History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.149

v6.c82.149

and Kāṭhaka S, Pitaraḥ as deity for Mūla in Tai S. but Nirṛti in almost all other texts; Indra as deity of Śatabhiṣak in Tai. S. and Mai. S but Varuṇa in Tai Br (III. 1.) and Kāṭhaka. Further, it was also specified whether a nakṣatra had only one star or had a cluster of two or three or more. Besides, the important point for consideration is; why does the Tai S. differ from the Tai. Br and Tai Br. I. 5 from Tai. Br. III. 1 in the number of nakṣatras, in the names and the deities also of some of them No satisfactory explanation can be given except this that the Tai. S passage is earlier by some centuries than the Tai. Br. section (III 1) or the Tai. S was composed in a country far away from the place where the Tai Br. was composed. This latter does not appear to be probable since one part of Tai. Br. (I 5) differs from another part (III. 1). The latter section speaks of a nakṣatra-iṣṭi in which oblations are offered to 28 nakṣatras (including Abhijit) and their deities (one nakṣatra being dealt with on each day from Kṛttikās) together with *puronuvākyās* (invitatory verses) and *yājyās* (oblation verses) which are different for each nakṣatra The first fourteen nakṣatras from Kṛttikā (up to and including Viśākhā) are called Devanakṣatras and the fourteen nakṣatras from Anūrādhā to Apabharaṇī or Bharaṇī are called Yamanakṣatras. After Viśākhā, the Tai. Br. (Nakṣatreṣṭi) inserts Paurṇamāsī with appropriate puronuvākyā and yājyā verses and after apabharaṇī an offering to Amāvāsyā with a puronuvākyā (which is the verse 'Niveśanī saṅgamanī vasūnām' Tai. S III. 5 1.1) and a yājyā (which is the verse 'yat te devā adadhur', Tai S. III. 4 1. 1). Besides, it was laid down that the sacrificer had to invoke gods in the sacrifice by a name (to be kept secret) derived from the presiding deity of the nakṣatra on which he was ⁷³² born (i. e. if born on Kṛttikā, then some name like Agnamitra &c., if on Puṣya, Bṛhaspatimitra &c. ).