History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.124

v5.c73.t1.124

Kuśas are required in śrāddha. Vide H. of Dh. vol. II. p. 657 for general remarks on kuśas. A few words may be added here. The Śat. Br. VII. 2. 3. 2 states that the waters that loathed Vṛtra went out to waterless deserts and became bushes of darbhas⁹³⁹. Similarly, Āśv. Gṛ. III. 2.2 summarizes a Brāhmaṇa text stating that darbhas are the essence of waters and herbs (apāṁ vā eṣa oṣadhīnāṁ raso yad-darbhāḥ). Prajāpati (verse 98) provides that darbhas should be gathered from a pure spot in the morning by a brāhmaṇa, should have mantras repeated over them, should be greenish in colour, should be as long as a cow's ear and then they are holy. The Gobhila gṛ. (I. 5. 16-17) states 'the barhis consists of kuśa grass cut off at the points at which the blades diverge from the main stalk and that the blades should be cut off near the roots at the rites meant for the Fathers'. Dakṣa (II. 33 and 35) provides that the second part of the day (divided into eight parts) is the proper time for collecting fuelsticks, flowers and kuśas. The Gobhilasmṛti (I. 20-21) says⁹⁴⁰ that the darbhas used in sacrifices are greenish, those to be used in Pākayajñas should be yellowish, those in rites for the pitṛs must be taken out from the roots and those that are to be used in Vaiśvadeva should be dark-pale, and that