History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.512

v5.c71.s1.512

*TULĀPURUṢA KṚCCHRA*—Jābāli speaks ³¹⁷ of the duration of this penance as eight days; Śaṅkha (18.9-10) and Viṣṇu Dh. S. 46 22 describe one of ten days where oil-cake, the foamy scum of cooked rice, butter-milk, water and barley meal are to be eaten, each respectively on one day, followed by a fast on the next day Yāj. III. 322 (= Atri verses 129-130) describes one of 15 days where the above five ingredients are eaten for three days each. Yama on the other hand speaks of Tulāpuruṣa for 21 days, when the five things are separately eaten for three days (vide Mit. on Yāj III. 322). Aparārka pp. 1239-1241, Par. M II. part 2 pp 184-189, Madanapārijāta pp. 718-727, Pr. Sāra pp 179-181 set out at length the mode of the performance of Tulāpuruṣa as a penance. In this penance two images of the performer made of fragrant *uśīra* grass were to be prepared and placed in the pan of a balance a span high made either of gold or silver or sandalwood and were to be weighed against pebbles and placed in another pan and worship was to be offered to Mahādeva and Umā and many other subordinate deities such as Agni, Vāyu, the sun.