Vishnupurana 2.8.p11

2.8.p11

The mountain that is situate in the north of Bhāratvarsa is called Sringavān for its having three principal horns or peaks, one to the north, one to the south and one in the centre. The last is called equinoctial for the sun goes there in the middle of the two seasons of spring and autumn, arriving at the equinoctical points in the first degrees of Aries and Libra and making day and night of equal duration of fifteen Muhurttas each. When the sun is in the first degree of Kirtikā and the moon in the fourth of Visakhā or when the sun is in the third degree of Visakhā and the moon is in the head of Kirtikā that equinoctial season is holy and is called the Mahāvishubha. At this time devout persons should make offering to the celestials and the manes and gifts to the Brahmans, for such gifts produce happiness. Liberality at the equinoxes is always fruitful to the donor, and day and night seconds, minutes and hours, intercalary months, the day at full moon (Paurnamāsi); the day of conjunction, when the moon rises invisible, the day when it is first seen, the day when it first disappears, the day when the moon is quite round and the day when one digit is deficient are the seasons when gifts prove meritorious.