History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c52.46

v3.c52.46

At the end of a year from the Daśapeya took place the rite called Keśavapanīya²⁶⁵⁷ which followed the procedure of the Atirātra sacrifice (Āśv. IX. 3. 24) and in which hair grown for a year were cut off. About the exact time of the rite there were different views. The com. on Āśv. says it was performed on some day in the bright half of Vaiśākha, while the com. on Kāt. XV. 9. 20 says that the pressing day of Keśavapanīya fell on the Full moon day of Jyeṣṭha. Vide also Lāṭ. IX. 3. 1-3. Then follow two rites called Vyuṣṭi-dvirātra (dvirātra for prosperity), which were respectively (first) an Agniṣṭoma and (the 2nd) an Atirātra performed at the interval of one month (Kāt. XV. 9. 21-23, Āśv. IX. 3. 25-26). There were several views about the time of their performance (Lāṭ. IX. 3. 5-9, Āp. XVIII. 22. 14-16). Then one month after the 2nd Vyuṣṭidvirātra (i. e. on Śrāvaṇa Full Moon day) was performed the rite called Kṣatradhṛti (lit. stability of martial power) which followed the procedure of Agniṣṭoma (Āśv. IX. 3. 27, Lāṭ. IX. 3. 13). Śāṅ. (XV. 16. 10-11) refers to the legend that Kurus lost in each battle because they did not offer the Kṣatra-dhṛti rite.²⁶⁵⁸ According to Śat. Br. V. 5. 5. 6-9 in place of the Udavasānīyā there was the Traidhātavī iṣṭi in which a cake prepared of barley and rice mixed together was offered. This finished the Rājasūya, but one month after it in the bright half the Sautrāmaṇī iṣṭi was performed. This last is dealt with separately below.