Kṛshṇājina
Kṛshṇājina · kṛshṇa-ajina, “black antelope skin”
Grammar: neuter noun, a compound of kṛshṇa (black) and ajina (skin, hide): “black skin”, the skin of the black antelope.
Meaning: the skin of the black antelope, worn or sat upon by tapasvīs, by brahmacārīs and by a yajamāna under dīkshā (the consecration for a yajña).
In the scriptures:
- Prahlāda saw from far off two tapasvīs, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, wearing black antelope skins and long jaṭās (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 7).
- Made yajña-dīkshita by Śukra, Bali sat in white garments and white sandal, wearing a garland, his back covered with a kṛshṇājina, radiant with sprouts of kuśa and darbha (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 62).
- At the upanayana of Vāmana, Agastya gave him the kṛshṇājina, while Bṛhaspati gave the kamaṇḍalu and Bharadvāja the mekhalā (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 62).
- In the Saro Māhātmya’s telling of the upanayana, Brahmā gave the young brahmacārī the kṛshṇājina (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 9).
- Kaśyapa held a daṇḍa and wore a garment of black antelope skin, with valkala (bark cloth) and ajina (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 3).
Related terms: Ajina · Daṇḍa · Kamaṇḍalu · Upanayana · Dīkshā · Valkala
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 7, 62
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapters 3, 9