
Ugrarathaśāntividhi
This Sanskrit manuscript presents the *Ugrarathaśānti*, a Hindu ritual text attributed to Śaunaka, prescribing propitiatory ceremonies (*śānti*) to avert death and misfortune during one's sixty-first year (*ṣaṣṭivatsara*), considered astrologically inauspicious. The text meticulously details a complex Vedic ritual involving the worship of Mārkaṇḍeya—renowned in tradition for conquering death—through idol installation, fire offerings (*homa*) with specific mantras, and elaborate Brahminical feasting. Notable features include the integration of planetary propitiation (*navagraha*), the use of *pañcagavya* and *pañcāmṛta*, and the structural incorporation of Vedic hymns such as the Śrīsūkta and Puruṣasūkta, reflecting the text's synthesis of Purāṇic narrative and orthodox śrauta ritualism. The manuscript's Gujarati numeration and mixed Devanagari transmission suggest regional circulation within western Indian scholarly networks.
