History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.216

v5.c72.216

Interesting information is furnished by the Śat. Br. about graves (XIII. 8. 1-4) and Kāt Śr⁵⁵⁹ It is said in Śat. Br that the grave⁵⁶⁰ or monument should not be built too soon after death, lest he (the performer) freshen up the sin of the deceased; that he should make it a long time after and when people do not even remember the years (that have elapsed since the decease). He should make it in uneven years and under a single nakṣatra (i. e. containing a single star such as Citrā and Puṣya, and not dual such as Punarvasu and Viśākhā or plural such as Kṛttikā) and on the New Moon day. Let him make it in autumn or in Māgha or in summer. The sepulchral mound should be four cornered, because the people who are worshippers of gods (or godly) make their burial mounds four-cornered, while those who are followers of Asuras, the Easterns and such like people, make them round. As to the choosing of the ground, the Śat. Br. states several views viz. he makes it on ground sloping towards the north or, according to some, to the south; but the Śat. Br. disapproves of both the views and prescribes that he should make the burial mound on any level ground where the waters flowing from a southernly direction come to the east and stand still without dashing forward and on such a ground one may make it (burial mound). Let him make it on a pleasant and peaceful spot, but not on a road nor in an open space lest he should make the deceased's sin manifest. It should have the sun shining on it (at mid-day). It should not be made at a place where it would be visible from the village and there should be charming objects to its west (woods, gardens &c.). If there be no charming objects there should be waters to its west or north. He makes it on salt (barren) soil, on such ground as abounds in roots. Let him not make it near where grows the Bhūmipāśā plant or where reeds grow, or Aśvagandhā or Adhyaṇḍā, or Pṛśniparṇī grows. He should not make it near an aśvattha tree or near a vibhītaka tree or a tilvaka, a sphūrjaka or a haridru or nyagrodha tree or other trees that have an evil name (like śleṣmātaka or kovidāra) For one who has performed Agnicayana, he makes a tomb after the manner of the fire altar. One must not make it too large lest he should make the sin (of the deceased) large He should make it just a man's size, broader behind (to the west) and broader on the north side He encloses it with cords twisted in the non-sunwise way. He then bids them to cut out the earth which would be just sufficient for making the mound of a man's size.