History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.498

v5.c73.t1.498

best of daksinās. If it is not possible to perform the śrāddha in the dark half (when the Sun is in Kanyā), one may perform it when the Sun is in Tulā (Balance). When the Sun enters the sign of Scorpion (without a śrāddha being performed), the Fathers go away losing all hope and after pronouncing a terrible curse (on their descendants) they return to their abode.' ¹¹⁸⁹ The fifth fortnight from the Full Moon day of Āsādha is the dark half of Bhādrapada. The dark half is the preserve of pitrs. In Bhādrapada the Sun is in the middle of its apparent motion in daksināyana. Therefore the dark half of Bhādrapada is specially chosen as the best period for śrāddha to the pitrs i. e. for the Mahālaya The śrāddha performed in Bhādrapada dark half is called Mahālaya-śrāddha, since that fortnight is the abode (*ālaya*) as it were of the *maha* (i. e. festival day) for 'pitrs. The real idea is that the dark half of Bhādrapada is specially to be welcomed for a śrāddha when the Sun is in Kanyā during that fortnight and that even if the Sun is not in *Kanyā* the dark half of Bhādrapada is still a good time for a śrāddha to the pitrs. The Skandapurāna ¹¹⁹⁰ also says 'In the fifth fortnight from the Full Moon of Āsādha, when the Sun occupies the sign of Kanyā, the pitrs of him who offers a śrāddha on the tithi of the death (of one's father) certainly derive gratification for one year thereafter.' The Kalpataru quotes the Bhavisyapurāna to the effect that if a man has not performed śrāddha in Mahālaya (i. e. in the dark fortnight of Bhādrapada when the Sun is in the sign of Kanyā) he should offer it on the 15th day (of the dark half of Āśvina) on which, it is well-known, lamps are lighted.¹¹⁹¹ The Śrāddha-sāra (p. 113) and the Smṛtimuktā-phala (on śrāddha p. 745) quote Vṛddha-manu to the effect that the latter half of Bhādrapada when the Sun is in Kanyā is called Mahālaya and also Gajacchāyā. Various views are held on the question of the exact day on which the Mahālayaśrāddha is to be performed, viz. it may be performed on any day from the first *tithi* of the dark half of Bhādrapada to the amāvāsyā or from the fifth of the dark half to the amāvāsyā of Bhādrapada or from the 8th or 10th of the dark half to amāvāsyā or from the 5th of the dark half of Bhādrapada to the 5th of the next fort-night or on any day on which the Sun is in Kanyā or on any day till the Sun enters Scorpion.¹¹⁹² Prajāpati states that there are numerous śrāddhas described by the Purāṇas, all of them yield rewards but the Mahālaya (śrāddha) is the most eminent among them.¹¹⁹³