History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1101

v6.c81.1101

*Asidhārāvrata*—begin on Ās śu. 15; five days or ten days after Ās. 15, K.15 or for 4 months from Ās., or one year or 12 years, one has to sleep on bare ground, to bathe outside house, eat food only in the night, to remain celibate even though sleeping in wife's embrace, curb anger and be devoted to *japa* and *homa* to Hari Different rewards acc to length of time, the greatest being that after twelve years of this vrata the observer may secure the rulership of the world and on death become one with Janārdana Vi Dh. III. 218 1-25 q by HV II. 825-827. The word means the vrata is as sharp or difficult as treading on the edge of a sword. The Raghuvaṁśa 13. 67 in referring to Bharata's abstention from enjoying regal splendour out of regard for the exiled Rāma calls it *ugra* 'iyanti varṣāṇi tayā sahogram-abhyasyatīva vratam-asidhāram'.