Introduction
A prominent festival in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition is the puṣyābhiṣekaḥ, known also as puṣya-snānam. Per the traditional Indian calendar it is celebrated in the month of pauṣa, corresponding to December and January. On the full-moon day of this month of pauṣa the moon coincides with a specific nakṣatra (asterism) known as puṣya. On that day, the festival of puṣyābhiṣeka is observed by the vaiṣṇavas.
The term puṣyābhiṣeka is a sandhi, a phonetic combination, of the terms puṣya and abhiṣeka. Puṣya refers to the eighth of the twenty-seven nakṣatras, and the term abhiṣeka refers to a royal bathing ceremony usually offered to a deity or a king. According to the Amara-kośa dictionary, the term snāna is a synonym of abhiṣeka. Thus, puṣya-abhiṣeka, or puṣya-snāna, refers to the royal bathing ceremony of the Lord carried out on the day in the month of pauṣa when the full-moon coincides with the puṣya-nakṣatra.
Significance of the Pushya Nakshatra
The Puṣya nakṣatra consists of one star, known to modern astronomers as Delta Cancri. In any month, when the moon coincides with this nakṣatra, it is considered to be a favorable time to begin a journey. It is described in the Mahābhārata (Udyoga-parva, 6.17) that the Brahmin messenger of the Pandavas began his journey to Hastinapur when the moon was coinciding with the puṣya-nakṣatra. He went there to convey the Pandava’s message to the Kauravas regarding giving back their share of the kingdom after they had completed the thirteen-year exile. Again in the Mahābhārata (Śalya-parva, 34.6), Sri Balaram says that he will be going on a pilgrimage when the moon coincides with the puṣya-nakṣatra.
The puṣya-nakṣatra is connected with the sage Bharadwaj and its presiding sage is Brihaspati. The Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa (3.1.1.5) says, bṛhaspatiḥ prathamaṁ jāyamānaḥ tiṣyaṁ nakṣatraṁ abhisambabhūva — “Brihaspati was born under the tiṣya (puṣya) nakṣatra”. The days pertaining to puṣya-nakṣatra are considered to be very auspicious for donating gold. Even today, the Indian Post encourages the sale and donation of gold coins on this day by offering various discounts.
The term puṣya comes from the verbal root puṣ, which, according to Pāṇini’s dhātu-pāṭha, denotes nourishment (puṣṭi). Thus, there is a tradition to administer ayurvedic medicines on the days coinciding with the puṣya-nakṣatra in any month of the year. Every time the moon coincides with the puṣya nakṣatra, many children in India are administered svarṇa-prāśana, an ayurvedic preparation containing cow-ghee and gold particles meant to ensure their longevity, mental agility and strength.
Pushyabhisheka in the Broader Vedic Tradition
In the Vedic literature, the ceremony of puṣyābhiṣeka is carried out for ensuring the strength, auspiciousness, prosperity and influence of the ruler of a kingdom. The Atharva-veda-pariśiṣṭa (Pariśiṣṭa 5) is dedicated entirely to the ceremony of puṣyābhiṣeka for a king. The Bṛhat-saṁhitā (Chapter 48) of Varahamihira is also dedicated entirely to the same. This ceremony can be carried out in any month when the moon coincides with the puṣya-nakṣatra. However, there is special significance attached to performing it in the month of pauṣa:
etat prayujyamānaṁ
prati-puṣyaṁ sukha-yaśo ’rtha-vṛddhi-karam
puṣyād vinārdha-phaladā
pauṣī śāntiḥ parā proktā
When the puṣyābhiṣeka for a king is carried out in any month when the moon coincides with the puṣya-nakṣatra, it increases the happiness, fame and prosperity of the king. When the bathing is carried out in nakṣatras besides puṣya, it only gives half the result. However, when it is carried out on the pūrṇimā-tithi of the month of pauṣa when the moon coincides with the puṣya nakṣatra, it bestows the highest result. (Bṛhat-saṁhitā of Varahamihira, 48.82)
Pushyabhisheka in the Puranas and Gaudiya Tradition
A doubt then arises — this seems to be a ceremony intended primarily for a king. Why is it then observed for Krishna by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas? The answer is that treating and serving the deity as the king of a particular place is one of the sixty-four limbs of bhakti mentioned in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhuḥ. In his commentary on the thirty-first limb of bhakti, named paricaryā, Srila Jiva Goswami says, paricaryātra rājña iva sevocyate — “The term paricaryā means to serve the Lord exactly like a king.” (Durgama-saṅgamanī on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhuḥ 1.2.140)
Thus, among the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, Krishna is the rājādhirāja — the king of all kings, and the ceremony of puṣyabhiṣeka is thus rightly carried out for pleasing him.
