History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.755

v4.c63.t2.755

¹⁷⁶⁷ चन्द्रसूर्यावुभौ ग्रस्तौ एकाह्ना हि त्रयोदशीम्। अपर्वणि ग्रहं यातौ प्रजासंक्षयमिच्छतः॥ चन्द्रसूर्यावुभौ ग्रस्तौ एकमासीं त्रयोदशीम्। अपर्वणि ग्रहेणैतौ प्रजाः संक्षपयिष्यतः॥ भीष्मपर्व 3. 28, 32. The cr. edition of the Mahābhārata gives only the first of these two verses. Utpala in his com. on Bṛhatsaṁhitā 5. 26 reads एकमासे त्रयोदशे. The words प्रजाः संक्षपयिष्यतः make it quite clear that eclipses and the fortnight of thirteen tithis are taken as very evil omens. Similar words occur in Bhīṣma 3. 12 and 13 quoted below in note 1779. In Bṛhatsaṁhitā 3. 6 it is said that a *graha* called Tvaṣṭṛ makes the orb of the Sun look dark even when there is no parva (amāvāsyā). Utpala quotes on the same a verse of Parāśara 'अपर्वणि शशाङ्कार्कौ त्वष्टा नाम महाग्रहः। आवृणोति तमःश्यामः सर्वलोकविपत्तये ॥. There is no doubt whatever that the writer of Bhīṣma 2 and 3 is more concerned with chronicling evil omens than with setting out accurate astronomical and other data observed by him personally or even by others.