History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.259.2

v7.c89.259.2

therefore care must be taken for the increase of the king's welfare.¹²⁸³ As the treatment in the Bṛhatsaṁhitā is the fullest and is among the most ancient descriptions, it is briefly set out here. The royal astrologer and family priest should perform the rite of Puṣyasnāna for the king, than which there is nothing more holy and nothing more destructive of all evil portents. This may be performed on puṣya-nakṣatra every time, but the Śānti on this day when the Full Moon is in Puṣya-nakṣatra is the highest and if such a *snāna* is performed without there being Puṣya nakṣatra on that day, then it yields only half the fruit. There is no utpāta which is not averted or mitigated by this śānti and there is no other auspicious rite which surpasses this. About Puṣya the Ratnamālā¹²⁸⁴ states 'Just as the lion is the strongest among all quadrupeds, so is Puṣya the most powerful among nakṣatras; undertakings begun on Puṣya succeed even if the Moon be unfavourable or be *gocara*. Then Varāhamihira states in very poetic verses (47.