History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.82

v6.c81.82

The Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad (I 5 21-23) remarks "now begins the consideration about vrata, Prajāpati indeed created the organs, which when created, vied with each other, speech stood fast (by the view) 'I shall only speak' (and do nothing else)'..Therefore one should perform only one vrata, viz one should only breathe in and should emit breath, for fear that otherwise (if one were to engage in the activities of the other organs) wicked Death may seize him".⁴³ It is stated in the Tai. Up III 7-10 'one should not speak ill of food, that is the vrata. ...one should not shun food, that is the vrata. one should prepare 'much food..one should not refuse residence to a man whatever (when he comes as a stranger seeking shelter), that is the vrata; therefore one should secure plenty of food by some method or other.'⁴⁴ In the Chāndogyopaniṣad (adhyāya II, khaṇḍas 13-21) the words 'tad vratam' occur several times in relation to the injunctions when one is engaged in the *upāsanā* of several Sāmans not to complain about the hot sun, raining cloud, seasons, *lokas* (worlds), domestic animals, brāhmaṇas and the 'injunction not to eat marrow for a year (or not to eat it at all)