History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.389

v6.c81.389

*Nakta*—Two verses about nakta occurring in the Liṅga, Nārada²⁶⁰ and other purāṇas are: alms collected by begging are superior to fasting, food obtained without requesting anyone for it (i e *ayācita*) is superior to alms, nakta is superior to ayācita, therefore one should subsist by nakta method; eating haviṣya food, bath, truthfulness, small intake of food, offering oblations the other is of the nature of a vrata. As regards the first all persons including householders having a son have *adhikāra* to observe it even in the dark half; but as regards the second (*upavāsa* of the nature of vrata) householders that have progeny should not observe it on the ekādaśīs of the dark half, they should not make a saṅkalpa, they should simply give up cooked food but should observe the *niyamas* of celibacy and the like As to ekādaśīs of the dark half between the Śayanī and Bodhinī even householders with sons have the right to perform the vrata. Similarly, those who desire to secure absorption into Viṣṇu, long life and sons may perform a kāmyavrata on ekādaśīs of both *pakṣas* Vaiṣṇava householders should always fast even on ekādaśīs of the dark half The ekādaśīvrata is obligatory on all including devotees of Śiva, Viṣṇu and the Sun. Upavāsa in the nature of vrata is again of two kinds, *nitya* and *kāmya* These are briefly the rules laid down in the Nirṇayasindhu and Dharmasindhu (p 16) The main difference between mere upavāsa and upavāsavrata is that in the former there is no saṅkalpa that the person is undertaking an upavāsavrata and he simply abstains from taking food because the śāstra says that on ekādaśī one should not eat cooked food, while in the latter there is saṅkalpa and there are also several other matters to be observed.