History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.30

v5.c72.30

teaching Brahma), that Bhīṣma waited for the beginning of uttarāyaṇa to abide by popular ideas and practices and to show that he possessed the power to depart from the world at his will owing to the boon conferred on him by his father. The Yājñavalkya-smṛti refers to the path (devayāna)⁴³⁷ that leads to Devaloka (in III. 193-194, where it reads 'mānasah' for 'amānavah' of the Ch. Up.) and the Pitṛyāna (in III. 195–196). In spite of the interpretations of the Vedāntasūtra (and of Śaṅkara) the popular belief that death in Uttarāyaṇa is best persisted and still persists. For example, the Baud. P. S. (II 7. 21) remarks '(the sages) provide that death during the northern path of the sun, in the bright half of a month, during the day and at the end of a Śrauta sacrifice is best⁴³⁸.' The G. P. S. (II. 7.1-2) remarks: 'It is desirable to avoid dying in the dark half of a month or at night and the following *sūtras* provide for the offering of certain oblations if the death occurs in the dark half or at night.