History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.149.3

v6.c81.149.3

The Padmapurāna¹⁰¹ provides that one who is observing nakta-vrata must observe sıx things, viz havısya meals, bath, truthfulness, small quantity of food, worship of Agni and sleeping on the ground (not on a cot) The Bhujabala¹⁰² says all should avoid while observing vrata the use of bell metal (vessel), flesh, *masūra*, gram, kodrava, vegetables, honey and the food cooked in another's house Hārīta lays¹⁰³ down what should be avoided on the day of vrata: one should avoid on the fast day talk with one guilty of heavy sins, heterodox sectarians and atheists and speaking what is untrue and obscene. The Sāntiparva says 'one engaged in vrata should not converse with women, śūdras and *patita*'. The Brhadyogī-Yājñavalkyasmrti¹⁰⁴ observes. one The Purāṇas extol, as in the case of pilgrimages, the performance of vratas to the skies Certain vratas like those to be undergone by a Vedic student had ceased to be in vogue and vratas associated with Vedic sacrifices also had become rare in the centuries before the Christian era. In the gṛhya and dharma sūtras and in ancient smṛtis like those of Manu and Yājñavalkya what were called vratas in the Purāṇas did not occupy any very prominent position. During the early centuries of the Christian era Buddhism and Jainism were influential rivals of the ancient sacrificial system.