History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.259.1

v7.c89.259.1

The Yogayātrā chap. 7 (verses 1-12) and Hemādri on Vrata (vol. II pp 894-897) mention ceremonial baths on and worship of nakṣatras from Aśvinī to Revatī and their presiding deities as yielding various benefits The Ātharvaṇa-pariśiṣṭa I (called nakṣatrakalpa) sections 37-50 deal with *nakṣatrasnāna* from Kṛttikā to Bharaṇī Sections 37-41 contain the mantras employed in worshipping and placating the presiding deities of the nakṣatras beginning with Kṛttikā. Section 42 describes the general procedure of *nakṣatrasnāna*; sections 43-45 set out the substances to be added to the water for each nakṣatrasnāna and the benefit to be derived from so doing. Sections 47-50 contain special rules in relation to each nakṣatra from Kṛttikā to Bharaṇī, about the distribution of food to brāhmaṇas and gifts to be made on each nakṣatra together with the rewards to be expected therefrom. But the Bṛhatsaṁhitā chap. 47 (1-87), the Ātharvaṇa-pariśiṣṭa V pp. 66-68, Viṣṇudharmottara II. 103, Yogayātrā (VII. 13-21), the Kālikāpurāṇa chap. 89, and Hemādri (on Vrata vol. II. pp. 600-628) speak of a śānti called Puṣyasnāna or Puṣyābhiṣeka. It is said that Bṛhaspati performed this śānti for Indra, then Vṛddha-Garga got it and he imparted it to Bhāguri. Most of the above works confine it to the king, since the king is the very root of the tree—the subjects—and since any harm to or welfare of that root (the king) results in misfortune or welfare of the people;