व्रतानि
Vratas (Religious Vows)
Religious vows, Ekādaśī, fasting practices, and their spiritual significance.
175 paragraphs across 1 volumes
Volume V: Part I 175 paragraphs
Vrata is one of many Sanskrit words, the use and history of which extend over several thousand yearṣ The derivation and semantic development of the word vrata have been the subject of great controvers...
In the great St. Petersburg Dictionary the word vrata is derived from the root 'vr' (to choose) and the important senses of the word given in that Dictionary are: (1) will, command, law, prescribed or...
Prof. V. M Apte contributed a long article on vrata to the 3rd volume of the Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute at Poona (pp. 407-488) Prof Apte agreed with Whitney in deriving the word...
My own view is that both Whitney and Prof Apte are wrong in deriving the word *vrata* from ‘vṛt’. I further hold that ‘vṛt’ occurs with *upasargas* such as *abhi*, *ā*, *ni*, *pari*, *pra* or *vi*, wo...
Prof. Apte complains that scholars were content as to *vrata* with the meanings ‘law, statute, command, sacrifice, vow, fixed purpose, duty’ and did not take enough notice of the important part that t...
Prof. Apte advances the theory that there are two parallel phases of the semantic evolution of the word ‘vrata’ viz a ‘divine phase’ and a ‘human’ phase. I feel no hesitation in denying the existence...
I have summarised Prof. Apte’s long list of meanings in ten groupṣ The very fact that Prof. Apte had to marshall over sixty English equivalents for the meaning of the word ‘vrata’, which occurs in the...
When Whitney derived the word ‘vrata’ from ‘vṛ’ with affix ‘a’, he could cite only two words ‘vraja’ and ‘trada’ as parallel. But it is quite possible to argue that ‘vraja’ is not analogous to vrata...
Prof Apte cites the word *vartam* (which means 'way' in Ṛg I. 23 9, V 61 9, VII 8 16, VIII. 23. 19, VIII 63 8) as analogous to vrata (from vṛt). But that word lends very little help. In 'vartanī' ther...
Prof Apte following Whitney relies on the fact (p 409) that vrata is frequently employed in the Ṛgveda with verbs of motion such as anu-i, anu-car, anu-gā, anu-vṛt. But these roots take on another mea...
It is now necessary to examine the contention of Prof. Apte that vrata means in the Ṛgveda the tracks or routes that the various luminaries trace in the heavens Vratas are spoken of not only in relati...
The word ‘samrāj’ appears to be applied to a human king in Rg 10 VII. 58 4 ‘t...
The above mentioned passages clearly show that the Vedic sages believed that not only did the several gods observe or carry out the immutably fixed ordinances laid down by themselves or by any one of...
The sense of ‘command or law’ is quite appropriate in more than half the Rgvedic passages in which the word vrata occurṣ In some passages the sense of ‘religious practices or modes of sacred worship’...
There are several places in the Ṛgveda in which the words ‘avrata’ (11 times), ‘apavrata’ (in Rg. 1 51. 9, V. 42. 9, V. 40. 6), ‘anyavrata’ (in V. 20. 2, VIII. 70. 11, X. 22. 8) occur and in almost al...
There are seven passages in the Ṛgveda where the word ‘*vivrata*’ occurs In six of them ‘*vivrata*’ is applied to the horses of Indra. According to Prof. Apte, the only natural meaning is ‘moving or w...
In several passages of the Ṛgveda phrases like ‘*tava vrate*’ occur. Whitney (p 409) stated that the phrase should rather mean ‘in thy established or approved course, following thy lead or example’, t...
There are eight passages in the Ṛgveda in which the word ‘śucivrata’ occurs and is always applied to some god or gods In three passages VIII. 43. 16, VIII. 44 21, X. 118 1 ‘śucivrata’ is an attribute...
The word ‘mahivrata’ occurs five times and is applied to Soma (IX. 97 7, IX. 100. 9), to Agni (I. 45. 3, X. 115. 3) and to Varuna (VI 68 9) and the word ‘mahāmahivrata’ to Soma (IX. 48 2). In all thes...
