Kuśa
Kuśa, “kuśa grass”
Grammar: masculine noun: the kuśa grass.
Meaning: a long, sharp-edged grass held sacred and used in yajñas and rites: for seats, for rings worn on the finger, for strewing the altar, and for sprinkling water. It is close to, and often named with, darbha.
In the scriptures:
- In the stotra of Agastya, Vishṇu is praised as the mighty-armed Kuśapriya, “fond of kuśa” (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 61); and at Mahodā, Vishṇu says, “they name me Kuśapriya” (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 63).
- Made yajña-dīkshita by Śukra, Bali sat with a kṛshṇājina on his back, radiant with sprouts of kuśa and darbha (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 62).
- The siddha Maṅkaṇa once cut his hand with the tip of a blade of kuśa grass, and from the wound flowed the juice of vegetables (śāka-rasa); he danced for joy, and all beings danced with him (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 17).
- When Vena roared, “No yajñas may be performed! No dāna may be given!”, the munis charged kuśa grass with mantras, made it like the vajra, and struck him with it and killed him. Without a king, the people were oppressed by dasyus (robbers) (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 26).
Related terms: Darbha · Yajña · Dīkshā · Pavitra · Kuśapriya
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 61, 62, 63
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapters 17, 26