The Skanda Purāṇa specifies the exact day on which this festival should be observed:
puṣyarkṣeṇa ca saṁyuktā
paurṇamāsī yadā bhavet
pauṣe māsi tathā kuryāt
puṣya-snānotsavaṁ hareḥ
In the month of pauṣa, when the full-moon coincides with the puṣya-nakṣatra, one should carry out the puṣya-snāna bathing ceremony of Lord Hari. — (Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Puruṣottama-kṣetra-māhātmya, 41.1-2)
The detailed procedure for observing puṣyābhiṣeka is specified in the same chapter of the Skanda-purāṇa. A brief procedure for observing puṣyābhiṣeka is also mentioned in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa as follows:
ghṛta-prasthena deveśaṁ
pauṣa-puṣya-site naraḥ
snāpayitvāśvamedhasya
phalam āpnoty asaṁśayam
A person who on the day of the confluence of the moon with the puṣya-nakṣatra performs an abhiṣeka of the Supreme Lord using approximately one prastha (~ 768 gms) of pure cow ghee attains the result of performing an aśvamedha-yajña. (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 14.19)
This is the de-facto procedure of celebrating puṣyābhiṣeka in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition. One should note that about one prastha of ghee is sufficient for a relatively smaller sized deity. For larger deities, more quantities of ghee may be needed. Thus, the term “one prastha” in the verse should be interpreted as, “at least one prastha”.
Srila Prabhupada and Pushyabhisheka
In one of his letters, Srila Prabhupada said the following:
I am very pleased that you are making arrangements for the 1st annual Puspabhisheka Yatra Parade and Festival, 1971, and if he is free to come, Vishnujan Swami may come to lead the kīrtana and preaching. That is a good proposal. Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the gopīs, so one day the gopīs decided that we shall decorate him. Puṣpābhiṣeka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely with flowers, ornaments, cloths. After there should be lavish feasting and a procession through the streets, so that all the citizens should see how beautiful Krishna appears. (Letter to Danavir. 20 November 1971)
In this letter, Srila Prabhupada uses the term “puṣpābhiṣeka” and not “puṣyābhiṣeka”. As a result of this, many devotees in ISKCON celebrate puṣyābhiṣeka in the form of puṣpābhiṣeka and arrange for multitudes of flowers to be offered to the deities in a royal abhiṣeka ceremony. As long as a proper abhiṣeka ceremony is carried out, followers of Srila Prabhupada can carry out the rest of the puṣyābhiṣeka festival according to the instructions given by him in the above letter without worrying about external criticism.
The Tradition in The Jagannath Puri Temple
On the puṣyābhiṣeka day, Lord Jagannath is traditionally offered a special dress named Raghunātha-veśa. This is also known as the rājyābhiṣeka-veśa (royal coronation dress) of the deities. Balaram and Subhadra are dressed as Lakshman and Shanta (Rama’s elder sister). A deity of Lakshmi dressed as Sita is also kept near Jagannath. Thus, in the Jagannath temple, it is Lord Ramachandra, who is offered puṣyābhiṣeka along with Sita and Lakshman. Jagannath (as Rama) holds a bow and arrow in his hands, and Balaram (as Lakshman) carries an umbrella on top of his head. The various gods and monkey associates offer services at the lotus feet of the Lord. For more information about this dress see the article, “Jagannath’s Dress as Lord Ramachandra” in Sri Krishna Kathamrita magazine issue 12.
