History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.7

v2.c24.s1.7

The auspicious times according to the Āp. gṛ. and Āp. Dh. S. I. 1. 1. 19, Hir. gṛ. (I. 1) and Vaik. are vasanta (spring), grīṣma (summer), and śarad (autumn) for the three varṇas. The Bhār. gṛ. (I. 1) says that upanayana for a brāhmaṇa should be performed in vasanta, for a kṣatriya in summer or hemanta, for a vaiśya in śarad, in the rains for a carpenter (rathakāra) or in śiśira for all. Śabara in his bhāṣya on Jaimini VI. 1. 33 where upanayana is denied to śūdras quotes ‘vasante brāhmaṇam upanayīta’ as a Vedic text. Āśv. gṛ. I. 4. 1 (quoted above in *f. n.* 494), Hir. gṛ. (I. 1. 5, S. B. E. vol. 30 p. 137) and Bhār. gṛ. (1. 1) say that upanayana should be performed in the bright half of a month, on an auspicious nakṣatra, particularly under a nakṣatra the name of which is masculine.⁶⁴⁰