History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.147

v5.c72.147

If even the bones could not be found, then the sūtras follow-ing the Aat Br. (chap. 32.1) and similar ancient works⁵²³ provide that on a skin of black antelope one should make the effigy of a human frame with *palāśa* stalks (leaves) 360 in⁵²⁴ number, the effigy should be bound round with woollen thread, should be covered with *yava* flour mixed with water and anointed with clarified butter and cremated with his fires and sacrificial implements. The Brahmapurāṇa (q. by Suddhi-prakāśa p. 187) contains similar rules about burning an effigy and ordains three days' impurity thereafter. Acc. to a smṛti (q by Aparārka p. 545), the *palāśa* leaves were to be 362. They were to be distributed according to Baud. P S and Gaut. P S. as follows: 40 represent the head, 10 the neck, 20 the chest, 30 the abdomen (*udara*), 50 each of the arms, 10 the fingers of the two hands, 70 each of the two legs, 10 the toes of the feet, 8 the male organ, 12 the testicles. This is also the enumeration in Sat Śr. 29.4.39. Vide also Śān. Śr. IV 15.19-31,⁵²⁵ Kat. Śr. XXV. 8.15, Baud. P. S. III 8, G. P. S. II 1.6-14 Gobhila-smṛti III 48. Hārīta q by Śuddhiprakāśa p. 186, Garuḍapurāṇa II. 4. 134-154 and II.40 44 ff. It may be stated here that all the sūtras and smṛtis do not entirely agree as to the number of palāśa leaves taken as representing the several parts of the body, as may be seen from a comparison of the Śān. Śr. quoted in the note with Baud. P S. set out here. A smṛti quoted by Aparārka (p 545) gives the numbers as follows: 32 for the head, 60 for the neck, 80 for the chest, 20 for the hip and loins, 20 each for the two arms, 10 for fingers, 6 for testicles, 4 for the penis, 60 for the two thighs, 20 for the knees, 20 for the lower parts of the legs, 10 for toes of the feet. Jātūkarṇya (q by Aparārka p. 545) and Bhaviṣyapurāṇa (q. by Śuddhiprakāśa p. 187) say that when a son does not hear for 15 years about his father who had gone to a distant land, he should perform the cremation of the effigy (called 'ākṛtidahana'). Bṛhaspati advises waiting for 12 years before resorting to *ākṛtidahana* (Śuddhipr. p 187). The Vaikhānasa-smārta-sūtra V. 12 regards the burning of the effigy as a meritorious act for every one and does not restrict it to the case where the body or bones are not found. The Śuddhiprakāśa p. 187 quotes several verses from the Brahmapurāṇa that the procedure of burning an effigy of palāśa stalks was to be followed even in the case of one who has not consecrated Śrauta fires and āśauca for three days has to be observed, while the aśauca for burning the effigy of an āhitāgni was ten days.