ESSENCE OF PURANAS SERIES
Chapter 10: ‘Piscacha’ puja during ‘Chaitra Krishna Paksha’ and importance of ‘Ira’ flowers
Condensed English Translation by Sri V.D.N. Rao
Chaitreymaasi sitey pakshey pancha dashayaam Dwijottama,
Yoddhum yaati Nikumbhastu pishaachana vaalukarnavey/
Tasmaatteshaamtu maddhyaahney aikalasya grihey grihey/
Pujaakarya prayatnena yathaavat tannibodhamey,
Pishaacham mrinmayam krutwaa kaamkshyam cha Dwijasattama/
Gandhamaalyaistathaa vastrailankaarai prapujayet,
Bhakshaicha lopikaapupairmaamsaaih paanaistathaivacha/
Ayurvidhairvividhaakaaraih chaatropaanahayashthibhih,
Nribhih shushkanna sampurney sthaayi bhakshya yutey tathaa/
Kuddaalapitakey chobhey tathaa tasya nivedayat/
(Nikumbha, the Chief of Piscachas would traditionally fight and punish malevolent Piscachas in ‘vaalukaarnava’ or Sand Seas / Deserts and thus all Nagas would worship the Piscacha Chief who overcame and controlled the Evil Piscachas. Even by the mid-day of Chaitra Pournami, every household would prepare Images of Piscachas in clay or tree leaves or cloth in any other material, decorate the Idols of Nikumbha with flowers, leaves, grass etc. and arrange symbolic ornamentation of umbrellas, sticks and footwear. By way of ‘Naivedya’ varieties of sweets, snacks, wine, meat and dry fruits are offered. As the Pournami evening fell, the Brahmanas who would oversee the worship would be disposed off and take to songs and instrumental music by the typical Kashmira ‘Tantri Vadyaas’or stringed musical instruments; they would form groups of the singing parties to climb hill tops and descend down to common places for enjoying grand feasts.
Chaitra Krishna Paksha was also significant of the blossoming of ‘Ira’ flowers.
Ira naamaapsaraah purvam shaptaa Shakrena Kaashyapa,
Vishwaavasoh sampprayuktaa Suropasthaana varjitaa/
Sthaavaratvamanu praaptaa Himavayachalottamey,
Bahudhaa saa vibhaktyaangi Nikumbho nirgatey bahih/
Yadaajaataa Iraadevi Iraa pushpopa shobhitaa,
Iraavaatey tatho gatvaa naariputra ganaanvitah/
Suvaasaah swanulipata -angah suchittaha susumaahitah,
Iraasampujanam kuryaat pushparnnair- vichakshanaah/
(Indra cursed an Apsara named ‘Ira’, an associate of Sage Vishvaavasu and having banished from Swarga destined her to turn into a mountain flower called by the same name. Even as Nikumbha vanished, the body of the Apsara got re-figured as trees, flowers and gardens as a vast family and the flowers were materialised with unique flavor, form and fragrance. The Ira Devi should be worshipped with various other flowers and Naivedyas of a variety of ‘Bhakashya bhojyaas’ should be offered along with ‘Deepas’).During visits to Ira gardens, one should certainly carry special items for eating satisfaction. Ira flowers are highly appropriate for adorning ‘dwijas’, respectable women, friends, relatives, especially when embellishing their hairs in darned form with red-coloured threads. Wearing the charming and aromatic flowers, enjoying a drink extracted from the juice of Ira flowers, and imbibing the joy of music and dance simultaneously would be an experience of a life time. Worship of Kesava with thousand Ira flowers would open up gates of heavens.
Ira pujatey Rudram Brahmaanam Shashinam Ravim,
Shubhaam kareeshineem Durgaam Sarwaastushyanti Devataah/
( Pujas performed with Ila flowers to Rudra, Brahma, Shashi, Shubha, Karishini, Durga and all other venerated Devatas would indeed please them all). King Nila affirmed that all Nagas were obsessed with Ira flowers and as for himself personally, he had a passion for them.
Yoddhum yaati Nikumbhastu pishaachana vaalukarnavey/
Tasmaatteshaamtu maddhyaahney aikalasya grihey grihey/
Pujaakarya prayatnena yathaavat tannibodhamey,
Pishaacham mrinmayam krutwaa kaamkshyam cha Dwijasattama/
Gandhamaalyaistathaa vastrailankaarai prapujayet,
Bhakshaicha lopikaapupairmaamsaaih paanaistathaivacha/
Ayurvidhairvividhaakaaraih chaatropaanahayashthibhih,
Nribhih shushkanna sampurney sthaayi bhakshya yutey tathaa/
Kuddaalapitakey chobhey tathaa tasya nivedayat/
(Nikumbha, the Chief of Piscachas would traditionally fight and punish malevolent Piscachas in ‘vaalukaarnava’ or Sand Seas / Deserts and thus all Nagas would worship the Piscacha Chief who overcame and controlled the Evil Piscachas. Even by the mid-day of Chaitra Pournami, every household would prepare Images of Piscachas in clay or tree leaves or cloth in any other material, decorate the Idols of Nikumbha with flowers, leaves, grass etc. and arrange symbolic ornamentation of umbrellas, sticks and footwear. By way of ‘Naivedya’ varieties of sweets, snacks, wine, meat and dry fruits are offered. As the Pournami evening fell, the Brahmanas who would oversee the worship would be disposed off and take to songs and instrumental music by the typical Kashmira ‘Tantri Vadyaas’or stringed musical instruments; they would form groups of the singing parties to climb hill tops and descend down to common places for enjoying grand feasts.
Chaitra Krishna Paksha was also significant of the blossoming of ‘Ira’ flowers.
Ira naamaapsaraah purvam shaptaa Shakrena Kaashyapa,
Vishwaavasoh sampprayuktaa Suropasthaana varjitaa/
Sthaavaratvamanu praaptaa Himavayachalottamey,
Bahudhaa saa vibhaktyaangi Nikumbho nirgatey bahih/
Yadaajaataa Iraadevi Iraa pushpopa shobhitaa,
Iraavaatey tatho gatvaa naariputra ganaanvitah/
Suvaasaah swanulipata -angah suchittaha susumaahitah,
Iraasampujanam kuryaat pushparnnair- vichakshanaah/
(Indra cursed an Apsara named ‘Ira’, an associate of Sage Vishvaavasu and having banished from Swarga destined her to turn into a mountain flower called by the same name. Even as Nikumbha vanished, the body of the Apsara got re-figured as trees, flowers and gardens as a vast family and the flowers were materialised with unique flavor, form and fragrance. The Ira Devi should be worshipped with various other flowers and Naivedyas of a variety of ‘Bhakashya bhojyaas’ should be offered along with ‘Deepas’).During visits to Ira gardens, one should certainly carry special items for eating satisfaction. Ira flowers are highly appropriate for adorning ‘dwijas’, respectable women, friends, relatives, especially when embellishing their hairs in darned form with red-coloured threads. Wearing the charming and aromatic flowers, enjoying a drink extracted from the juice of Ira flowers, and imbibing the joy of music and dance simultaneously would be an experience of a life time. Worship of Kesava with thousand Ira flowers would open up gates of heavens.
Ira pujatey Rudram Brahmaanam Shashinam Ravim,
Shubhaam kareeshineem Durgaam Sarwaastushyanti Devataah/
( Pujas performed with Ila flowers to Rudra, Brahma, Shashi, Shubha, Karishini, Durga and all other venerated Devatas would indeed please them all). King Nila affirmed that all Nagas were obsessed with Ira flowers and as for himself personally, he had a passion for them.