History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.234.3

v6.c81.234.3

79 (84) 1-4, the first of which calls upon Amāvāsyā to come to the sacrifice and bestow wealth and a valiant son and the second of which hints at the derivation of the word from '*amā*' (meaning 'together' or 'home') and '*vas*' (to dwell) The Śat. Br¹⁶⁰ remarks "this king Soma i e the moon is the food of the gods; when he (the moon) is not seen on this night either in the east or in the west, he comes to this world (i. e. the earth) and enters the waters and the herbs here, he is the wealth of the gods and their food; when he dwells on this night together (with waters and herbs) it (that night) therefore is called 'Amāvāsyā'. The Ait. Br. (40 5) states that on amāvāsyā the moon enters the sun. The Āp Dh S also echoes this idea that on the Amāvāsyā night the Sun and the Moon dwell together (are near each other) So amāvāsyā is so called either because the moon was supposed to dwell together with waters and herbs on the earth that night or because the Moon dwells in the Sun on that night Darśa has the same sense as amāvāsyā and means 'the day on which the moon is seen by the sun alone (and by no one else)' Vide H of Dh vol II p 1009 and note 2274 Names are sometimes given by contraries e. g a fool is called a wise man or a brave person may be called 'timid'.