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Shashti literally means the sixth day of the fortnight. In the Grhyasutras, Sasti is the name of a mother goddess to whom worship is offered. In the Manava Grhyasutra, there is mention about a ritual done for Sasti. This was performed on the sixth day of a lunar fortnight 122. Sasti was a goddess associated with fertility and child birth this is evident from the occurrence of her along with other similar natured goddesses like Siddhi, Vak, Kama, Kamapatni Nanda etc; Sasti in origin was the sixth day after child birth. 1 Being the presiding deity of that day she was regarded as the formal recipient of all those rites that were performed by the mothers to ensure a happy and trouble-free life for their new born children. Sasti is mentioned along with the other divinities like Kali, Bhadrakali etc... in the Kataka Grhyasutras 123 from this one can infer that Sasti too was of a fierce nature who troubled small children especially the infants, but, when propiated became gracious and benevolent. This belief seems to flow into the puranas too where, Sasti is the mind born daughter of Brahma, and was given to 122 Manava Gr.Su. II.13.1-10 123 Kat.Gr.Su. XIX.7.

217 Chapter 3. Minor goddesses Skanda as his wife. She is known as Sasti among the Matrkas and is the sixth part of Prakrti. She bestows sons to the sonless, wealth to the wealthless,work or employment to the poor etc... The Sasti kalpa mentions the identification of Sasti with Sri which highlights her functional aspect that she was a 'favoring goddesses' who presided over the welfare of children. In the puranas there is the mention of her childreviving powers. The puranas states that, the goddess Sasti revived back the life of the dead son of the king Priyavrata and the grandson of Swayambhuva manu and gives the child back to This act of resurrection results into an agreement whereby Priyavrata agreed to promulgate and popularise the worship of Sasti in all the three worlds by worshipping her first himself 124 According to the Manava-grihya-sutra 125 the goddess Sasti was invoked as the auspicious, glorified and as an omniform divinity. She is said to grant riches, to possess treasures, corns, many goats, ewes and cows. The Baudhayana 126 Grhyasutras makes the mention of Sasti as, one of the names of Sri. Thus, we find a remarkable synchronized synonyms usage in the addresses used for Sasti and Laksmi. 2 124 Devibhagavata-purana, Bk. IX, 39. 25-35 125 Manava-grihya-sutra II.13.1-10 126 BGS.III.7.13.

Chapter 3. Minor goddesses Vehicle. A black cat is mentioned as the vehicle of the goddess Sasti¹ 27. In fact Sasti is identified with the black cat itself. -127 WORSHIP. 218 127 226. The goddess Sasti is to be worshipped every month on the sixth day of the bright fortnight 128. Being a prominent goddess, festivals are to be held in her honour. Yama, the god of death, in the course of his instructions to Savitri, with regard to the performance of the Sasti-vrata mentions the worship of a number of goddesses along with Sasti. There he mentions the worship of Sasti on the eighth day of the bright fortnight 129. The goddess Sasti is to be worshipped in the lying-inchamber of the mother. According to a popular belief, a note book and a pen are left at the head side of the child on the sixth-night after childbirth. It is believed that the goddess Sasti visits the lying-in-chamber in the night and writes the fate of the child. Sasti is worshipped at all the auspicious ceremonies of the children like the twenty-first day of the child, on the auspicious moment of the day of ceremony of rice-giving to the child for the first time. Kitagawa J.M.and Long C.H. Myths and Symbols University of Chicago press 1969, P.217- 128 Devibhagavata-purana, Bk. IX, 39. 43-57. 129 Devibhagavata-purana, Bk. IX, 39.

Chapter 3. Minor goddesses According to the Sk.P, Sasti is identified with Devasena the wife of Skanda. She is a special matrka and is both the protectress of the children as well as the giver of sons and grandsons. She is offered worship on the sixth day after the birth of the child. According to folk belief the goddess Sasti should be offered worship on any day other than Monday and Friday on the earth. Procedure. The goddess Sasti is invoked on a Saligrama-stone, or in a jar, or on the root of a banyan tree, or by drawing a figure on the floor of the lying-in-room or by making an image of Sasti Devi. Mantra. An eight syllabled is mentioned in the Puranas as well as in the books of Tantra, and is as follows "OM Hrim Sasti Devyai Swaha"130 The stotra of the goddess Sasti is very beautiful and is as per the Samaveda and the rendetion of it with faith and devotion is son-bestowing. By this the issueless couples as well as the 130 Devibhagavata-purana IX.39.43-57; Brihattantra-sara App.P.1223 1 219

Chapter 3. Minor goddesses sonless man get children if Sasti is worshipped with devotion for a period of one year.