Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s7.13

v1.c3.s7.13

Ekāṣṭakā.—That Aṣṭakā is the eighth day after the full moon appears clearly from the Atharvaveda.¹ Ekāṣṭakā, or ‘sole Aṣṭakā,’ must denote not merely any Aṣṭakā, but some particular one. Sāyaṇa, in his commentary on the Atharvaveda,² in which a whole hymn celebrates the Ekāṣṭakā, fixes the date meant by the term as the eighth day in the dark half of the month of Māgha (January—February). The Ekāṣṭakā is declared in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā³ to be the time for the consecration (dīkṣā) of those who are going to perform a year-long sacrifice. See also Māsa.