History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.275.2

v6.c81.275.2

That tithi which covers up the time (such as morning), noon, whole day &c. at which a religious act is prescribed to be done is the proper one for¹⁸⁷ that act. The first principle to¹⁸⁸ remember is that Kāla (the time prescribed for a rite) is not a mere detail, but it is a *nimitta* (an occasion) on the happening of which a rite is to be performed and that therefore what is done at some time other than the prescribed one is practically as good as not done. There is a text of the Tai. S. II. 2. 5. 4 which indicates this principle about Kāla It says 'that man is cut off from the heavenly world, who desiring to perform the darśa-pūrṇamāsa rites transgresses the time of full Moon or New Moon'. Hemādri¹⁸⁹ strongly emphasizes the performance of rites on the proper time and states that a gauṇakāla is resorted to for escaping from the censure of śiṣṭas or for the solace of one's mind or because there is no other alternative.