History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.491

v6.c82.491

laid down one simple rule for the proper time of four saṁskāras. Āp Dh⁹¹⁴ S. laid down two further rules providing that the upanayana of a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya boy should be performed respectively in spring, summer and autumn and the proper ages for these three are respectively the 8th, 11th and 12th from conception The same ages are prescribed by Manu II. 36 and Yāj. I. 14. It may be noted that none of the sūtras nor the smṛtis of Manu and Yājñavalkya say a word about the position of planets or rāśis or week-days or month. Gradually such rules were heaped up. The Rājamārtāṇḍa devotes 70 verses (from 304 to 373 on folios 20a to 24a) to upanayana It states that the years were to be counted from conception or birth. To find proper muhūrtas for upanayana has become a very intricate matter and such muhūrtas are few and far between. Only a few such rules can be indicated here. First as to months. One text lays down 'Upanayana is commended (for all) when performed in the five months from Māgha (i. e from Māgha to Jyeṣṭha); while Vṛddha-Gārgya quoted in Kālādarśa provides that it may be performed in the six months from Māgha.⁹¹⁵ Another rule provided 'that no auspicious rites (like upanayana and marriage) should be performed on the nakṣatra, month and week-day on which the person concerned was born and no auspicious rite for the eldest son or eldest daughter should be performed in the month of Jyeṣṭha'.⁹¹⁶ The sages differed about the month of birth. Vasiṣṭha said that only the day of birth was to be avoided, Garga says only eight days of the month of birth were to be avoided, Atri says ten days and Bhāguri says the fortnight of birth in the month was to be avoided.⁹¹⁷ No upanayana was to be performed when the moon was lost in the rays of the sun, when Venus had set, when the sun was in the first *aṃśa* (degree) of a *rāśi* and on days which were declared to be unfit for vedic study and on *galagraha*.⁹¹⁸ Certain tithis and times were called galagraha (as stated in the note).⁹¹⁹ If Jupiter be in the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th rāśi from the rāśi of birth, then Jupiter is very auspicious; if Jupiter be in the 1st, 3rd, 6th or 10th rāśi from the rāśi of birth he becomes auspicious after a *śānti* rite; if Jupiter be in the 4th, 8th or 12th rāśi from birth he is inauspicious.⁹²⁰