History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.88

v5.c74.88

The Purāṇas and digests devote some attention to the mode of travel. The Matsya (106. 4-6) states that¹³⁰⁴ if a pilgrim goes to Prayāga in a conveyance drawn by bulls he falls into hell and his pitṛs do not accept the water offered by him at the holy place and if a pilgrim because of riches or avarice or foolishness goes in a conveyance (not drawn by bulls) all his effort (as a pilgrim) becomes fruitless and therefore a pilgrim should avoid journey in a conveyance. According to the Kalpataru (on Tīrtha p. 11) using a conveyance is forbidden only in the case of pilgrimage to Prayāga (and not in the case of other tīrthas), while the Tīr. C. (p. 8) and Tīr. Pr. (p. 45) quote a verse¹³⁰⁵ which provides that if a pilgrim uses a cart drawn by bulls he is guilty of *govadha* (killing a cow), if he travels on horse-back (or in a horse-drawn carriage) his pilgrimage yields no fruit, if he is carried by men (in a palanquin or the like) he secures only half the merit but if he travels bare-footed then he wins the full merit. The Padma-purāṇa (IV. 19. 27) has a similar verse. The Tīr. Pr. p. 34 quotes a verse from the Kūrmapurāṇa that those who are unable to perform a pilgrimage otherwise do not incur blame (or loss) by making use of a conveyance drawn by men or a chariot which is drawn by mules or horses. Similarly, a verse of the Viṣṇupurāṇa¹³⁰⁶ quoted by both Tīr C and Tīr. Pr. (pp. 34-35) provides that one should always go on a journey wearing shoes and holding an umbrella in the rains or in summer and armed with a staff at night or in a forest. The Viṣṇudharmottara takes a more practical view when it says that to make a pilgrimage on foot is the highest *tapas* (austerity) and that if a pilgrimage be made in a conveyance the pilgrim will reap only the reward of the bath. The Tīr. Pr. (p. 35) allows the use of a vessel to reach holy places like Gaṅgāsāgara which cannot be reached otherwise.