History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.221

v5.c72.221

The Śat. Br. (XIII. 8 2–4) pursues the subject of sepulchral monuments as follows: Godly people make their sepulchres so as not to be separate from the earth; while those who are of the Asura stamp, the Easterns and others, make the sepulchral mounds so as to be separate from the earth, either on a stone basin or a similar thing He then encloses it with an undefined number of stones silently. He then sweeps the sepulchral site with a palāśa branch with (Vāj S. 35.1 'May the niggardly god-haters go away') and prays that Yama may grant him (the deceased) an abode He throws out the branch to the south side He then yokes the team of six oxen to the plough on the south side or on the north side, as he chooses Having given the order 'Yoke' he (the performer) utters the mantra (Vāj. S. 35. 2 ).⁵⁶² Having turned round the plough from right (south side) to the north, he ploughs the first furrow with Vāj. S. 35.3 'May Vāyu purify' along the north side towards the west; with 'May Savitṛ purify' along the west side towards the south; with 'Agni's lustre' along the south side towards the east, with 'Sūrya's brilliance' along the front side towards the north. Four furrows he ploughs with a Yajus formula. He then ploughs across the body (of the sepulchral site) silently with an undefined number of furrows He then unfastens the team of oxen To the right side (south-west) he removes this (the plough and the team).