History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.317

v6.c81.317

The next important tithi in Caitra is the 9th in the bright half on which is observed the Rāmanavamīvrata and the celebration of the birth of Rāma, 7th *avatāra* of Viṣṇu. The principal works on which reliance is placed in Hemādri (on vrata vol I. pp 941-946), V. K. K (pp 523-529), Tithitattva (pp 59-62), Nirṇayasindhu (pp 83-86) and other digests are the Agastya-saṁhitā and Rāmārcanacandrikā of Anandavanayati, pupil of Mukundavanayati. It is somewhat remarkable that the Kṛtyakalpataru on vrata does not deal with this. The Rāma cult appears to have become popular later than the Kṛṣṇa cult Though the Amarakosa gives Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, Devakīnandana and Dāmodara as synonyms, it does not mention Rāma (Dāsarathi), but mentions Rāma only as a synonym of Haladhara. Here only a brief treatment of Rāmanavamī can be attempted The Rāmārcanacandrikā and Vratārka (folio 173a) expressly provide that all persons including even cāṇḍālas can observe Rāmanavamīvrata (they have *adhikāra*).