History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1628

v6.c81.1628

*Pāśupatavrata*—(1) Begin on Cai., make a small *liṅga* and bathe it with sandalwood water; make a golden lotus and place the liṅga thereon and worship with bilva leaves; lotus flowers (white, red, blue) and other upacāras, this Śivaliṅga-vrata to be observed in all months from Cai., but in months from Vai. liṅgas may be respectively made of diamond, emerald, pearl, sapphire, ruby, gomeda (a gem brought from the Himālaya and Indus), coral (in K. and Mārg.), Sūryakānta (Sun-stone), crystal; at end of year gift of a cow and the letting loose of a bull; or it may be performed only for a month, if performer poor; many verses (pp. 202-211 in HV) ending with 'sa me pāpaṁ vyapohatu' or 'vyapohantu malam mama' or 'Devī pāpamāśu vyapohatu' (may he or she remove my sin), addressed to several forms of Śiva, Skanda and others; HV II. 197-212 (from Liṅga); (2) on Cai. Full Moon; on preceding 13th honour a worthy ācārya, make a saṅkalpa about Pāśupatavrata for life, 12 years, 6, 3 or one year or for one month or 12 days; *homa* with ghee and fuel sticks; fast on 14th; on 15th homa; then apply holy ashes to body with six mantras "Agniriti bhasma" &c (Atharvaśiras Up. 5); HV II. 212-222 (from Vāyusaṁhitā), (3) on 12th of kr. the performer subsists by *ekabhakta* method, on 13th by *ayācita* method, on 14th by *nakta* and on amāvāsyā fast, gift of golden bull on 1st tithi after amāvāsyā; HV II. 455-457 (from Vahnipurāṇa).