12.035
Library and Core: Yudhishthira asks about the actions that require atonement, and Vyasa advises.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
कानि कृत्वेह कर्माणि प्रायश्चित्तीयते नरः। किं कृत्वा चैव मुच्येत तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-३५-१॥
O grandsire, tell me: which actions performed here require atonement by a man, and by doing what indeed is he released from them?
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said:
अकुर्वन्विहितं कर्म प्रतिषिद्धानि चाचरन्। प्रायश्चित्तीयते ह्येवं नरो मिथ्या च वर्तयन् ॥१२-३५-२॥
If a man does not perform the enjoined actions and instead practices prohibited ones, then indeed, atonement is prescribed for one who conducts himself falsely in this way.
सूर्येणाभ्युदितो यश्च ब्रह्मचारी भवत्युत। तथा सूर्याभिनिर्मुक्तः कुनखी श्यावदन्नपि ॥१२-३५-३॥
Whoever is initiated at sunrise and becomes a celibate, and likewise, even one with deformed nails or a dark mouth, if released by the sun, is accepted.
परिवित्तिः परिवेत्ता ब्रह्मोज्झो यश्च कुत्सकः। दिधिषूपतिस्तथा यः स्यादग्रेदिधिषुरेव च ॥१२-३५-४॥
One who has lost property, one who knows the loss, one who has abandoned sacred knowledge, one who reproaches, the lord of the sacrificial implements, and likewise, whoever may be in front of the sacrificial implement.
अवकीर्णी भवेद्यश्च द्विजातिवधकस्तथा। अतीर्थे ब्रह्मणस्त्यागी तीर्थे चाप्रतिपादकः ॥१२-३५-५॥
One who scatters sacred things, one who kills a twice-born, one who abandons a Brāhmaṇa's property at a non-sacred place, and one who does not restore it at a sacred place, all become sinful.
ग्रामयाजी च कौन्तेय राज्ञश्च परिविक्रयी। शूद्रस्त्रीवधको यश्च पूर्वः पूर्वस्तु गर्हितः ॥१२-३५-६॥
O son of Kunti, the village-sacrificer, the king's trader, and the killer of a Śūdra woman—each former is more condemned than the latter.
वृथापशुसमालम्भी वनदाहस्य कारकः। अनृतेनोपचर्ता च प्रतिरोद्धा गुरोस्तथा ॥१२-३५-७॥
One who takes up useless animals, causes forest fires, serves with falsehood, and obstructs the teacher—such are likewise condemned.
यश्चाग्नीनपविध्येत तथैव ब्रह्मविक्रयी। एतान्येनांसि सर्वाणि व्युत्क्रान्तसमयश्च यः ॥१२-३५-८॥
Whoever casts away the sacred fires, or sells the Veda, or transgresses the prescribed time for rites—these are all considered sins.
अकार्याण्यपि वक्ष्यामि यानि तानि निबोध मे। लोकवेदविरुद्धानि तान्येकाग्रमनाः शृणु ॥१२-३५-९॥
I will also tell you about improper acts; listen with focused mind to those which are opposed to both worldly and Vedic norms, and understand them from me.
स्वधर्मस्य परित्यागः परधर्मस्य च क्रिया। अयाज्ययाजनं चैव तथाभक्ष्यस्य भक्षणम् ॥१२-३५-१०॥
Abandoning one's own duty, performing another's duty, offering sacrifices to the unworthy, and eating what should not be eaten.
शरणागतसन्त्यागो भृत्यस्याभरणं तथा। रसानां विक्रयश्चापि तिर्यग्योनिवधस्तथा ॥१२-३५-११॥
For a servant, abandoning one who has sought refuge is considered an ornament; similarly, selling juices and killing animals are also regarded in the same way.
आधानादीनि कर्माणि शक्तिमान्न करोति यः। अप्रयच्छंश्च सर्वाणि नित्यं देयानि भारत ॥१२-३५-१२॥
O Bhārata, he who is capable but does not perform rites such as initiation, and always withholds all that should be given.
दक्षिणानामदानं च ब्राह्मणस्वाभिमर्शनम्। सर्वाण्येतान्यकार्याणि प्राहुर्धर्मविदो जनाः ॥१२-३५-१३॥
The knowers of dharma have said that giving gifts and a Brāhmaṇa touching himself are all actions that should not be done.
पित्रा विभजते पुत्रो यश्च स्याद्गुरुतल्पगः। अप्रजायन्नधर्मेण भवत्याधर्मिको जनः ॥१२-३५-१४॥
A son who divides property with his father, or who may approach his teacher's wife, or who does not beget offspring and acts unrighteously, becomes an unrighteous person.
उक्तान्येतानि कर्माणि विस्तरेणेतरेण च। यानि कुर्वन्नकुर्वंश्च प्रायश्चित्तीयते जनः ॥१२-३५-१५॥
These actions, as declared here in detail and otherwise, whichever a person does or does not do, are atoned for.
एतान्येव तु कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि मानवान्। येषु येषु निमित्तेषु न लिम्पन्त्यथ तच्छृणु ॥१२-३५-१६॥
These actions, though performed by men, do not attach to them in whatever causes; now hear that.
