History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.121

v7.c89.121

The Viṣṇudharmottara (I. 102. 7-10) gives the same mantras as Yāj. does, Bhaviṣya (IV. 141. 34-36) gives the same except for Rāhu, for which it gives 'Kayā naścitra,' as in Matsya, Padma (V. 82. 30-32) is same as Matsya. Yāj. then proceeds (I. 301-302) that in homa for each of the planets the fuel sticks (*samidh*)¹²⁰⁴ were to be 108 or 28 anointed with honey or clarified butter or with curds or with milk and they were respectively to be of the arka plant, palāśa, khadira, apāmārga, pippala, audumbara, śamī, dūrvā and kuśas for the sun, the moon and so on in order. A man¹²⁰⁵ of the three varṇas should honour brāhmaṇas according to the prescribed procedure (washing their feet &c.) and should feed them respectively (Yāj I. 304) with boiled rice mixed with jaggery, or cooked in milk and sugar, sacrificial food (*havisya*), boiled rice from paddy becoming ripe in 60 days from sowing mixed with milk, boiled rice with curds, boiled rice with ghee, boiled rice with pounded sesame, rice mixed with meat, rice of various colours, for the sun, the moon and so on in order or with food that is available and according to his ability. The *dakṣiṇā* (fee) to the brāhmaṇas should be a milch cow, conch, draught bull, gold, garment (*vāsas*), a horse (white), dark cow, iron weapon, a lamb, in honour respectively of the sun, moon and so on. The Viṣṇudharmottara (I. 103. 1-6) contains the same fees.¹²⁰⁶ He should offer special worship to that planet that may be unfavourably situated (as regards his nakṣatra or horoscope) at a particular time. Yāj. winds up by saying that the rise and fall of kings depend on planets (vide note 800 for this verse). Viṣṇudharmottara (I. 106. 9-10) also has the same verse. Kṛtyakalpataru (on Śāntika, folio 5 b) quotes Bhaviṣya to the effect that planets are always favourable to him who abstains from injury to others, who is self-restrained, who acquires wealth by righteous means, and who always observes the *niyamas* (restrictive rules of conduct as in Yāj. III. 313). The Śāntimayūkha (p. 21) also quotes this verse.