History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.497.2

v5.c71.s1.497.2

20) prescribes that Kṛcchra, Atikṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa are the same penance for all sins (collectively for grave sins, for lesser ones separately, according to Haradatta and others). Compare Manu V 21 and XI. 215 (=Baud. Dh S. IV. 5. 16). Manu XI. 27, Yāj. III. 323, Vas. 27 21, Baud. Dh. S. IV. 5.18 and others define Cāndrāyaṇa (of the Yavamadhya type) as follows: On the first day of the bright half of a month only one morsel of food (*grāsa* or *piṇḍa*) is taken, on the second *tithi* two and so on; on the full moon (Paurṇamāsī) 15 morsels are taken; then on the first of the dark half 14 morsels, one being reduced on each succeeding day. So on the 14th of the dark half only one morsel is eaten and on the Amāvāsyā there is a complete fast. Here in the middle of the month of thirty days the largest number of morsels is taken (and so this is Yavamadhya) just as on the Paurṇamāsī day the moon becomes full and begins to wane from the next day. Here Paurṇamāsī is in the middle of the period of the observance as Viṣṇu Dh. S. 47.6 says. If one begins the *vrata* on the first *tithi* of the dark half, he reduces one morsel on the 1st i. e. takes 14 morsels on that day, 13 on the 2nd tithi of the dark half and so on On the 14th of the dark half he eats one morsel and on the amāvāsyā he eats nothing. Then on the 1st of the bright half he takes one morsel and goes on increasing the intake till on the Paurṇamāsī he takes 15 morsels The month is taken in this latter case to be Pūrṇimānta.