History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.1871

v6.c81.1871

*Yajñasaptamī*—on śu. 7th when there is an eclipse and specially when there is saṅkrānti, the performer should eat once *haviṣya* food, bow to Varuṇa, should lie down on a bed of darbha grass on the ground, in the morning next day he should in the beginning as well as at the end sacrifice to Varuṇa. An elaborate procedure is prescribed; on M. 7th the sacrifice is addressed to Varuṇa, on Phā 7th to Sūrya, on Cai. 7th to Aṁśumālin (a name of the Sun) and so on under different names of the Sun till Pauṣa, at end of a year a golden chariot to which seven horses are yoked and in the midst of which a golden image of the Sun is placed and is surrounded by twelve brāhmaṇas representing the twelve names of the Sun in the twelve months is to be honoured and present of the chariot and a cow to be given to ācārya; a poor man should make a copper chariot; the performer becomes a king of wide regions, KKV 107-112, HV I. 757-760 (from Bhav I. 50. 1-42). HV explains that Varuṇa means the Sun here