History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.914

v6.c81.914

Śivarātrivrata is both *nitya* (obligatory) and *kāmya* (optional). It is nitya because there are passages which lay down that sin follows if a man does not perform it⁵⁸⁵: 'the being that does not worship with devotion Rudra who is the lord of three worlds wanders through thousands of future lives' Besides, there are verses which lay down that the vrata should be performed every⁵⁸⁶ year: 'O great goddess! a man and a chaste woman should every year worship Mahādeva with devotion on Śivarātri'. This vrata is optional because the texts provide the rewards of performing this vrata For example, vide p 85 above and p. 86 above for the maxim of *saṁyoga-pṛthaktva*.