History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.93

v5.c72.93

⁴⁸² It deserves to be noted that the numbering of the sūtras in Āśv. gr. IV. 1-2 differs in different 'editions considerably The rules about the selection of the site for cremation are ancient. The Sat Br. XIII. 8.1 and Kāt. Sr XXI. 3, 15-26 also lay down elaborate rules. The latter may be set out here. 'the site for cremation should be one surrounded by a thicket of trees, but it should be so open that the sun shines directly on it at mid-day. It should be saltish land or land sloping to the north or it may be all level land. Some say that it should slope towards the south. The spot should be such that the houses in the village cannot be seen from it and should be at a distance from the road and from the vata, pippala, tilvaka, haridru, sphūrjaka, bibhīdaka and other trees that have an evil name (such as śleṣmātaka and kovidāra) The 'Sat. Br. XIII 8.1.16 names all these trees that are to be avoided The spot should be such that a pile of wood (as directed in Kāt. Śr. 25 7 16-17) can be constructed thereon. It should be a pleasing one and should have a thicket of various trees to its west or in default, water, which may be to its west or north The spot should have streams or holes and grass growing thereon The Kāt Śr. S. *(Continued from the last page)* 21 3. 27 adds that a bamboo staff with a bundle of grass at its top is carried to the cremation ground and held by a person to the north of the ground while the rites go on and that it is brought back to the house and kept raised at the house. The ground is measured and pegs of palāśa, śamī, varaṇa and a stone are driven into the ground from the east, north, west and south in order. The Sat. Br. XIII. 8. 4. 1 mentions pegs (*śaṅku*). Sān. Sr. (IV. 14. 6-9) states that the ground of cremation slopes to the south or south-east, that the ground is swept with a palāśa branch with the verse 'apeta' (Rg. X. 14. 9), then it is cleared with the sphya and sprinkled with water and the pile of wood is made to face south-east.