History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.139.4

v5.c73.139.4

1-7) states that the day of the sun's passage from one sign of the zodiac to another, the two equinoctial days, particularly the solstitial days, Vyatīpāta, the constellation on which the performer is born, a time of rejoicing (son's birth or the like)—these are *kāmya* times and a śrāddha performed on these occasions gives infinite pleasure (to the Manes). The Kūrmapurāṇa (Uttarārdha 16. 6-8) says that śrāddhas called *kāmya* are commended on eclipses, solstice days, equinoctial days and on Vyatīpāta and they give infinite pleasure (to the Manes) and śrāddha performed on Saṅkrānti (sun's passage from one sign of the zodiac to another) is inexhaustible and so also on days of birth and on the several nakṣatras śrāddhas should be performed. Āp. Dh. S. II. 7. 16. 8-22, Anuśāsana 87, Vāyu 89. 10-19, Yāj I 262-263, Brahmapurāṇa 220. 15-21, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 78. 36-50, Kūrmapurāṇa (II. 20. 17-22), Brahmāṇḍa III. 17. 10-22 state what rewards a man gets if he performs śrāddhas on each of the days from the first to the 15th of the dark half These lists do not completely agree with each other. That of Āp. being probably the most ancient, is set out here:—Śrāddha performed on each of the 15 days of the dark half respectively yields the following results in order, viz.