History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.140

v5.c73.140

838b About the 14th of the dark half या I 264 says 'प्रतिपन्प्रभृतिष्वेका वर्जयित्वा चतुर्दशीम् । शस्त्रेण तु हता ये वै तेभ्यस्तत्र प्रदीयते' compare मनु III. 276, and मरीचि states विषशस्त्रश्वापदादितैर्यग्ब्राह्मणघातिनाम् । चतुर्दश्यां क्रिया कार्या अन्येषां तु विगर्हिता ॥ q by स्मृतित्त. (आ.) p. 367, श्राद्धतत्व p 191. ब्राह्मणघातिना here means ब्राह्मणकृतघातोऽस्यास्तीति. This only means that śrāddha should not be performed for anyone on the 14th of the dark half except for those who were killed by poison or by beasts, snakes, lower animals or brāhmaṇas or in battle But a śrāddha may be performed on any tithi of the dark half for those killed in battle or by poison &c. It should be noted that Manu prescribes (III. 282) that an āhitāgni should not perform a śrāddha except on *darśa*, from which it follows that only others (who had no śrauta fires) could offer śrāddha on any day of the dark half. Vide स्कन्दपुराण VI. 204. 24-27 and VI 219 19-21 for the proposition that śrāddha should be performed on the 14th tithi of the dark half of Bhādrapada for those who met a violent death by poisoning or fire or were killed by animals having fangs or horns or who committed suicide.