12.035
Library and Core: Yudhishthira asks about the actions that require atonement, and Vyasa advises.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
kāni kṛtveha karmāṇi prāyaścittīyate naraḥ। kiṃ kṛtvā caiva mucyeta tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-35-1॥
O grandsire, tell me: which actions performed here require atonement by a man, and by doing what indeed is he released from them?
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said:
akurvan vihitaṃ karma pratiṣiddhāni ca ācaran। prāyaścittyate hi evam naro mithyā ca vartayan ॥12-35-2॥
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.
sūryeṇābhyudito yaś ca brahmacārī bhavaty uta। tathā sūryābhinirmuktaḥ kunakhī śyāvadann api ॥12-35-3॥
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.
parivittiḥ parivettā brahmojjho yaś ca kutsakaḥ। didhiṣūpatistathā yaḥ syād agredidhiṣur eva ca॥12-35-4॥
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.
avakīrṇī bhaved yaś ca dvijātivadhakas tathā | atīrthe brahmaṇas tyāgī tīrthe cāpratipādakaḥ ||12-35-5||
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.
grāmayājī ca kaunteya rājñaśca parivikrayī। śūdrastrīvadhako yaśca pūrvaḥ pūrvastu garhitaḥ ॥12-35-6॥
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.
vṛthāpaśusamālambhī vanadāhasya kārakaḥ। anṛtenopacartā ca pratiroddhā gurostatḥā ॥12-35-7॥
One who takes up useless animals, causes forest fires, serves with falsehood, and obstructs the teacher—such are likewise condemned.
yaś cāgnīn apavidhyet tathaiva brahmavikrayī। etāny enāṃsi sarvāṇi vyutkrāntasamayaś ca yaḥ ॥12-35-8॥
Whoever casts away the sacred fires, or sells the Veda, or transgresses the prescribed time for rites—these are all considered sins.
akāryāṇy api vakṣyāmi yāni tāni nibodha me। loka-veda-viruddhāni tān ekāgramanāḥ śṛṇu ॥12-35-9॥
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.
svadharmasya parityāgaḥ paradharmasya ca kriyā। ayājyayājanaṃ caiva tathābhakṣyasya bhakṣaṇam ॥12-35-10॥
Abandoning one's own duty, performing another's duty, offering sacrifices to the unworthy, and eating what should not be eaten.
śaraṇāgatasantyāgo bhṛtyasyābharaṇaṃ tathā। rasānāṃ vikrayaścāpi tiryagyonivadhastathā ॥12-35-11॥
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.
ādhānādīni karmāṇi śaktimān na karoti yaḥ। aprayacchaṃś ca sarvāṇi nityaṃ deyāni bhārata ॥12-35-12॥
O Bhārata, he who is capable but does not perform rites such as initiation, and always withholds all that should be given.
dakṣiṇānāmadānaṃ ca brāhmaṇasvābhimarśanam। sarvāṇyetānyakāryāṇi prāhur dharmavido janāḥ ॥12-35-13॥
The knowers of dharma have said that giving gifts and a Brāhmaṇa touching himself are all actions that should not be done.
pitrā vibhajate putro yaś ca syād gurutalpagah। aprajāyann adharmeṇa bhavaty ādharmiko janaḥ ॥12-35-14॥
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.
uktāny etāni karmāṇi vistareṇetareṇa ca। yāni kurvann akurvaṃś ca prāyaścittīyate janaḥ ॥12-35-15॥
These actions, as declared here in detail and otherwise, whichever a person does or does not do, are atoned for.
etānyeva tu karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni mānavān। yeṣu yeṣu nimitteṣu na limpantyatha tacchṛṇu ॥12-35-16॥
These actions, though performed by men, do not attach to them in whatever causes; now hear that.
pragṛhya śastram āyāntam api vedāntagam raṇe| jighāṃsantam nihatya ājau na tena brahmahā bhavet ॥12-35-17॥
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.
api cāpyatra kaunteya mantro vedeṣu paṭhyate। vedapramāṇavihitaṃ taṃ dharmaṃ prabravīmi te ॥12-35-18॥
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.
apetaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ vṛttād yo hanyād ātatāyinam। na tena brahmahā sa syān manyus taṃ manyum ṛcchati ॥12-35-19॥
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.
prāṇātyaye tathā-jñānād ācaran madirām api। acodito dharmaparaḥ punaḥ saṃskāram arhati ॥12-35-20॥
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.
etat te sarvam ākhyātam kaunteya abhakṣya-bhakṣaṇam। prāyaścitta-vidhānena sarvam etena śudhyati ॥12-35-21॥
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.
gurutalpaṃ hi gurvarthe na dūṣayati mānavam। uddālakaḥ śvetaketuṃ janayāmāsa śiṣyataḥ ॥12-35-22॥
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.
steyaṃ kurvaṃstu gurvarthamāpatsu na nibadhyate। bahuśaḥ kāmakāreṇa na cedyah sampravartate ॥12-35-23॥
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).
anyatra brāhmaṇasvebhya ādadāno na duṣyati। svayamaprāśitā yaśca na sa pāpena lipyate ॥12-35-24॥
If one takes (food) from the Brahmanas elsewhere, he is not tainted. And he who has not eaten himself is not affected by sin.
prāṇatrāṇe'nṛtaṃ vācyam ātmano vā parasya vā। gurvarthe strīṣu caiva syād vivāhakaraṇeṣu ca ॥12-35-25॥
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.
nāvartate vrataṃ svapne śukramokṣe kathañcana। ājyahomaḥ samiddhe'gnau prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate ॥12-35-26॥
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.
pārivittyaṃ ca patite nāsti pravrajite tathā। bhikṣite pārādāryaṃ ca na taddharmasya dūṣakam ॥12-35-27॥
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.
vṛthāpaśusamālambhaṃ naiva kuryān na kārayet। anugrahaḥ paśūṇāṃ hi saṃskāro vidhicoditaḥ ॥12-35-28॥
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.
anarhe brāhmaṇe dattam ajñānāt tan na dūṣakam। sakāraṇaṃ tathā tīrthe 'tīrthe vā pratipādanam ॥12-35-29॥
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.
striyastathāpacāriṇyo niṣkṛtiḥ syādadūṣikā। api sā pūyate tena na tu bhartā praduṣyate ॥12-35-30॥
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.
tattvaṃ jñātvā tu somasya vikrayaḥ syādadūṣakaḥ। asamarthasya bhṛtyasya visargaḥ syādadoṣavān ॥ vanadāho gavāmarthe kriyamāṇo na dūṣakaḥ ॥12-35-31॥
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.
uktāny etāni karmāṇi yāni kurvan na duṣyati। prāyaścittāni vakṣyāmi vistareṇaiva bhārata ॥12-35-32॥
O Bhārata, performing the actions that have been spoken does not lead to corruption. I will now explain the expiations in detail.
