History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c82.757.1

v6.c82.757.1

Now some other literary evidence about the dates of which there are likely to be doubts and disputes would be set out. In the Vaikhānasa-smārta-sūtra (I 4) and Baudhāyanadharmasūtra (II. 5. 23) *tarpana* (satiation with water) is offered to the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and to Rāhu and Ketu and the former mentions Budhavāra (Wednesday) in II 12. It has to be conceded that other sūtras such as Āśv gr III. 4. 1-5, the Kauṣītaki gr (IV. 9-10), the Hir. gr. II. 19-20, Bhāradvāja gr. III. 9-11 contain no tarpana to the weekdays or their deities. The Ātharvaṇa-Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa has a section on weekdays (of eight verses) and points out what should be done on each of the seven weekdays from Sunday to Saturday (two of which are quoted below by way of sample¹⁰⁷³). The Gāthāsaptaśatī of Hāla (a *prākṛt* anthology) mentions Tuesday and Viṣṭi (III. 61). The Yājñavalkya-smṛti (I. 296) enumerates the planets in the modern weekday order from Sunday to Saturday and adds Rāhu and Ketu as *grahas* and provides for a sacrifice to nine grahas (I 295-308). The Nāradapurāṇa (I. 51. 80) also does the same. The Matsya (chap. 93. 7 ff) provides for a more elaborate sacrifice to planets. The Viṣṇudharmasūtra (78 1-7) refers to śrāddhas performed on the seven weekdays from Sunday to Saturday and the benefits derived from such performance (vide H of Dh vol IV. p 373-374 for details). The Purāṇas contain numerous references to the weekdays.