By Swami Harshananda
In ancient times, the king was considered a the representative of God. The coronation of a king was an elaborate ritual spread over several days. Aindrī-śānti was the rite performed on the 6th day to propitiate the god Indra. A detailed description of this rite has been given in a work called Rājadharma Kaustubha of Anantadeva (17th cent. A. D.).
The officiating priest should subsist only on milk or vegetables or fruits on the twelve preceding nights. Worship of Gaṇeśa and the navagrahas (the nine planetary deities), chanting of a number of ṛks (mantras from the Rgveda) and homa are important activities of this ritual.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore