History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.403

v6.c81.403

Now (is set out) the procedure of (ekādaśī) vrata On the day previous to the fast, the person, after performing all his daily duties in the morning, should make a *saṅkalpa* in the form 'beginning from the 10th *tithi*, O god Keśava, lord of gods, I shall perform for three days your vrata; make it free from obstacles'. Then at midday (of 10th) he should eat by the ekabhakta method The restrictions to be observed about ekabhakta are: he should avoid taking food in a vessel of bell metal, avoid flesh, *masūra* pulse, sleeping by day, over-eating, drinking too much water, eating food again (after the midday meal), sexual intercourse, telling falsehood, honey, gram, *kodrava*, vegetables, the food belonging to others, gambling, oil, sesame cakes, *tāmbūla* (betel leaves and nut &c), if he has to cleanse his teeth after ekabhakta he should do so with twigs At night he should sleep on a bed spread on the ground. In the morning of ekādaśī he should cleanse his teeth with the leaves of a tree and not with twigs. After performing bath and other daily duties, he should put on his finger a *pavitra* (loop) made of *darbha* grass, turn his face to the north, take a copper vessel full of water and make a *saṅkalpa* as follows. 'after remaining without food on the ekādaśī I shall, O lotus-eyed one, on the next day partake of cooked food, O Acyuta, be you my refuge'. Or he may offer a handful of flowers to Hari with this mantra. In the case of him who is unable to observe a total fast, necessary changes may be made in the sentence of *saṅkalpa* according to his ability viz 'on ekādaśī I shall subsist on water or milk or on fruits or I shall take food at the time of nakta'. Śaivas should make the *saṅkalpa* with Rudra Gāyatrī;²⁷⁷ Sun-worshippers should make the saṅkalpa with the usual Gāyatrī (Ṛg. III. 62. 10 'tatsavitur' &c.) or by taking the name of the Sun. This saṅkalpa should be made by smārtas on the night of the ekādaśī tithi, if there is 10th tithi after sunrise (mixed up with ekādaśī), if 10th tithi exists beyond midnight on daśamī day all (whether smārtas or vaiṣṇavas) should make the saṅkalpa after midday. He should drink the water used for saṅkalpa On making the sankalpa he should pronounce over it thrice the mantra of eight syllables (such as 'om namo Nārāyaṇāya') Then after erecting a *maṇḍapa* decorated with flowers (garlands &c.) he should offer worship to Hari (image) according to prescribed rules in that *maṇḍapa* with flowers, fragrant substances, incense, best *naivedya*, with various divine hymns of praise, charming songs and music, with straight prostrations on the ground like a staff, with best announcements with the word 'jaya' and at night he should keep awake.