History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.28

v5.c74.t2.28

¹³⁶⁷ रात्रिसत्रन्याय occurs in जै. IV. 3 17-19. There is a passage in the पञ्चविंशब्राह्मण 23. 2. 4 'प्रतितिष्ठन्ति य एता रात्रीरुपयन्ति' Here in the पञ्चविंश रात्रिसत्र is enjoined but no fruit thereof is expressly promised. The question arises whether in the absence of an express reward, heaven should be understood as the reward (because as explained in Jai IV 3. 15-16 *svarga* is the reward of all sacrifices for which no express reward is mentioned) or whether 'प्रतिष्ठा (stable position) which occurs in the above arthavāda passage should be held to be the reward of रात्रिसत्र. The reply is that here the reward is प्रतिष्ठा and not स्वर्ग i. e. though there is no express mention of the reward in the passage about rātrisattra, the *arthavāda* passage should be construed as laying down the reward. In the two verses, there is a *vidhi* in the words प्रयागे वपनं कुर्यात् and the second verse is an अर्थवाद. The question is what reward is promised in it. If रात्रिसत्रन्याय applies, then मुण्डन secures all the fruits of गयापिण्डदान, कुरुक्षेत्रदान and काशीतनुत्याग. If it does not apply then the only fruit is पापाभाव.