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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c68: Brief Synopsis of the Contents of Volume IV

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c68

Language
English

Brief Synopsis of the Contents of Volume IV

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OF THE

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PAGES

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Section I :—Pātaka, Prāyaścitta, Karmavipāka

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Chapter I Sin in Ṛgveda, conception of ṛta, enumeration and classification of sins, grave sins and lesser lapses, doctrine of *karma* ... 1—40

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Chapter II Means of reducing the consequences of sins, viz. confession, repentance, *prāṇāyāma*, *tapas*, *homa*, *japa* (muttering sacred texts), gifts, fasting, pilgrimages. ... 41—56

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Chapter III Prāyaścitta (expiation), derivation of the word, origin and meaning; expiations and secular punishments; circumstances to be considered in prescribing expiations; pariṣad (assembly of learned men) and its duties. ... 57—86

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Chapter IV Expiations for grave sins such as brāhmaṇa murder and for lesser sins, procedure followed; tonsure; substitutes for expiations ... 87–129

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Chapter V Names and descriptions of all individual expiations. ... 130–152

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Chapter VI Consequences of not undergoing expiations, historical account of the ideas of Heaven, Hells and torments; doctrine of *karmavipāka*. ... 153–178

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Section II :—Antyeṣṭi (rites after death), āśauca (impurity on birth and death), Śuddhi (purification).

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Chapter VII Eschatology; Ṛgveda X. 14–18 translated; rites on death of āhitāgni in Śat. Br. and śrauta and gṛhya sūtras, cremation; burial; offering of water to deceased, collecting charred bones and casting them into sacred waters, *śānti* rites; graves; persons competent to perform rites after death. ... 179–266

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Chapter VIII Śuddhi includes purification after āśauca (impurity on birth and death), purification of the body, of substances (pots, wells, food), of images and temples; derivation of the word āśauca, its meaning and two varieties (on birth and on death); circumstances on which periods of āśauca depended; exception to rules about observance of āśauca; Nārāyanabali for those who commit suicide; emphasis on mental purity. ... 267–333

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Section III.—Śrāddha

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Chapter IX Derivation and definition of 'śrāddha', *śrāddha* and the doctrines of *karma* and *punarjanma*, pıtṛs; panegyrics of śrāddha; only three rites for the departed in ancient times vız. pıṇḍapıtṛyajña, mahāpıtṛyajña and aṣṭakās, the *adhıkārin* (person entitled to perform) for śrāddha, meanıng of the word 'putra', proper times and places for śrāddha, classification of śrāddhas, qualifications of brāhmaṇas to be invited, persons unfit to be invited, food recommended and condemned in śrāddha, pıṇḍapıtṛyajña as described in Taittırīya Samhıtā and Brāhmaṇa, pārvaṇaśrāddha as described in Aśvalāyanagṛhya, in Yājñavalkya, and in Padmapurāna; Viśve-devas, *agnau-karaṇa*; number of āhutıs, number of ancestors to whom pınḍas are offered (3, 6, 9 or 12), description of modern pārvaṇaśrāddha; meaning of sapiṇḍa, āmaśrāddha. .. 334–515

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Chapter X Ekoddiṣṭa and other śrāddhas, hema-śrāddha, procedure of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa or sapiṇḍana, occasions for and description of ābhyudayıkaśrāddha, pratisāṃvatsarıka śrāddha and mahālayaśrāddha, mātāmahaśrāddha; letting loose of a bull; gift of cow ... 516-551

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Section IV :—Tīrthayātrā (pilgrimages to holy places)

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Chapter XI Holy places (mountains, rivers, forests) play important part in the culture and unity of India; meaning of tīrtha in Ṛgveda and later texts; grounds on which places become tīrthas; number of tīrthas very large; four classes of tīrthas, viz. daiva, āsura, ārṣa and mānusa; who should go on a pilgrimage, rites on starting; tonsure and fast. ... 552-584

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Chapter XII Ganges eulogised in Ṛgveda, Mahābhārata and purāṇas; Tristhalī i. e. Prayāga, Kāsī and Gayā, eulogy of Prayāga, tonsure at Prayāga; suicide at Prayāga; sub-tīrthas of Prayāga such as Akṣayavaṭa. ... 585-617

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Chapter XIII Kāśī; ancient history and eulogy of Kāśī; Banaras known under five different names; derivation of the words Kāśī and Vārāṇasī; Viśveśvara and Maṇikarṇikā; five essential tīrthas at Banaras; Pañcakrośī pilgrimage; sub-tīrthas, such as Jñānavāpī, numerous liṅgas at Banaras ... 618-642

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Chapter XIV Gayā; Gayāmāhātmya in Vāyupurāṇa (chapt. 105-112); views about its date; Viṣṇupada and Gayaśiras in Nirukta; brief summary of Gayāmāhātmya; most important spots in Gayā are the Phalgu river, Viṣṇupada and Akṣayavaṭa; the five tīrthas of Gayā; offering of śrāddha and piṇḍas at Gayā; the seven holy cities, twelve Jyotir-liṅgas, and four Dhāmas ... 643-679

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Chapter XV Kurukṣetra and some other famous tīrthas. History of Kurukṣetra and its other names viz. northern Vedi of Prajāpati and Samantapañcaka; tīrthas of Kurukṣetra such as Sarasvatī, Prthūdaka, seven forests; Mathurā, its history, twelve forests, Vṛndāvana, Govardhana, Gokula or Vraja, Puruṣottama tīrtha or Jagannātha; peculiar features of Jagannātha, viz. car festival, army of attendants, five important tīrthas, obscene sculptures on walls of Jagannātha temple. Narmadā, eulogy of and sub-tīrthas on Narmadā, Godāvarī and 100 tīrthas thereon described in Brahmapurāṇa such as Tryambaka, Janasthāna, Nāsik, Govardhana, Pañcavaṭī, Kāñcī, Pandharpur, its chief temple of Viṭhobā, large staff of priests, temple of devotee Pundalīka, Vārkarīs . 680–722

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Chapter XVI Comprehensive list of tīrthas and concluding remarks on tīrthas ... 723–827

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