Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.411

c5.411

"Look here, the ox was, in its previous birth, a great brahmin in Kuṇḍinanagara. He did not observe the Śukla-pañcamī in the month of Proṣṭhapada, the day being the death anniversary of his father. His wife had menstruation on the same day, but she herself feasted the Brahmins. A woman is impure during the four days of menstruation. Because of having feasted the Brahmins on the first day of her monthly period the Brahmin's wife was born as a dog. As for the husband, he was born an ox as he not only did not observe the Śukla-pañcamī day, but also shared the sin of his wife. Further questioned by the brahmin as to what he should do for the salvation of his parents, Vasiṣṭha advised him to observe the Ṛṣi pañcamī in the month of Proṣṭhapada (Bhādrapada). He did so and his parents blessed him and attained salvation. (Padma Purāṇa, Chapter 78).