History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.569

v6.c82.569

The proper times for the establishment of the images of gods are specified in many works such as Bṛhatsaṁhitā 60. 20-21, Matsya-purāṇa (264), Viṣṇudharmottara III. 96, Rājamārtanda (folios 57b-59b, verses 909-943), Hemādri on Kāla pp 830-847, Jyotiṣtattva pp 666-667 and 672-73, Nirṇayasindhu pp. 334-335, Dharmasindhu p 318 The Bṛhatsaṁhitā⁹⁶³ lays down the general rules for the establishment of the images of all gods. 'In the northward passage of the sun, in the bright half, when the moon is in the *varga* of Jupiter, when the *lagna* is a sthira rāśi and the navamāṁśa rāśi of the lagna is sthira and beneficent planets occupy the kendra places or the 5th and 9th places in the horoscope (of the establisher), when the malefic planets are in the 3rd, 6th, 10th or 11th places, on naksatras called *dhruva* or *mṛdu* or on Śravaṇa, Puṣya or Svāti nakṣatra, on a favourable week day (other than Tuesday) the establishment of the images of gods is commended'. The Matsya states (264. 3-12) that the establishment (*pratiṣṭhā*) of the images of all gods leads to beneficent results when done in the months of Caitra, Vaiśākha, Jyeṣṭha, Māgha or Phālguna, in the bright fortnight after dakṣiṇāyana ends, on the tithis 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, Full moon, 13th (this is the best), on sixteen named nakṣatras (excepting Bharaṇī, Kṛttikā, Ārdrā, Punarvasu, Āśleṣā, Maghā, Pūrvā-phalgunī, Citrā, Viśākhā, Dhaniṣṭhā, Śatatārakā), when the *lagna* has an aspect with the three beneficent planets Mercury, Jupiter and Venus, on an auspicious *yoga*, when the lagna or nakṣatra (of establisher) is free from malefic planets and on *brāhma muhūrta*.