History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.211

v6.c81.211

The bulk of the vratas practised in medieval and modern times are kāmya i e. performed for the purpose of securing some object in this world or sometimes the next world or both. Most of the vratas are really secular though under the garb of religion and, though certain disciplines (such as fast, worship and celibacy, truthfulness) have to be observed, breathe a frankly materialistic attitude; they are meant to appeal to the ordinary human cravings that rule the whole world. The desired objects are legion and it is impossible to set them out in detail. Some idea about them may however be conveyed. The Agnipurāṇa mentions *dharma* (puṇya), progeny, wealth beauty or good fortune, virtues, fame, learning, long life, wealth, purity, enjoyment of pleasures, heaven and mokṣa (release from the round of births and deaths) as the objects to be sought by the observance of vratas. The Kalpataru¹⁴¹ on vrata says that vrata is the highest means of securing the several *lokas* (such as Brahmaloka, Śivaloka, Vaikuṇṭha) and the enjoyment of pleasures and triumph; that in Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali ages respectively kings Sujaya, Rāma, Dhanañjaya and Vikrama became lords of the whole world by means of vratas, that Śaṅkara declared to Hari in various treatises that *vrata* is the one (supreme) observance for man, that though many observances are laid down in each *yuga* they do not come up even to the 16th part of the observance of vratas, that the virtuous daughter of Vikrama named Vasundharā, residing in the country of Daśārṇa, attained *mokṣa* through vratas and that gods, sages, siddhas and others attained highest perfection by means of *upavāsas* (fasts).