[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930) › v3.c42.40 # History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c42.40 History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c42.40 - **Language:** English ### [v3.c42.40](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v3.c42.40) The full moon day of Mārgaśīrṣa is called Āgrahāyaṇī; the rite ¹⁹⁵⁸ performed on that day is also called by the same name on account of association with it. \*Pratyavarohaṇa\* is a rite performed to signalise the giving up of the use of cots and high couches, recommended from the full moon of Śrāvaṇa for fear of snakes (as in Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 15. 22). Some describe two rites separately, one on the full moon day of Mārgaśīrṣa and another called Pratyavarohaṇa on the first night of Hemanta (vide Āp. gṛ. 19. 3–5 and 8–12). There is some divergence as to the time and the exact procedure of this rite. Some (like Āśv. gṛ. II. 3. 1–2) hold that it may be performed on the 14th day of the bright half or the full moon day of Mārgaśīrṣa. Others restrict it to the full moon day. Very elaborate descriptions are given in Pār. gṛ. III. 2, Gobhila gṛ. III. 9. 1-23. As this rite has entirely gone out of vogue a brief description from the Āśv. gṛ. alone is appended¹⁹⁵⁹ here. "Having again (after Āśvayujī) renovated the house with plaster (of paint or cow-dung) and by levelling (the floor), they should offer after sunset oblations of pāyasa (milk-rice) with the mantras 'strike aside,¹⁹⁶⁰ O white one, with thy foot, with the front and back portions of the foot these seven women (daughters) of Varuṇa and all (females) that belong to the tribes of the king (of serpents). Inside the house of the white one the serpent did not kill any thing, adoration to the white one, the son of Vidārva, svāhā.' Here no oblation is offered to (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt. While gazing fixedly at the fire he repeats in a low voice 'may there be no harm to us from the progeny¹⁹⁶¹ of Prajāpati.' He should think in his mind of Hemanta (winter) saying 'be auspicious and well-disposed towards us.' To the west of the fire a well-spread layer of grass should be prepared; he should sit down on it and having recited in a low voice 'Be blissful, O Earth' (Ṛg. I. 22. 15) he should lie down on that layer with his people (sons &c.) with the head towards the east and face turned towards the north. The others may lie down according as space permits or each should lie down one after another, the elder one before the one next to him in years. Those (of the sacrificer's sons &c.) who know the mantras should murmur them (Ṛg. I. 22. 15 and the mantras referred to in sūtra 12 below). Getting up from the layer they should three times recite the mantra 'from that place may the gods protect us' (Ṛg. I. 22. 16); the same verse (they should repeat) a fourth time turning their faces to the south, to the west and the north.¹⁹⁶² Having gathered together they should repeat in a low tone the mantras sacred to the sun and the Svastyayana¹⁹⁶³ mantras, cook food and feed the brāhmaṇas and make the latter pronounce auspicious words.” In the Pāli work called Aṅguttara-nikāya there is a section called Paccorohanivagga in which the Pratyavarohaṇa observed by brāhmaṇas is described. Vide Aṅguttara vol. V. (ed. by Hardy) p. 233 CXIX. and Z. D. M. G. vol. 52 pp. 149-151. - [Previous: v3.c42.39](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v3.c42.39) - [Next: v3.c42.41](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v3.c42.41) - [Up: v3.c42](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v3.c42) ## Linked texts (8) - [Śāṅkhāyanagṛhyasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.kalpa.grhya.sankhayana.4.15.22) — Śāṅkhāyana, Sanskrit - [Pāraskaragṛhyasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.kalpa.grhya.paraskara.3.2) — Pāraskara, Sanskrit - [Saṅgāravasutta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.anguttara.10.117.6.1) — Pāli - [Ṛgvedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.rg.1.22.15) — Sanskrit - [Gobhilagṛhyasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.kalpa.grhya.gobhila) — Gobhila, Sanskrit - [Āśvalāyanagṛhyasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.kalpa.grhya.asvalayana) — Āśvalāyana, Sanskrit - [Āpastambagṛhyasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.kalpa.grhya.apastamba) — Āpastamba, Sanskrit - [Aṅguttaranikāya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.anguttara) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v3.c42.40](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v3.c42.40) · Pramāṇa