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96 Isänaśivagurudevapaddhari Two potfuls of sanctified water is to be placed under the Aśoka. The pot to the right is the seat of Vasanta and the one on left is for Kāma. Vasanta is to be conceived as a youth having golden colour, flanked on his right by consort Padmavati and on the left by Kusumavati. Nine deities represent his Sakti or prowess. They are Ahladini. Gandhavati, Surabhi, Malini, Madira, Madayanti, Ramā, Puspavati and Vasantī. The following stanzas give the prayer and the names of the Saktis. वसन्ताय नमस्तुभ्यं वृक्ष गुल्मलताप्रियं ।
सहस्रमुखसंवाह कामबन्धो नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
आह्लादिनी गन्धवती सुरभी चैव मालिनीम् ।
मदिरां मदयन्तीं च रमा पुष्पवती तथा ।। वासन्तीं चापि नवमीं स्वनाम्नाभ्यर्चयेत क्रमात् ।
सर्वा सुवेषाभरणा ललिताङ्गयः स्मिताननाः ।।
Now it is time to worship the Damanaka creeper located in the garden. The form of Bhairava is to be meditated upon for this. Kāma, the god of love in the form of a youth is to be worshipped. He holds the arrows of flower on his left lap his consort Rati is placed. His form is descried as follows:
रक्तं रक्ताम्बरधरं युवानं मृष्टकुण्डलम् । हारकेयूरकटकमौलिककुण्डलनूपुरैः ॥ अन्यैश्च दिव्याभरणैर्माल्यैर्गन्धैश्च भूषितम् ।
पुष्पचापशरांश्चाथ दधतं पाशमङ कुशम् ।।
वामाङ्कारोपितरति युवतीगणमध्यगम् । रुपलावण्यसौन्दर्यसौकुमार्यविभूषितम् The main Saktis of Kāma are also to be conceived properly. They are enumerated as : सौभाग्यां ह्लादिनी हर्षां धृतिं प्रीतिं तथोन्मदाम् । सङगमा चैव निर्वाणां नवमी मध्यगां रतिम् ॥
On the next day after the daily routine Damana creepers are to be collected for the evening rite The creepers are to be put in a vessel. The vessels,that of Damanaka, Kama and Vasanta are to be mounted on an elephant to be taken out as a procession along the streets of the city to the accompaniment of music, dance, beating of drums, porasols, and chowries.