It is said that when Sri Tulsidas, the famous devotee of Lord Ramachandra, visited the Jagannath temple, he uttered the following verse of the Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa, ārādhaya jagannātham ikṣvāku-kula-daivatam — “Worship Jagannath, who is the family deity of the Ikshvaku lineage” (Uttara-kāṇḍa, 108.27). In response to his devotion, Sri Jagannath displayed his Raghunātha-veśa to Sri Tulasidas. For more information about Tulasidas’ historic darśana of Jagannath in Puri see the article, “Tulasidas Visits Lord Jagannath” in Sri Krishna Kathamrita magazine issue 12.
In commemoration of the same event, Sri Jagannath is offered Raghunātha-veśa on the day of puṣyābhiṣeka. Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra are offered profuse gold ornaments. Moreover, since the visit of Sri Tulasidas, a phrase attributed to him, joī rāma soī jagadīsā — “He who is Rama is Jagannath” — is chanted every morning in the Jagannath temple.
On the puṣyābhiṣeka day, 108 golden pots of fragrant water mixed with ghee are supposed to be brought to the temple. Instruments such as the ghaṇṭī-ghaṇṭā and kāhālī are played. After the morning āratī of Jagannath, he is brought in front of a mirror, where he is given a darpaṇa-abhiṣeka (mirror bath). The Jagannath deity is never given a direct water bath except on the snāna-pūrṇimā day in the month of Jyeṣṭha.
During the puṣyābhiṣeka ceremony, the following verses from the Nīlādri-mahodaya are chanted:
namas te rāvaṇāntaka
nānāvatāra-līlā-bhūr
nīla-śaila-pate prabho
divye ’smin pratibimbe tvāṁ
tat-kumbha-jalato ’dhunā
snāpayāmi surādhīśam
aparādhaṁ kṣamasva me
"Obeisances unto you, O Jagannath! Obeisances unto you, O killer of Ravan! O manifestor of various pastimes in various incarnations! O Lord of Niladri! O Prabhu! Today, in this divine mirror I am bathing you — the Lord of all gods, using waters from various pots. Kindly excuse my sevā-aparādhas."
Sadly, this veśa along with the puṣyābhiṣeka celebrations have not been carried out in the Puri Jagannath Temple in more than a hundred years. The last Raghunātha-veśa was done in 1905, and since then it has been discontinued. The main reasons for doing so are the quantities of gold and ornaments needed for this veśa. According to the Māḍala-paṇajī records, this veśa was first done in 1577 AD and since then, it has been done only nine times. Nowadays, on the puṣyābhiṣeka festival, Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra are offered Śuṇā Veśa (Sanskrit: svarṇa-veśa) or golden attire. This attire doesn’t require as many expensive ornaments and decorations as the Raghunātha veśa. Thus, the tradition nowadays is to dress the Lord in śunā veśa.
The Tradition in The Govindaji Temple in Jaipur
Traditionally in Vrindavan and Jaipur the main part of the winter season is considered to be from Śarat Pūrṇimā in the month of Āśvina (October-November) to the Pauṣa Pūrṇimā. At the Govindaji temple in Jaipur, due to the cold, during this time flowers are only offered on top of the deities clothes, the pūjārīs don’t place them directly against the body of the Lord. Throughout the month of Pauṣa they offer a special dish called Khecarānna (khichri) made with eight different types of grains to Govinda.
Following the injunctions given in the Dvādaśa-utsava-praṇālikā, a book describing the details of the rituals and ceremonies offered to Govindaji throughout the dvādaśa or twelve months of the year; on the day of Pauṣa Pūrṇimā they offer a special dress to Govindaji. The outfit is all white and consists of tight pants with a kind of skirt, and an outer coat, all of which have a golden embroidered border called kiraṇa. On that day Govinda is given a special flower garland on top of his clothes and an exceptional mukuṭa (crown) — called the mayūra-mukuṭa, it is made of solid gold with figures of peacocks on it. This is the only day of the year that Govinda wears that ornament.
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— Interview with Vishnu Tattva Das, a devotee in the pūjārī line of Govindaji in Jaipur.
