History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.173

v6.c81.173

The vratakośa edited by M M Gopinath Kaviraja (in the Sarasvatībhavana series in 1929) lists 1622 vratas, but that list is unduly swollen and inflated for various reasons.¹¹⁴ For example, the Aṣṭakā-śrāddhas and Anvaṣṭakā-śrāddhas are included and have nine numbers assigned to them There are twelve numbers assigned to Anantavrata because it is performed for twelve months from Mārgaśīrṣa, but Hemādri (on vrata vol. II. pp. 667-671) treats it as one vrata. Upavāsavrata is given four numbers, the only reference given being Hemādri (vrata) II. p. 509 (only 1½ lines from Matsya). Hemādri (vrata II. pp. 748-52, 757 and so on) describes *Ekabhakta* twelve times in each month from Caitra to Phālguna and then on II. p 863 refers to him who performs Ekabhaktavrata for one year. The Vratakośa gives 13 separate numbers (2 for Ekabhakta and 11 for Eka-bhukta, for this latter form there being no authority of Hemādri who calls all the 13 Ekabhaktavrata) Grahaśānti is given five numbers. It is unnecessary to multiply examples. If properly sifted the number would be much smaller than 1000.