प्रगृह्य शस्त्रमायान्तमपि वेदान्तगं रणे। जिघांसन्तं निहत्याजौ न तेन ब्रह्महा भवेत् ॥१२-३५-१७॥
If, in battle, a person who has mastered the Vedānta approaches with a weapon and intends to kill, then slaying him in combat does not make one a slayer of a Brāhmaṇa.
अपि चाप्यत्र कौन्तेय मन्त्रो वेदेषु पठ्यते। वेदप्रमाणविहितं तं धर्मं प्रब्रवीमि ते ॥१२-३५-१८॥
Moreover, O son of Kunti, this mantra is also recited here in the Vedas. I declare to you that dharma which is established by the authority of the Vedas.
अपेतं ब्राह्मणं वृत्ताद्यो हन्यादाततायिनम्। न तेन ब्रह्महा स स्यान्मन्युस्तं मन्युमृच्छति ॥१२-३५-१९॥
If one kills a Brāhmaṇa who has deviated from righteous conduct and is an aggressor, he does not become a slayer of a Brāhmaṇa by that act; anger meets with that anger.
प्राणात्यये तथाज्ञानादाचरन्मदिरामपि। अचोदितो धर्मपरः पुनः संस्कारमर्हति ॥१२-३५-२०॥
If, at the time of mortal danger or out of ignorance, a person devoted to dharma consumes liquor without being prompted, he again deserves to undergo the purification rite.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं कौन्तेयाभक्ष्यभक्षणम्। प्रायश्चित्तविधानेन सर्वमेतेन शुध्यति ॥१२-३५-२१॥
O son of Kunti, all this concerning the eating of what is not to be eaten has been explained to you. By the rule of expiation, all this is purified.
गुरुतल्पं हि गुर्वर्थे न दूषयति मानवम्। उद्दालकः श्वेतकेतुं जनयामास शिष्यतः ॥१२-३५-२२॥
Indeed, lying with the teacher's wife for the teacher's purpose does not defile a man. Uddālaka begot Śvetaketu from his disciple's wife.
स्तेयं कुर्वंस्तु गुर्वर्थमापत्सु न निबध्यते। बहुशः कामकारेण न चेद्यः सम्प्रवर्तते ॥१२-३५-२३॥
One who commits theft for the sake of the teacher in times of calamity is not bound. But if one often acts out of desire, he is not (so exempted).
अन्यत्र ब्राह्मणस्वेभ्य आददानो न दुष्यति। स्वयमप्राशिता यश्च न स पापेन लिप्यते ॥१२-३५-२४॥
If one takes (food) from the Brahmanas elsewhere, he is not tainted. And he who has not eaten himself is not affected by sin.
प्राणत्राणेऽनृतं वाच्यमात्मनो वा परस्य वा। गुर्वर्थे स्त्रीषु चैव स्याद्विवाहकरणेषु च ॥१२-३५-२५॥
Falsehood may be spoken to save life, for one's own or another's sake; for the sake of a teacher, with women, and in marriage arrangements.
नावर्तते व्रतं स्वप्ने शुक्रमोक्षे कथञ्चन। आज्यहोमः समिद्धेऽग्नौ प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते ॥१२-३५-२६॥
The vow is not repeated in a dream or at the emission of semen in any way. The expiation prescribed is the offering of ghee in the kindled fire.
पारिवित्त्यं च पतिते नास्ति प्रव्रजिते तथा। भिक्षिते पारदार्यं च न तद्धर्मस्य दूषकम् ॥१२-३५-२७॥
Accepting another's wealth is not considered a fault in a fallen person, nor in a renunciant; for a beggar, intercourse with another's wife is also not regarded as a defilement of his dharma.
वृथापशुसमालम्भं नैव कुर्यान्न कारयेत्। अनुग्रहः पशूणां हि संस्कारो विधिचोदितः ॥१२-३५-२८॥
One should neither perform nor cause to be performed the unnecessary taking up of animals. The true favor to animals is the ritual purification prescribed by the rules.
अनर्हे ब्राह्मणे दत्तमज्ञानात्तन्न दूषकम्। सकारणं तथा तीर्थेऽतीर्थे वा प्रतिपादनम् ॥१२-३५-२९॥
A gift given to an unworthy Brāhmaṇa out of ignorance is not considered defiling; similarly, an offering made with proper reason, whether in a sacred or non-sacred place, is acceptable.
स्त्रियस्तथापचारिण्यो निष्कृतिः स्याददूषिका। अपि सा पूयते तेन न तु भर्ता प्रदुष्यते ॥१२-३५-३०॥
If women thus commit an offense, atonement may render them not blameworthy; even so, she is purified by that, but the husband is not defiled.
तत्त्वं ज्ञात्वा तु सोमस्य विक्रयः स्याददूषकः। असमर्थस्य भृत्यस्य विसर्गः स्याददोषवान् ॥ वनदाहो गवामर्थे क्रियमाणो न दूषकः ॥१२-३५-३१॥
If one knows the true principle, selling Soma is not blameworthy. Dismissing an incapable servant is not a fault. Burning the forest for the sake of cows is not blameworthy.
उक्तान्येतानि कर्माणि यानि कुर्वन्न दुष्यति। प्रायश्चित्तानि वक्ष्यामि विस्तरेणैव भारत ॥१२-३५-३२॥
O Bhārata, performing the actions that have been spoken does not lead to corruption. I will now explain the expiations in detail.
