching Lakshmaṇa the rāja-dharma, Śrī Rāma names the soldiers of the best army: hereditary, obedient, united, fully paid, famed for valour, skilled in war, seasoned in many battles, and among them those who perform ārati (nīrājana) for the horses and elephants of their own army. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 239)

Sources

• Agni Purāṇa, chapter 268 (the king’s yearly worship, the Indra-dhvaja festival, Bhadrakālī pūjā and the nīrājana)
• Agni Purāṇa, chapter 269 (mantras for the chatra, horse, Indra-dhvaja, elephant, patākā, khaḍga, kavaca and dundubhi, and the conclusion)
• Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 57, 236, 239