History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.179

v6.c81.179

No one should undertake a vrata in the midst of āśauca (impurity on birth and death) But it is provided by the Viṣṇudharmasūtra¹¹⁷ (22 49) that āśauca does not affect the king in doing his royal duties, nor those undergoing a vrata in the carrying out of the vrata Similarly, Laghu-Viṣṇu observes in the case of vratas, sacrifices, marriages, in śrāddha, homa, worship (of an image), in *japa*, impurity does not affect after they are begun, but it affects before they are begun (i e is an obstacle to beginning these after impurity) Yāj. III 28-29 are similar verses It is laid down in the śāstras¹¹⁸ that danger (to the observer of vrata) from all beings, disease, forgetfulness, the command of one's *guru* do not break a vrata provided these occur only once (during the period of the particular vrata). It is provided by the Matsya-purāṇa, Agni and Satyavrata¹¹⁹ that in the case of women that have commenced a vrata of long duration there is no stoppage of the vrata if they have monthly illness in the midst of the vrata or they become pregnant or are delivered of a child and that they should get the rites performed by another as long as they are impure, but physical acts (such as fasting) may be done by them. There are certain other matters that do not affect the observance of a vrata, viz (drinking)¹²⁰ water, (partaking of) roots, fruits and milk and sacrificial offering, the desire (or command) of a brāhmaṇa, the order of one's guru and medicine. Hemādri remarks that the drinking of milk and the rest that follow do not affect vrata if the performer is a woman, a child or one who is in extreme pain. A person observing vrata¹²¹ should eschew all this, viz anointing the body or the head with oil, chewing tāmbūla, applying sandalwood paste and whatever else would increase physical strength or passion.