History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1075

v6.c81.1075

*Ardhodaya-vrata*—This is a vrata of rare occurrence and is said to be equal in holiness to a crore of Sun eclipses Later medieval digests (e. g. TT 187, KSS 30, NS 211, SmK. 442–445, P. C. 316) quote a verse from Mahābhārata ‘when in the month of Pauṣa or Māgha there is amāvāsyā with Śravaṇa-nakṣatra and Vyatīpāta-yoga, that is called Ardhodaya and Vratārka (folios 348^a–350^b) states that according to Prayāga-setu of Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa it takes place in Pauṣa when amānta reckoning is used and in Māgha when Pūrṇimānta reckoning is used. HV (II. pp. 246–252) quotes from Skanda and adds Sunday to the above requirements and BB (pp. 364–365) adds that the Sun must be in Makara (Capricorn). The TT 187, Vratārka folio 348^a and PC 316 read a half verse 'this yoga is commended only if it occurs by day and not so if at night'. KSS 30 provides that if one out of the several requirements (Pauṣa or Māgha Amāvāsyā, Vyatīpāta, Śravaṇa-nakṣatra, Sunday) is absent, it becomes Mahodaya-parva. In Ardhodaya a bath at Prayāga in the morning is most meritorious, but it is provided that all rivers become like the Ganges at Ardhodaya. The devatās of the vrata are three viz. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara and they are worshipped in the same order; offerings (of ghee) are made in fire with Paurāṇika mantras, and also with three Vedic mantras viz. 'Prajāpate' (Ṛg. X. 121. 10) for Brahmā, 'Idaṃ Viṣṇur' (Ṛg. I 22. 17) for Viṣṇu, 'Tryambakaṃ yajāmahe' (Ṛg VII. 59. 12) for Maheśvara. At the end gifts of cow or money are made. In I. A. vol 25 p. 345 there is mention of Ardhodaya in śake 1352, Pauṣa, which corresponds to 14th January (Sunday) 1431 A. D. The reference to the distribution of all his wealth by Emperor Harṣavardhana at Prayāga once in five years made by the Chinese traveller Yuan Chwang (vide 7 I. A. 196 at p. 198) is not to Ardhodaya at all, as some suppose. If Beal's B R. W. W. vol. I. pp. 214 and 233 be carefully read this will be clear.