The word ‘priyavrata’ occurs only once in the Ṛgveda (in X 150 3), is applied to gods and means ‘to whom the ordinances laid down by them are dear’. Prof Apte (p 472) criticizes people who explain the...
The word ‘dhunivrata’ occurs twice (in Rg V 58 2 and V. 87 1) and is applied to Marut or the band of Marutṣ Prof Apte (p. 435 section 47) takes ‘dhuni’ as an adjective, and as meaning ‘roar- ing, stor...
It is not necessary to examine separately each of the verses in which the word ‘vrata’ occurs and Prof. Apte’s interpretations thereof. The preceding discussion is sufficient to show what vrata means...
Misinterpretations of words like ‘ksitih’ in III. 3. 9 as meaning dwellings (rather it means “the common mass of people” as in III. 14. 4, VI. 65. 1, VII. 65. 2, VII. 75. 4, VII. 79. 1. &c.) and of ‘ś...
We have next to turn to the word ‘dhṛtavrata’ which occurs eighteen times in the Ṛgveda. Out of these Varuna is certainly called dhṛtavrata in seven passages viz in I. 25 8 and 10, I 44, 14, I. 141 9,...
There is one more word viz. vṛṣavrata, which is analogous to 'dhṛtavrata' and which remains to be considereḍ That word occurs only twice (i.e. in Ṛg. IX. 62 1
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The result of this long discussion is that Prof. Apte's theory of the derivation of *vrata* from the root ‘vrt’ and his long scheme of meanings is not proved and that the derivation from the root ‘vr’...
There are three passages of the Ṛgveda in which the words ‘vrttam na cakram’ (like a round wheel) occur, viz I. 155 6 (addressed to Viṣṇu), IV. 31 4, V. 36. 3 (both addressed to Indra). Prof. Apte did...
It is necessary to clarify the meanings and mutual relations of the three words *rta, vrata* and *dharman*. The meanings (three) of 'rta' have been specified in H of Dh vol IV pp 2-5 and the meanings...
Though in this way in some passages even of the Ṛgveda the senses of 'vrata' and 'dharman' appear to have coalesced, there are verses where all the three words or two of the three occur. It may be not...
After dealing with the etymology and semantic development of the word ‘vrata’ from the passages of the Ṛgveda in which the word occurs, it is now time to turn to the other Vedic Samhitās and the Brāhm...
It appears that in the times of the Brāhmaṇas the word 'vrata' had come to have two secondary senses derived from the sense of 'religious observance or obligation'; viz 'a proper course or pattern of...
The other secondary meaning of *vrata* seems to be *upavāsa* (i. e. *Yajamāna*'s passing the night in the *Darśa-isti* and the *Pūrṇamāsa-isti* near the *Gārhapatya* and other fires, or reducing his i...
Coming to the *Śrautasūtras*,51 the two principal meanings of *vrata* mentioned above often figure in theṃ For example, the Ap. Śr. S IV 2 5-7, IV. 16 11, V 7 6 and 16, V 8. 1, V. 25. 2-20,...
As prāyaścittas (expiations) involved the observance of several strict rules they came to be called *vratas* in Manu (XI. 117, 170,176,181), Yājñavalkya (III. 251, 252, 254, 258), Śaṅkha (17. 6, 22, 4...
Vows are found in all religions The Old Testament and the New Testament both bear witness to the sacredness of vows, vide Isaiah 19. 21, Job 22 27, Psalms 22 25, Acts 21 23 The Jainas have five great...
A great deal of discussion is found in the medieval digests on a comprehensive definition of *vrata* Śabara
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There is a difference between *homa* and *pūjā* A *homa* with Vedic mantras, according to ancient authorities, cannot be performed by women and *śūdras* Though theoretically the three *varṇas* were en...
Some works on vratas treat at great length the several upacāras, particularly flowers that should be offered to the various images worshipped, the consequences of offering those flowers, the various k...
It is no doubt true that in most vratas brāhmaṇas are to be fed, but one should not run away with the idea that the blind, the poor and the helpless were altogether forgotteṇ In the case of many vrata...
There are certain virtues that the person undergoing a vrata has to cultivate. The Agnipurāṇa speaks
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The Purāṇas extol, as in the case of pilgrimages, the performance of vratas to the skieṣ Certain vratas like those to be undergone by a Vedic student had ceased to be in vogue and vratas associated wi...
