History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1637

v6.c81.1637

*Putrakāmavrata*—(1) on Bh. pūrṇimā; a sonless man should after performing putreṣṭi sacrifice in his house enter a cavern where Rudra is supposed to have dwelt, should offer *homa* to Rudra, Pārvatī, Nandī and worship and observe fast; feed his helpers and then himself and his wife, and circumambulate the cave and make his wife listen to divine legends (about Rudra), should make his wife subsist for three days on rice and milk; even a barren wife may then get a son; he should then prepare a golden, silver or iron image of Śiva, about a prādeśa in length (the distance between the thumb and forefinger fully stretched), worship it, heat it in fire, place it in vessel and perform abhiṣeka over it with a *prastha* of milk and make his wife drink that milk; KKV 374–376 (from Brah.), HV II. 171–72 (same verses from Pad.); (2) on Jy. paurṇamāsī, tithivrata; a jar filled with white rice grains, covered with white cloth, marked with white sandalwood paste and with gold inside should be established; on it a copper vessel with jaggery should be placed; on the vessel image of Brahmā and Sāvitrī should be placed and worshipped with *gandha* &c.; next morning donate the jar to a brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇas should be fed and he himself may take food but without salt, this should be done every month for a year; in the 13th month donate *ghṛtadhenu* with bedstead and golden and silver images of Brahmā and Sāvitrī respectively; homa with white sesame and repeat names of Brahmā; the performer (man or woman) becomes free from sins, secures excellent sons; KKV 376–378 (calls it Putrakāmyavrata), HV II. 173–74 (same verses from Padma), KR 193–195 (from Pad.). For ghṛtadhenu, vide H. of Dh. vol II. p. 880.