Post No. 12,106
Date uploaded in London – – 9 June , 2023
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Manu smriti recommends some strange Hindu rituals that have become obsolete now. This shows that original Manu lived around Vedic times. Later a lot of hands played with the Smriti and interpolated lot of unwanted things.
Manu talks about Chaandraayana in 5-20, 11-219 (yati chaandraayana) and in 11-220(sisu chandraayana) vows. These vratas meant ascetic moon course and child’s moon course.
Manu recommends extra painful vow known as Atikrcchra in 11-209 and 214.
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What is the meaning?
Chandrayana vrata consisted in diminishing the quantity of food everyday by one mouthful or the waning half of the lunar month, beginning with fifteen morsels at the full moon/Purnima, and ending with a total fast at the new moon(Amavasya), and then increasing it in like manner during the next fortnight.
Atikrcchra consisted in eating only a single mouthful of food everyday for nine successive days, and then abstaining from all food for the next three days.
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Manu smriti quotes other vows like
Brahmacharya vrata – vow of chastity; 2-187, 2-188, 4-31
Barley middle vow- yava Madhyama vrata; 11-218
Distancing vrata – paraaka ; 11-216
Heating vrata – saantapana vrata; 5-20; 11-125, 165, 174, 213
Hot – tapta vrata – 11-157, 215
Of all these Chandrayana and Atikrcchra vratas are the most popular in his day and he quoted them over 25 times. This proved original Manu lived long, long ago; not second century BCE as many believe. ( I have already given other points such as reference to running Sarasvati river, high praise for only Rig Veda, crossing the ocean is a sin etc to prove his age).
Without the commentators help, we would not have understood these vratas.
—subham—
Tags- Strange vows, Vratas, Manu, Chandrayana, Atikrcchra
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