The keynote struck by the Matsya, Brahma and other Purāṇas is how to secure great rewards with little effort The Brahma-purāṇa remarks that by merely taking in Kaliyuga the name of Keśava a man obtain...
There were certain differences between Vedic sacrifices and vratas The promised reward of most sacrifices was heaven, while Purāṇas promised that most vratas would confer tangible benefits in this ver...
There were vratas for the brahmacārin (called Veda-vratas) and for the snātaka These have been already dealt with in H. of Dh. vol. II pp. 370–374 and pp 412–415 respectively. That vratas (in the medi...
In the Śakuntala (Act II) the dowager queen (mother of Duṣyanta) sends a message that on the 4th day from the date of the message her fast (vrata) would end
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The vratakośa edited by M M Gopinath Kaviraja (in the Sarasvatībhāvana series in 1929) lists 1622 vratas, but that list is unduly swollen and inflated for various reasonṣ
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When a person undertakes a vrata he must see to it that he finishes it; for dire consequences are laid down for him who gives it up 'through heedlessnesṣ Chāgaleya declares
Death in the midst of a vrata did not deprive the performer of the merit for which he began it. Angiras
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No one should undertake a vrata in the midst of āśauca (impurity on birth and death). But it is provided by the Viṣṇudharmasūtra
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What actions do not detract from the observance of upavāsa will be discussed later.
A few words about homa may be said here. Women could not offer homas with mantras (Manu IX. 18). Homa could be performed for them through a priest. When no particular substance is specified the āhuti...
Persons entitled to engage in Vratas, objects desired by means of Vratas, classifications of Vratas and literature on Vratas, times for Vratas
One important matter is that of vratādhikāriņah (persons entitled to engage in a vrata). Persons of all castes including śūdras are entitled to perform vrataṣ Devala states:
If a person is unable owing to disease or accident or the like to perform a vrata personally he could get it performed through a *pratinidhi* (a representative) Certain rules were laid down about this...
The bulk of the vratas practised in medieval and modern times are kāmya i.e. performed for the purpose of securing some object in this world or sometimes the next world or both. Most of the vratas are...
Classification of vratas: As the vratas to be treated of in this section are almost all self-imposed or voluntary, they may be divided into three classeṣ The Padmapurāṇa
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Another classification can be based on the time for which a vrata may last, i. e. only for a day or a fortnight (pakṣa), a month, season, ayana (time of the stay of the Sun in the northern or southern...
There is an immense literature on vrataṣ There is no topic of Dharmaśāstra except probably that of tīrthayātrā and of śrāddha on which the Purāṇas wax so eloquent as on vrata. Some of the Purāṇas cont...
The topic of vratas is rather inextricably mixed up with discussions on Kāla and tithi. The nibandhas (commentaries and digests) on vratas are numerouṣ In this section I shall mention works that deal...
Apart from the Vedic Literature, sūtras, epics, Purāṇas and Rājamārtaṇḍa, I mainly rely in this section on vratas on the following works (those that I consulted in ms form being expressly indicated an...
It must be emphasized here that this section is concerned with the vratas described or mentioned in works on Dharmaśāstra. Even so the number of vratas is extremely large. No attempt is made here to i...
Times for beginning Vratas Apart from the _vratas_ that have to be performed on certain fixed _tithis_ or times, elaborate provisions are made that _vratas_ in general and several other religious rite...
The philosophical discussions on Time and on its division into year, *ayana* (the Sun's apparent motion in the two regions of the celestial sphere), *ṛtus* (seasons), *māsa* (month), *pakṣa* (half mon...
The word *tithi* by itself does not occur in the Ṛgveda and the other Vedic Samhitāṣ But the idea must have been there even in the Ṛgveda. Amāvāsyā is explained in later works as being of two kinds, v...
Tithi is defined as the time or period required by the moon to gain twelve degrees on the suṇ As the Sūryasiddhānta states 'tithi is the lunar day in which the moon leaving the sun (at the last moment...
From the words of the Gobhilagṛhya quoted above it follows that long before the days of that work the several tithis were deemed to have certain deities as their lords (or presiding deities) Among the...
