History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.108

v7.c89.108

It is now time to turn to individual śāntis, mostly post-vedic. The first is Vināyaka-śānti or Gaṇapatipūjā. This is performed at the commencement of all saṃskāras such as *upanayana* and marriage in order that the fruit thereof may be had without obstacles or for averting the evil effects of portents or in order to mitigate the adverse effects of the death of a sapiṇḍa or the like. When it is performed for its own sake it should be performed on the 4th tithi of the bright half, on Thursday and the auspicious nakṣatras Puṣya, Śravaṇa, Uttarā, Rohiṇī, Hasta, Aśvinī, Mṛgaśīrṣa, but when performed at the commencement of Upanayana or the like, one may perform it at a time suited to the time of the principal rite. The *saṅkalpa* is given below.¹¹⁹⁶ In H. of Dh. vol. II pp 213-216 it has been shown how in the earliest stages represented by the Mānava-gṛhya and Baijavāpa-gṛhya which speak of four Vināyakas, all were evil spirits, how in the next stage represented by the Yājñavalkyasmṛti (I. 271-294). Vināyaka is not only represented as causing obstacles (Vighnakṛt) but also as bringing success in all actions and rites (Vighnahṛt) and how later on it was prescribed that Gaṇapatipūjā must be done first in all rites (Gobhila I. 13). Yāj. I. 293 provides¹¹⁹⁷ that by worshipping Vināyaka in the way prescribed and also the planets, a person secures success in his undertakings and the highest prosperity. The Viṣṇudharmottara II. 105. 2-24 borrows the verses of Yāj. I. 271-292, though not in the same order and adds a few. The Brahmāṇḍa provides¹¹⁹⁸ that Gajānana must be worshipped for success in all desires, in all *saṁskāras* such as Garbhādhāna and Jātakarma, when starting on a journey or engaging in a commercial undertaking, at the time of battle, in the worship of gods, in troublous times. The Bhaviṣyottara chap. 144 has a *śānti* called Gaṇanāthaśānti which resembles the Vināyakaśānti of Yāj.