History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.900

v6.c81.900

In modern pañcāngas, Makarasankrānti, being deemed to be a deity, several curious matters are added, viz. sankrānti rides on some *vāhana* (principal vehicle or draught animal such as an elephant) and an upavāhana (as ancillary vehicle), she wears a garment either dark, white or red or of some other colour, she is supposed to carry a weapon (such as a bow or javelin), she applies a *tilaka* of some substance (like lac, gorocanā), she is either young, middle-aged or old, her posture (sitting, standing &c.) is mentioned, the flower she holds, the food she eats, the ornament she wears—these are mentioned, her two names (out of the seven mentioned above on p. 215 note 557 based on the week day and the nakṣatra on which saṅkrānti takes place) are specified, she is supposed to come from one direction (east or the like), to proceed to another (such as the west &c.) and to cast a glance at a third direction; then her bodily form is described such as drooping lips, long nose, with nine arms (or the like). And the prognostications are as follows: whatever things Saṅkrānti accepts, their prices rise or they are destroyed and whatever she glances at is ruined; happy are the people in the direction from which she comes and unhappy are those in the direction she goes.