History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.213

v6.c81.213

*Classification of vratas:* As the vratas to be treated of in this section are almost all self-imposed or voluntary, they may be divided into three classes. The Padmapurāṇa¹⁴² observes: 'ahiṁsā (abstaining from causing injury), truthfulness, not depriving a person of his property by wrongfully taking it, brahmacarya (continence), freedom from crookedness or hypocrisy—these are mental vratas that lead to the satisfaction (or favour) of Hari; eating once only in the day, *nakta* (eating only once after sunset), fast (for the whole day), not begging (i. e. subsisting on food that one gets without asking for it)—this is physical vrata for human beings; study of the Veda, recounting (the name of) Viṣṇu, speaking the truth, freedom from backbiting these are vratas of speech.