History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.173

v2.c23.173

*Viṣṇubali:*—According to Vasiṣṭha quoted in the Saṁskāra-prakāśa (p. 178) this ceremony was to be performed in the 8th month of pregnancy, on the 2nd, 7th or 12th *tithi* of the bright fortnight and when the moon was in the Śravaṇa, Rohiṇī or Puṣya constellation. The same work quotes verses of Āśvalāyana describing the ceremony and stating its purpose viz. to remove harm to the foetus and for easy delivery of the woman and that it was to be performed during every conception. On the preceding day Nāndīśrāddha was to be performed and then homa to fire was to be performed up to the offering of ājyabhāgas. To the south of the fire another sthaṇḍila of the shape of a lotus or svastika was to be drawn on which 64 oblations of boiled rice with ghee thereon were to be offered to Viṣṇu (some offer them on the fire itself) with the verses of Ṛg. I. 22. 16-21, Ṛg. I. 154. 1-6, Ṛg. VI. 69. 1-8, Ṛg. VII. 104. 11, Ṛg. X. 90. 1-16, Ṛg. X. 184. 1-3. Then to the north-east of the fire, a square plot should be smeared with cowdung and be divided into 64 squares with white dust and 64 offerings of boiled rice should be offered with the same mantras and in their midst one ball of rice should be offered to Viṣṇu with the mantra loudly uttered ‘namo Nārāyaṇāya' and the husband and wife should partake separately of two balls of the same rice. Then the offering to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt should be made, dakṣiṇā should be distributed and brāhmaṇas should be fed. The Vaik. (III. 13) describes Viṣṇubali differently. The gods with Agni as the first are invoked unto the northern praṇīdhi vessel and then at the end Puruṣa is invoked four times with 'oṁ bhūḥ', 'oṁ bhuvaḥ,' 'oṁ suvaḥ,' 'oṁ bhūr-bhuvaḥ-suvaḥ', then to the east of the fire he invokes Viṣṇu on seats of darbha grass with the names, Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava, Govinda, Viṣṇu, Madhusūdana, Trivikrama, Vāmana, Śrīdhara, Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha, Dāmodara; then he bathes Viṣṇu, with mantras 'Āpaḥ' (Tai. S. IV. 1. 5. 11 = Ṛg. X. 9. 1-3), 'Hiraṇyavarṇāḥ' (Tai. S. V. 6. 1) and the chapter beginning 'pavamānaḥ' (Tai. Br. I. 4. 8); he does worship (with sandal paste, flowers &c.) by each of Viṣṇu's twelve names, then he offers 12 oblations of clarified butter with the mantras 'ato devā' (Ṛg. I. 22. 16-21), 'Viṣṇor-nu kam' (Ṛg. I 154. 1-7 = Tai. S. I. 2. 13), 'tad-asya priyam' (Tai. Br. II. 4. 6 = Ṛg. I 154. 5), 'pra tadviṣṇuḥ' (Tai. Br. II. 4. 3 = Ṛg. I. 154. 2), 'paro mātrayā' (Tai. Br. II. 8. 3), 'vicakrame trir-devaḥ' (Tai. Br. II. 8. 3). Then he announces as offering a mess of rice cooked in milk on which ājya has been poured to the god and sacrifices it to him with the twelve names repeating the twelve mantras (Ṛg. I. 22. 16-21, and Ṛg. I. 154. 1-6). Having praised the god with mantras from the four vedas he should prostrate himself before the god after taking twelve names with the word 'namaḥ' at the end of each (i. e. by saying 'Keśavāya namaḥ' &c.). What remains of the rice cooked in milk is eaten by the wife.