History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.602

v6.c81.602

The sankalpa is given below381a Another detail is that the seven sages together with Arundhatī are to be worshipped It is further provided that one should subsist on vegetables³⁸² or nīvāras or śyāmāka grains or bulbous roots or fruits and should not eat anything produced by ploughing the land Even in these days those who perform this vrata do not eat corn produced by employing oxen. In modern times if men perform the vrata the priest invokes for them seven sages with Vedic mantras viz. Ṛg. IX 114. 2 (for Kasyapa), Ṛg V. 78. 4 (for Atri), Ṛg. VI 25 9 (for Bharadvāja), Ṛg. X. 167. 4 (for Viśvāmitra), Ṛg. I. 78. 1 (for Gotama), Ṛg. III. 62. 18 (for Jamadagni), Ṛg VII. 33. 11 (for Vasiṣṭha). The mantra for Arundhatī is quoted below ³⁸³ In this vrata the number seven is important. The vrata is to be performed for seven years, there are to be seven jars, seven brāhmaṇas were to be invited to whom finally the images (made of gold or silver) of the seven sages were to be donated If all the images were placed in one *kalaśa*, then the jar with the images was to be donated to one brāhmaṇa and the others were to be given *kalaśas* with clothes and *dakṣiṇā*.