History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c42.5

v3.c42.5

*Caitrī*:—According to Haradatta on Gaut. VIII. 19 the caitrī rite is the same as śūlagava, known as Īśānabali to the students of the Āpastamba sūtra (Āp. gṛ. 19, 13 ff.) and this rite called Caitrī was performed on the full moon day of the month of Caitra. In the Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 19 it is said that this rite takes place on the full moon day of Caitra and there is a brief description of it which is rather obscure (vide S. B. E. vol. 29, p. 132). The Vaik. IV. 8 describes it as follows: On the full moon day of Caitra the house is cleaned and decorated; the husband and wife deck themselves in new garments (lower and upper) and with flowers etc.; after two āghāras¹⁹⁴⁰ are made in fire and rice is cooked in a vessel for the deities, offerings are made of clarified butter, with the mantras 'grīṣmo hemanta' (Tai. S. V. 7. 2. 4) 'ūrṇam me pūryatām,' 'śriye jātaḥ' (Ṛg. IX. 94. 4), 'Vaiṣṇavam' (Tai. S. I. 2, 13. 3) and having offered oblations of boiled rice mixed with ghee to Madhu,¹⁹⁴¹ Mādhava, Śukra, Śuci, Nabhas, Nabhasya, Īsa, Ūrja, Sahas, Sahasya, Tapas, Tapasya, to the deities of Ṛtus, to herbs, to the lords of herbs, to Śrī (goddess of wealth), to the lord of Śrī, to Viṣṇu; having worshipped to the west of the fire the goddess Śrī and the god Śrīpati whose face is turned eastwards, he announces the *havis* (sacrificial food) and having served to the recitation of the hymn to *anna* (food) the brāhmaṇas with cooked *caitrya* food he should himself eat in the company of his sapiṇḍas.