History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c75.1050.1

v5.c75.1050.1

Tīrthayātrā (pilgrimage to holy places) 552-722; *see* 'Gayā', 'tīrtha', 'woman', 'tonsure', advantages of t to the community and to the individual pilgrim 553, all religions lay great emphasis on the sanctity of certain places and enjoin pilgrimages to them 552; ancient Dharmaśāstra works lay emphasis on visits to tīrtha because of the benefits derived therefrom 553; as a means of removing the consequences of sins, 55-56; brāhmaṇa born and bred at a tīrtha like Mathurā or Gayā should be preferred to a stranger, though the latter may have mastered all the Vedas 579, brāhmaṇa should wander about tīrthas acc to Brahmapurāṇa after his capacity to perform yajñas has come to an end 570, classification of tīrthas into four, viz daiva, (established by gods), āsura (associated with asuras like Gaya), ārṣa (established by sages such as Prabhāsa) and Mānusa (established by kings like Manu, Kuru) 567, dharmas common to all men include truthfulness, restraint of mind, charity, ahiṁsā and t. 553-554; digests on tīrthas follow a process of selection, i. e. each describes only a few tīrthas known to it 565; digests have a tendency to make every religious act more elaborate and harder 573; fast at a tīrtha is optional according to Kalpataru but if observed it confers special rewards 473, 584; five classes of people do not reap the rewards of pilgrimage 563; four places of pilgrimage for Buddhists 552; fourteen acts which a pilgrim had to give up after reaching the Ganges or other tīrtha 578;