History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.81

v5.c74.t2.81

The Anuśāsana-parva, the Kūrmapurāṇa, Nāradīya (uttara) 63. 19-20 and 36-38 and others highly praise bathing at the saṅgama in the month of Māgha ¹⁴⁰³. Men of all castes, women and those born of mixed unions can take this bath; śūdras, women and men of mixed castes should not repeat any mantra but should bathe silently or with the word 'namaḥ' (Tri. S. p 39). Similarly, the Padma, Kūrma, Agni and other Purāṇas wax eloquent over a bath for three days in Māgha saying that it is equal to the gift of three crores of cows.¹⁴⁰⁴ There is great divergence as to exactly what three days are meant, as pointed out by the Tri. S. p 33. The various views are the three days are the passage of the sun into Capricornus, Rathasaptamī and the full moon day of Māgha; the three consecutive days including the 10th of the bright half of Māgha, the first three days of Māgha, the three consecutive days from the 13th day of the bright half of Māgha; any three days in Māgha.