History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.272

v6.c82.272

In order to thoroughly understand the requirements about muhūrta in this third sense some knowledge of the planets, the twelve *bhāvas* (houses or places in a horoscope) and the *rāśis* would be necessary. Before entering on a discussion of these latter matters reference must be made to the change that came over even the best minds of India from about the 4th century B.C. It has been seen above (p. 527) how the star-gazer and the *gaṇaka* had come to be condemned and how one who was a professional astrologer (for money) had been looked down upon as an unworthy brāhmaṇa. All the same there was even about 500 or 600 B. C. a small section of people who looked upon the astrologer as all important, particularly to the king. The Gautamadharmasūtra⁷⁹⁹ provides 'the king should choose as his *purohita* (palace priest) a brāhmaṇa endowed with learning, good family, eloquence, handsomeness, (middle) age (neither too young nor too old), character, and who is righteous in conduct and austere, the king should perform all (religious) acts as directed by the priest; he should respect (i. e. follow and not discard) what those who have devoted The scanned image is completely blank. There is no text or printed content to transcribe.