History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.99

v6.c81.99

As prāyaścittas (expiations) involved the observance of several strict rules they came to be called vratas in Manu (XI. 117, 170, 176, 181), Yājñavalkya (III. 251, 252, 254, 258), Śaṅkha (17. 6, 22, 42, 61, 62) and other smṛtis. In the Mahābhārata the word *vrata* is mainly used in the sense of a religious undertaking or vow in which one has to observe certain restrictions about food or one's general behaviour. Vide Vanaparva 296 3, Udyoga 39. 71–72, Śānti 35 39, Anuśāsana 103 34. It was also applied in the epic to a course or pattern of conduct or behaviour not necessarily religious. For example, in the Sabhāparva 58 16 Yudhiṣṭhira says that it has been his constant vow that he would not refuse dice-play when he was challenged to it⁵⁴ Apart from the secondary applications of the word *vrata*, its principal meaning from at least the first centuries of the Christian era onwards has been that of a religious undertaking or vow, observed on a certain tithi, week day, month or other period, for securing some desired object by the worship of a deity, usually accompanied by restrictions as to food and behaviour This is the sense in which the word *vrata* will be used in this section Vratas may be expiatory (i e they will be prāyaścittas) or obligatory (such as the vratas of a brahmacārin or snātaka or householder) or they may be voluntary and self-imposed for securing some specific end Expiatory vratas have already been dealt with in the 4th volume of the H of Dh under Prāyaścittas The vratas of a brahmacārin, of snātaka and of the householder have been treated of in volume II of the H of Dh. Vratas or vows that are more or less self-imposed will be discussed in this section of the 5th volume