History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.147

v5.c73.147

The Viṣṇu-Dharmasūtra (78. 8-15) mentions what rewards follow from performance of śrāddhas on the 28 nakṣatras from Kṛttikā to Bharaṇī (including Abhijit which is placed after Uttarāsāḍhā and before Śravaṇa). Yāj I. 265-268, Vāyu chap. 82, Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa 30. 8-16, Kūrma (II. 20 9-15), Brahmapurāṇa 220. 33-42, Brahmāṇḍa (Upodghātapāda 18.1 ff) also deal with the same topic, but all these works do not present complete agreement For example, Viṣṇu Dh S. and Yāj. agree that śrāddha performed on Kṛttikā, Rohiṇī, Aśvinī and Bharaṇī yield as rewards heaven, offspring, horses and longevity, but they disagree in several others e. g. while Viṣṇu says that prosperity, beauty (or happiness) and all desires are obtained by performing śrāddha on the Puṣya, Āśleṣā and Maghā nakṣatras respectively, Yāj. provides that a śrāddha on these three yields strength, son and eminence. The Anuśāsanaparva 89 and Vāyupurāṇa 82 set out the rewards of srāddhas on the several nakṣatras from Kṛttikā as declared by Yama to Śaśabindu.