Maṅgala-dravya
Maṅgala-dravya · maṅgala-dravya, “auspicious thing”
Grammar: neuter noun; a compound of maṅgala (auspicious, bringing good) and dravya (a thing, a substance): “an auspicious thing”.
Meaning: an auspicious thing, which one touches after the morning rites before setting out on the day’s work.
In the scriptures: in their teaching on conduct to the rākshasa king Sukeśī, the ṛshis give the order of the morning. One washes the face, rinses the mouth, touches the senses and the head, cleans the teeth, combs the hair, looks in the mirror and does sandhyāvandana according to rule. Then, having bathed, offered tarpaṇa (offerings of water) to the devas and the pitṛs and done homa, one touches a maṅgala-dravya, and after that it is excellent to go out.
The chief maṅgala-dravyas are: dūrvā grass, curd, ghee, a water-pot (jala-kumbha), a cow with her calf, a bull, gold, earth (mṛttikā), cow-dung, the svastika, akshatas (unbroken rice), parched grain, honey, a brāhmaṇa maiden, white flowers, fire, sandal, the disc of the sun (sūrya-bimba) and the aśvattha tree. One touches any one of these and then sees to other work (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 14).
Related terms: Maṅgala · Ācāra · Sandhyāvandana · Akshata · Dūrvā · Svastika
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 14