The Tithitattva (pp 27-28) quotes a long passage specifying the loss a man suffers by eating fifteen specified things from the 1st to the 15th tithi respectively. The Nirṇayasindhu (p 32) quotes verse...
The method of reckoning time by tithis is a very early one and is indigenous to India. Though Western scholars have from time to time put forward various theories about the so-called Greek influence o...
Vedic (and Smṛti) injunctions are of two kinds, (1) those that urge a person to do a thing such as ‘one should fast on Ekādaśī in both pakṣas’, (2) those that dissuade a person from doing something as...
It may be stated here that the rules laid down in the above verses (of yugmavākya) are riddled with exceptionṣ Some say that these rules apply only to tithis of the bright half and not to those of the...
The Kāladarśa propounds the strange200 theory based on Gobhila's words that the shortening and lengthening of the tithis is due to the piety and sinfulness of men and divides tithis into *k...
A general rule is stated in some works that when the full moon which is in the lunar mansion that gives the name to a month is in conjunction with Jupiter that tithi has the word mahā prefixed to it....
There are long lists of actions forbidden on certain tithiṣ A few passages may be cited here. Devala
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Individual vratas; Caitra Pratipad, Rāmanavami, Akṣayya-tṛtīyā, Paraśurāmajayantī, Daśaharā, Sāvitrī-vrata.
It is now time to turn to individual vratas on the several tithiṣ First comes the pratipad-vrata.
It will be shown in the next section how in ancient and mediæval times the month in which the year began was different at different times and in different countrieṣ We shall begin with the pratipad of...
In those parts of India (such as the Deccan) where the year begins with Caitra, the first tithi is observed with some pomp and religious ceremony. Most of the mediæval digests such as Kalpataru (Naiya...
The rule is that the pratipad to be celebrated is that which exists at the time of sunrise. If pratipad exists at sunrise on two days, then the earlier of the two is to be chosen or if there be no pra...
The next important tithi in Caitra is the 9th in the bright half on which is observed the Rāmanavamīvrata and the celebration of the birth of Rāma, 7th avatāra of Viṣṇu. The principal works on which r...
It is stated that the Rāmanavamīvrata is *nitya* (obligatory) for all, while others say that it is obligatory only for devotees of Rāma and *kāmya* (optional) for those that desire special rewards (su...
The procedure of Rāmanavamīvrata as set out in H. V. I, pp 941-946 N. S pp 83-86, T. T. pp 59-62, K. T. V. pp, 96-98, Vratarāja pp 319-329, Vratārka ( folios 172-182 ), may be briefly described as fol...
Rāmanavamī is not to be celebrated in the intercalary Cāitra month (malamāsa). The same rule applies to Janmāṣṭamī and other vrataṣ
In modern times not many people observe a fast on Rāma- navamī and hardly one performs homa or donates images, but the birth of Rāma is celebrated in Rāma temples by many at noon with great ceremony....
The important tithi in Vaiśākha is the third of the bright half. It is called Akṣayya-tṛtīyā. The earliest reference to it is probably in the Viṣṇu-dharmasūtra where it is said that one should fast on...
In the month of Jyeṣṭha there is a vrata called Daśaharā on the 10th tithi of the bright half The Brahmapurāṇa (63 15) states that the 10th of Jyeṣṭha bright half is called Daśaharā, because it destro...
On the Full moon day of Jyestha women whose husbands are living perform even now in many parts of India the Sāvitri- vrata or Vaṭasāvitrivrata The story of Sāvitrī whose memory has been cherished for...
The Nirṇayasindhu refers to the vrata in Bhādrapada mentioned by Hemādri and remarks
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But the Vatasāvitrīvrata that is now in vogue must also have been performed long before the 10th century A.D. The Agnipurāṇa (194 5–8) briefly describes
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If the Paurnimā is spread over two days, then the vrata is to be performed on Caturdaśī (14th tithi) mixed up with Paurnimā. The three days for which the vrata is to last may have to be begun on the 1...
The worship of the Vata tree comes in probably because Satyavat when the moment of death approached took shelter under the shade of the Vata tree and supported himself by a branch of it and spoke in a...
...and 75 more paragraphs in this volume