History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1000

v6.c81.1000

It was further prescribed that not only was one not to eat during an eclipse, but in the case of a lunar eclipse one was not to eat for three *praharas* (9 hours or 22½ ghatikās) before the eclipse started and for four *praharas* before a solar eclipse starts, but this does not apply to children, old men and women.⁶⁴⁸ This period of three or four praharas before an eclipse was called and even now is called 'vedha'. The Krtyatattva (p. 434) collects together in one place all the above propositions about taking food. Although these rules are not generally observed in these days by people in cities and by educated people, in the author's boyhood they were strictly observed by almost all adults educated or illiterate.