History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.537

v6.c82.537

Varāhamihira, besides devoting several chapters of the Bṛhatsaṁhitā (such as 43-50, 88-96) to matters falling under 'Yātrā' composed three works on it, viz. the Bṛhadyogayātrā, the Yogayātrā and Tikkaṇikā.⁹⁴³ Apart from the verses in the Bṛhatsaṁhitā, Varāhamihira devotes over 1100 verses to Yātrā. Yātrā is dealt with in several other works also such as the Ratnamālā (XV. 1-74), Rājamārtanda (folios 42a-50a, verses 653-795), the Muhūrtacintāmaṇi (XI. 1-109). The reason why the work is called Yogayātrā is as follows: When a war⁹⁴⁴ is impending, to look out and wait for auspicious tithis, week-days, nakṣatras would involve a great delay. Therefore, the conjunctions and positions of certain planets in some fixed places (i e. yoga) is looked upon as the principal astrological matter The Yogayātrā and Ratnamālā say:⁹⁴⁵ Just as even a poison may work like nectar when mixed (with other substances like milk) or just as even honey taken with ghee may act like poison, in the same way a planet giving up its own peculiar power yields results due to certain conjunctions. Kings march out on conjunctions, thieves and bards act on *śakunas*, brāhmaṇas act on the efficacy of nakṣatras, others (than these) secure their objects on the strength of muhūrtas.