History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.429

v6.c81.429

There are cases where the texts sometimes allow fast on ekādaśī even though mixed with daśamī. This occurs when dvādaśī does not exist even for a short time on the 13th tithi. But this is allowable only to Smārtas and not to Vaisnavas. Certain restrictions as to food and physical and mental activities had to be observed from the time saṅkalpa was made to the final ceremonies (*pāraṇā*) in ekādaśīvrata.²⁹² It may be noted that even when a person is in mourning he has to observe ekādaśīvrata ²⁹³ Certain observances were laid down as common to all vratas (including ekādaśī) viz. forbearance, truthfulness, compassion, charity, purity, restraint of senses, worship of god, homa, contentment and not misappropriating another's wealth.²⁹⁴ There were separate rules to be observed on daśamī, ekādaśī and dvādaśī (10th tithi to 12th). They are somewhat overlapping. The observances prescribed for daśamī are: vegetables, flesh, masūra pulse, eating again (after ekabhakta), sexual intercourse, dice-play, drinking much water—a devotee of Viṣṇu should avoid these.²⁹⁵ The Matsyapurāṇa²⁹⁶ provides: (vessels of) bell-metal, flesh, wine, honey, oil, telling an untruth, physical exercise, journey, sleeping by day, earning (wealth), oil-cakes, *masūra* pulse—one should omit these twelve (on daśamī)