History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.197

v6.c82.197

In ancient Vedic passages no clear line of demarcation appears between what may be called natural astrology and individual astrology. For example, in the Tai. Br.⁷⁵¹ it is provided that people plough their fields on Anurādhā nakṣatra, of which Mitra is the presiding deity. The Pāraskaragṛhya prescribes in the same strain that a man should put the ploughshare (in his field) on an auspicious day or on Jyeṣṭhā nakṣatra of which Indra is the presiding deity (and rains are in the hands of Indra). On the other hand, the same Brāhmaṇa⁷⁵² (Taittirīya) provides that if a man desires that his daughter should be dear to her husband he should get her married when the moon is in Niṣṭyā (Svātī) nakṣatra and that if he does so his daughter becomes dear to her husband and never comes back to her father's house. The nakṣatras from Kṛttikā to Viśākhā have been declared to be Devanakṣatras and whatever rites are performed on them are declared to have been performed on a holy day (*puṇyāha*). Even as early as the Atharvaveda⁷⁵³ it appears to have been believed that a boy born on Jyeṣṭhā or on Vicṛt (i. e. Mūla nakṣatra) or on a day called tiger-like (on an evil or terrible nakṣatra) might himself die or bring about the death of his father or mother. The two verses may be translated as follows: '(the boy) is born on Jyeṣṭhaghnī (i. e. Jyeṣṭhā) or on Vicṛt which belongs to Yama; guard him against being uprooted, may (Agni) take him beyond all evil results in order that he may reach the long life of a hundred autumns. This valiant son was born on a tiger-like day and nakṣatra; may he not, while he grows, kill his father or his mother that gave him birth.'