History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1756

v6.c81.1756

*Bhīṣmapañcaka*—For five days from 11th tithi of K. śu.; performer bathes three times applying pañcāmṛta, pañcagavya and water mixed with sandalwood paste; *tarpaṇa* of pitṛs with yava, rice and sesame; 108 times repeat the mantra ‘om namo Vāsudevāya’ at worship and when performing homa offer sesame, yava and rice mixed with ghee with mantra of six letters ‘om namo Viṣṇave’; this procedure to be followed for five days, on the 1st to 5th day the feet, knees, navel, shoulders and head of Hari should respectively be worshipped with lotuses, bilva leaves, bhṛṅgāraka, (on 4th day) *bāṇa*, *bilva* and Jayā, Mālatī; on 11th to 14th he should respectively partake of cow-dung, cow urine, milk and curds for purifying the body; then on 5th day performer to feast brāhmaṇas and give gifts; the performer's sins are all wiped out; HV II. 336-341 (from Nār. and Bhav. U, the first saying that Bhīṣma learnt it from Kṛṣṇa, while the latter makes Kṛṣṇa declare that he learnt it from Bhīṣma when the veteran hero was lying on his bed of arrows); Bhav. U. allows the performer to eat vegetables and the food of ascetics KV 324 cites the last verse occurring in HV II. 34 from Bhav. U. Later medieval works like NS 204, SM 158-159, SmK 386 add (from Pad.) that *arghya* and water should be offered to Bhīṣma by men of all varṇas and the tarpaṇa mantra is note-worthy ‘Vaiyāghra-padya-gotrāya Sāṅkṛtyapravarāya ca। Gāṅgā-putrāya Bhīṣmāya pradāsyeham tilodakam॥ aputrāya dadāmyetat salilam Bhīṣmavarmane।’. These occur in BB p. 364 verses 1714-15 and the verse ‘Vaiyāghra’ occurs in RM (vide ABORI vol. 36 p. 332) and in HK 628 By doing this a man becomes free from sins Vide Agni 205 1-9, Gar I. 123. 3-11, Pad. VI. 125 29-82 that contain a very elaborate description of this vrata.