The Law Code of Devala 5: Vratāni kālo dānaṃ ca

5.1

yāṃ tithiṃ samanuprāpya udayaṃ yāti bhāskaraḥ | sā tithiḥ sakalā jñeyā snānadānavratādiṣu || yāṃ tithiṃ samanuprāpya astaṃ yāti hi bhāskaraḥ | sā tithiḥ sakalā jñeyā snānadānavratādiṣu

I shall explain the penance in detail, O great sages.

The lunar day on which the sun rises is to be taken as the whole day for bathing, gifts, vows and the like; the lunar day on which the sun sets is (likewise) to be taken as the whole day for bathing, gifts, vows and the like.

5.2

saṅkaṭe viṣame prāpte dvādaśyāṃ pārayet katham

When a difficult and critical situation arises, how should one break the fast on the twelfth?

5.3

nakṣatradarśanān naktaṃ gṛhasthasya budhaiḥ smṛtam | yater dināṣṭame bhāge tasya rātrau niṣidhyate

For the householder the wise hold the 'night-meal' (nakta) to begin at the sight of the stars; for the ascetic it is in the eighth part of the day, since for him (eating) at night is forbidden.

5.4

dinārdhasamaye 'tīte bhujyate niyamena yat | ekabhaktam iti proktaṃ nyūnaṃ grāsatrayeṇa tu

What is eaten under a vow when half the day has passed, less by three mouthfuls, is called the single meal (ekabhakta).

5.5

daśamyām ekabhaktas tu māṃsamaithunavarjitaḥ | ekādaśīm upavaset pakṣayor ubhayor api

Eating one meal on the tenth, avoiding meat and intercourse, he should fast on the eleventh in both fortnights.

5.6

abhuktvā prātarāhāraṃ snātvācamya samāhitaḥ | sūryādidevatābhyaś ca nivedya vratam ācaret

Without taking the morning meal, having bathed and sipped water, composed, he should announce it to the Sun and the other deities and then undertake the vow.

5.7

upavāsaḥ praṇaśyeta divāsvapnākṣamaithunaiḥ | atyaye cāmbupāne tu nopavāsaḥ praṇaśyati

A fast is destroyed by sleeping by day, by dice and by intercourse; but by drinking water in an emergency the fast is not destroyed.

5.8

brahmacaryaṃ tathā śaucaṃ satyam āmiṣavarjanam | vrateṣv etāni catvāri variṣṭhānīti niścayaḥ

Chastity, purity, truthfulness and abstaining from meat: these four are the most important things in vows; this is settled.

5.9

sarvabhūtabhayaṃ vyādhiḥ pramādo guruśāsanam | avrataghnāni paṭhyante sakṛd etāni śāstrataḥ

Fear of any creature, illness, inadvertence and a teacher's command: these, once, are declared by the treatises not to break a vow.

5.10

āhitāgnir anaḍvāṃś ca brahmacārī ca te trayaḥ | aśnanta eva sidhyanti naiṣāṃ siddhir anaśnatām

One who keeps the sacred fires, a draught-ox and a student: these three succeed only by eating; there is no success for them by fasting.

5.11

saṃkrāntisamayaḥ sūkṣmo durjñeyaḥ piśitekṣaṇaiḥ | tadyogāc cāpy adhaś cordhvaṃ triṃśan nāḍyaḥ pavitritāḥ

The moment of the solar transit is subtle and hard to know for fleshly eyes; thirty nāḍīs before and after its occurrence are sanctified.

5.12

yathā snānaṃ ca dānaṃ ca sūryasya grahaṇe divā | somasyāpi tathā rātrau snānaṃ dānaṃ vidhīyate

As bathing and giving are prescribed at an eclipse of the sun by day, so at an eclipse of the moon at night.

5.13

gaṅgā ca yamunā caiva plakṣajātā sarasvatī | rajasā nābhibhūyante ye cānye nadasaṃjñakāḥ

The Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Sarasvatī that rises at the Plakṣa, and the others called nada (male rivers) are not defiled by the (rivers') menses.

5.14

mahāniśā tu vijñeyā madhyasthaṃ praharadvayam | tasyāṃ snānaṃ na kurvīta kāmyanaimittikād ṛte

The 'great night' is to be known as the two middle watches; in it one should not bathe, except for optional and occasional rites.

5.15

tṛtīyā rohiṇīyuktā vaiśākhasya sitā śubhā | maghābhiḥ sahitā yā tu nabhasye tu trayodaśī || yugādayaḥ smṛtā hy etā dattasyākṣayakārakāḥ

The auspicious bright third of Vaiśākha joined with Rohiṇī, the thirteenth of Nabhasya joined with Maghā … these are held to be the beginnings of the ages, making what is given imperishable.

5.16

athāto dānavidhiṃ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ | arthānām udite pātre śraddhayā pratipāditam | dānam ity abhinirdiṣṭaṃ vyākhyānaṃ tasya vakṣyate

Now we shall explain the rule of giving. Wealth bestowed with faith on a worthy recipient who has been named is called a gift; its explanation will be given.

5.17

sarveṣām eva dānānām annadānam anuttamam | ko 'nyo 'sti prāṇadād asmād viśiṣṭo hy annadāt paraḥ

Of all gifts the gift of food is the highest; who else is better than the giver of food, the giver of life?

5.18

pañcadaśyāṃ caturdaśyām aṣṭamyāṃ ca viśāradaḥ | tailaṃ māṃsaṃ vyavāyaṃ ca kṣuraṃ ca parivarjayet

On the fifteenth, the fourteenth and the eighth a wise man should avoid oil, meat, intercourse and the razor.

5.19

yaugapadye tu tīrthānāṃ viprādikramaśo vrajet | rakṣaṇārtham aputrāṇāṃ grahaṇakramaśo 'pi ca

When (many) come to the holy places together, they should go (to bathe) in the order of Brahmins and the rest; and, to protect those without sons, in the order of their arrival.