History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.2121

v6.c81.2121

There are several important vratas in Śrāvaṇa such as Nāgapañcamī, Aśūnyaśayanavrata, Kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī, which have already been described or have been included separately in this list. A few small matters are briefly mentioned here A notion prevailed that all rivers except those that fall directly into the sea are *rajasvalā* ('muddy' or with a pun 'in monthly course') when the Sun is in the middle of the signs of Cancer and Lion and therefore one was not to bathe in them for holiness and that streams that are not 1008 *dhanus* in length are not to be called '*nadīs*' (rivers) but they are merely holes or canals (gartā) Vide Gobhilasmṛti I. 141-142 (Māsadvayaṁ Śrāvaṇādi &c), NS 109-110; vide H. of Dh. vol. IV. 590 note 1337 for the length of *dhanus* (as 4 hastas). In Śr. the several deities had on different tithis the *pavitrāropaṇavrata* (for which vide pp 339-340 above); on Mondays in Śr. one should either fast or take only one meal at night (SmK 199); on 9th of both fortnights worship Durgā under the name of Kaumārī (KR 244, SmK 200); on Śr. kr 1 all Vaidika brāhmaṇas have to engage in japa of Gāyatrī for 1008 times in Tamil lands as their almanac shows Śrāvaṇa amāvāsyā is called *kuśotpāṭnī* as kuśas are gathered then (KR 316, SmK 252). On this amāvāsyā childless women or women whose children die in infancy perform a vrata for getting a child viz they observe fast, establish eight *kalaśas* (jars) for images of Brahmāṇī and other Mother Goddesses