History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.533

v6.c82.533

One very important astrological subject was *Yātrā*, which has two meanings, viz. starting on a journey for going to tīrthas or for earning wealth and marching out for victory by kings. The first kind of yātrā is common to persons of all varṇas, while the second is concerned only with kṣatriyas or the king.⁹⁴⁰ It appears that not only professed works on astrology but also the Smṛtis, the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya and Purāṇas attached great importance to this subject. The Āśramavāsikaparva⁹⁴¹ 7 12-13, Manu VII. 181-212, Matsya 240-243, Agni 233-235, Viṣṇudharmottara II. 175-176, the Arthaśāstra in books IX ('the work of one who wants to be an invader') and X (relating to war) deal exhaustively with the subject of *Yāna* or *Yātrā*. The subjects of Yātrā are summarised in the Bṛhat-saṁhitā as follows⁹⁴²: Under Yātrā are included knowledge of proper tithis, week days, *karaṇas*, nakṣatras, muhūrtas, the vilagna (the lagna at the time of starting), the (different) yogas (conjunctions of planets, nakṣatras, rāśis &c.), the throbbings of the limbs of the body, dreams, baths for victory, sacrifice to the planets, worship of deities in groups (such as Guhyakas), the indications drawn from fire-flames (at the time of homa), the indications derived from the gestures of elephants and horses, the talk of men in the army and its activities, the (nine) planets, the employment of six *guṇas* (*sandhi*, *vigraha*, *yāna*, *āsana*, *dvaidhībhāva*, *āśraya*) according to the strength of planets, auspicious and inauspicious things and sights, the four upāyas (*sāma*, *dāna*, danda, bheda), *śakunas* (omens), the ground for army encampment, the colour of the flames of fire, the employment as time may require of ministers, spies, envoys, forest tribes and means of securing the enemy's forts.