History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c75.1050.4

v5.c75.1050.4

six rivers having their sources in the Himālaya and six to the south of Vindhya are declared to be most holy devatīrthas by Brahmapurāṇa 567, some digests state that a pilgrim has to wear the *kārpaṭī* dress at all tīrthas when he is actually travelling, while others say that he has to do so only at Gayā 573, some purāṇas say that some virtues may be called mental tīrthas and purity of mind is the highest tīrtha 563, some say that tonsure and fast are necessary at all tīrthas except at Kurukṣetra, Viśālā, Virajā and Gayā 574; śrāddha has to be performed at most famous tīrthas, but from the procedure of śrāddha are omitted arghya, āvāhana, entering the thumb of the invited brāhmaṇa in the food served, the question about being satiated and vikira 616, śrāddha may be performed at any time after a pilgrim reaches the tīrtha 616, śrāddha at tīrthas consists, if the whole procedure cannot be followed, in offering piṇḍas of barley meal or rice cooked in milk, cake of sesame or jaggery and one should offer a single piṇḍa to all relatives after pārvaṇaśrāddha and another piṇḍa for servants, slaves, cattle, trees etc. 616-617, tended to foster the idea of the fundamental unity of India and Indian culture 553, tended to level up all men by bringing them together to the same holy rivers and shrines 553; three grounds on which tīrthas are said to be holy 554-555, tonsure and fast are not obligatory but only kāmya according to Kalpataru but otherwise according to others 573-575, t.