© 2023 Dr. M. Sheppard
These are from the Pattini Texts 31 and 32 quoted and translated by Obeysekere p 174-
The dancer or another Tovil Dancer or Drummer recite from them during this dance and the dancer mimes the actions that relate the legends associated with the demon Gara.
…..For the auspicious wedding overflowing with bounteous blessings
Pattini Devi arrives together with the Tusk Prince
With a mace that shakes the Sakvalas
Pattini arrives for Prince Skanda’s wedding
Dressed beautifully, decked with ornaments and a new waist cloth
She tries on a necklace worth a thousand gold pieces
There will be great dishonour as a result of this wedding
Invite and bring along Dala Rajah, the King
That day the goddess Pattini was all set to depart
Sister said Skanda, there is no strategem I know to stop this calamity
She cast her divine eye to see who would help
Lo! She immediately gave him a guise to arrive.
From the time he was born Gara used to dance thus
A Gara demon arrives and causes illness, among these noble folk
At the time the lovely cattle are being herded
Offerings for the Gara demons are given at eventime.
O Giri maid residing in the East
Descend to Earth at the sound of the five instruments
Giri maid, here is betel, rice and other food for thee
O Giri maid with sinking body, come into this dance hall.
Her swanlike hair shines with blue black hue
A cobra of noble dynasty, coiled around her body
She causes swellings in the body and in the joints
Banish O Girl of high birth diseases caused by you.
Growling this woman consumes raw flesh
In death’s guise she causes illness through fright
O Death come descend from the South and takes these offerings
O Death heed our words and enter the dance arena.
Decked beautifully in divine garments, scented with sandal
Wantonly she waits craving for those tusks
Accept tasty betel and flowers and also a mirror
Illnesses you caused then, O Giri demoness, send away now…..
To please the mind of Gara demon
We give him demonic offerings to gobble up
Many spans wide in length and breadth
Is this broad food basket made of banana bark…….
He was given the name Tusk Prince
Having obtained permission he roams among humans
Though not divine he has a great army
He obtains from humans offerings of food
As customary from generation to generation……
From time to time great clouds shall pour forth rain
And swirling currents shall flow beneath the waters
By the command of Kasyapa and Gautama Buddhas
The troubles flow from the stream into the river.
To listen to the sermons of the Buddha and his monks
People patiently waited in lines leagues long
All the troubles in the river have churned up
And Manimekhala took the evil troubles to the ocean.
As long as these people live in samsara
May they never suffer from sudden danger
May they always obtain long life and prosperity
The troubles go into Makara’s mouth and burn to ashes.
Go away demoness, stay not at the doorway nor in the house
Go away demoness, not outside either or on the roadway
Not at streams, brooks, and places where we bathe, go away demoness
Go away, we evoke the power of many Buddhas,
The blessings of the Buddha refuge for the doorway and inside the house
The blessings for the Dhamma refuge for the outside and wherever we go
The blessings for the Sangha refuge for this village and for this land
For me and for these people the blessings of these Three Refuges…..s