[q] Seeking information on "hiraNyagarbha" ceremony

[jayabarathi]

At 09:36 AM 1/28/99 +0100, you wrote:
>Could someone please help me with references to "hiraNyagarbha" ceremony,
>where the rulers were inserted into a large womb-like gold vessel,
>subsequently emerged "reborn," and thus became possessed of _kshatriya_
>status.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Regards,                        --Sreenivas

        Dear Sir,

                If you are also thinking of historical references,
        there is one instance where VijayaRaghava Nayak, the
        last of the Tanjavur Nayak kings performed it with his wife.
                Details could be found in "Tanjavuri Andhra Rajulu
        Charitra" and such works that deal with late Tanjavur history.
        Please see also, "Nayaks of Tanjore" by Vriddhagirisan and
        "Tamilaham in the 17th Century".
                I have read a graphical description of this particular
        episode in some historical text - where exactly eludes my
        memory.
                The Hiranya garbha is said to have have been fashioned
        as a golden cow with a womb. VijayaRaghava and his queen
        RamaBhadramba are said to have gone into the womb; the
        womb was subsequently closed; and they emerged out, having
        been reborn. The golden cow is supposed to have been donated
        to the brahmins. I heard another version from a Tanjavurian
        that a bronze cow was used for the purpose. It must have
        taken place sometime between 1633 and 1673 A.D.

        Regards

        Jayabarathi
>
>--
>E-Mail: sreeni at ktp.uni-paderborn.de
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