12.036
Library: Various kinds of sin and the atonement for the same.
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said:
tapasā karmabhiścaiva pradānena ca bhārata। punāti pāpaṃ puruṣaḥ pūtaścenn pravartate ॥12-36-1॥
O Bhārata, by austerity, actions, and giving, a person purifies his sins; if he is purified, he does not engage in them again.
ekakālaṃ tu bhuñjānaś caran bhaikṣyaṃ svakarmakṛt| kapālapāṇiḥ khaṭvāṅgī brahmacārī sadotthitaḥ ||12-36-2||
He eats only once a day, wanders for alms, performs his own duty, holds a skull in his hand, carries a staff, remains celibate, and is always alert.
anasūyuradhaḥśāyī karma loke prakāśayan। pūrṇairdvādaśabhirvarṣairbrahmahā vipramucyate ॥12-36-3॥
A Brahmin-slayer who, free from envy, lies down below and openly performs actions in the world, is completely released after twelve full years.
ṣaḍbhir varṣaiḥ kṛcchra-bhojī brahma-hā pūyate naraḥ। māse māse samaśnan tu tribhir varṣaiḥ pramucyate ॥12-36-4॥
A man who has killed a Brāhmaṇa is purified by eating prescribed food under penance for six years. However, if he eats prescribed food equally each month, he is released in three years.
saṃvatsareṇa māsāśī pūyate nātra saṃśayaḥ। tathaivoparamanrājansvalpenāpi pramucyate ॥12-36-5॥
By the passing of a year or by months, purification occurs; there is no doubt about this. Likewise, O king, even a little cessation leads to release.
kratunā cāśvamedhena pūyate nātra saṃśayaḥ। ya cāsyāvabhṛthe snānti kecidevaṃvidhā narāḥ ॥12-36-6॥
There is no doubt that one is purified by the sacrifice and especially by the horse-sacrifice. And some men of this kind who bathe at its concluding bath are also purified.
te sarve pūtapāpmāno bhavantīti parā śrutiḥ। brāhmaṇārthe hato yuddhe mucyate brahmahatyayā ॥12-36-7॥
According to the supreme revelation, all of them become purified from sin. If one is killed in battle for the sake of a Brāhmaṇa, he is freed from the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
gavāṃ śatasahasraṃ tu pātrebhyaḥ pratipādayan। brahmahā vipramucyeta sarvapāpebhya eva ca ॥12-36-8॥
But if one gives one hundred thousand cows to worthy recipients, even a killer of a Brāhmaṇa is completely freed from all sins.
kapilānāṃ sahasrāṇi yo dadyāt pañcaviṃśatim। dogdhrīṇāṃ sa ca pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyo vipramucyate ॥12-36-9॥
Whoever gives twenty-five thousand tawny cows, he is completely freed from all sins.
gosahasraṃ savatsānāṃ dogdhrīṇāṃ prāṇasaṃśaye। sādhubhyo vai daridrebhyo dattvā mucyeta kilbiṣāt ॥12-36-10॥
By giving a thousand milking cows with calves, even at the risk of one's life, to the virtuous and to the poor, one is indeed freed from sin.
śataṃ tai yastu kāmbojānbrāhmaṇebhyaḥ prayacchati। niyatebhyo mahīpāla sa ca pāpātpramucyate ॥12-36-11॥
O king, he who gives a hundred Kambojas to the Brāhmaṇas who are self-restrained is freed from sin.
manorathaṃ tu yo dadyādekasmai api bhārata। na kīrtayet dattvā yaḥ sa ca pāpāt pramucyate ॥12-36-12॥
O Bhārata, even if someone gives a wish to just one person but does not proclaim it after giving, he too is freed from sin.
surāpānaṃ sakṛtpītvā yo'gnivarṇāṃ pibeddvijaḥ। sa pāvayatyathātmānam iha loke paratra ca ॥12-36-13॥
If a twice-born person, after drinking liquor once, drinks the fire-colored substance, he thereby purifies himself both in this world and the next.
meru-prapātaṃ prapatan-jvalanaṃ vā samāviśan। mahāprasthānam-ātiṣṭhan-mucyate sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ ॥12-36-14॥
Whether one falls from the Meru precipice, enters fire, or undertakes the great departure, one is freed from all sins.
bṛhaspatisaveneṣṭvā surāpo brāhmaṇaḥ punaḥ। samitiṃ brāhmaṇairgacchediti vai brāhmaṇī śrutiḥ ॥12-36-15॥
After performing the Bṛhaspati-sacrifice, a Brāhmaṇa who has drunk liquor should again approach the assembly of Brāhmaṇas; thus indeed is the statement of the Brāhmaṇī śruti (Vedic authority).
bhūmipradānaṃ kuryād yaḥ surāṃ pītvā vimatsaraḥ। punar na ca pibed rājan saṃskṛtaḥ śudhyate naraḥ॥12-36-16॥
O king, a man who, having drunk liquor without envy, gives land, should not drink again; if purified, he becomes pure.
gurutalpī śilāṃ taptām āyasīm adhi saṃviśet। pāṇau ādhāya vā śephaṃ pravrajed ūrdhvadarśanaḥ ॥12-36-17॥
A person guilty of violating the teacher's bed must lie on a heated iron slab, or, placing his genitals in his hands, wander with his face turned upwards.
śarīrasya vimokṣeṇa mucyate karmaṇo'śubhāt। karmabhyo vipramucyante yattāḥ saṃvatsaraṃ striyaḥ ॥12-36-18॥
By the release of the body, one is freed from inauspicious actions; women who are disciplined for a year are completely freed from actions.
mahāvrataṃ cared yastu dadyāt sarvasvameva tu। gurvarthe vā hato yuddhe sa mucyeta karmaṇo'śubhāt ॥12-36-19॥
Whoever observes the great vow, or gives away all his possessions, or is killed in battle for the sake of the teacher, is freed from evil deeds.
anṛtenopacartā ca pratiroddhā gurostatḥā। upahṛtya priyaṃ tasmai tasmātpāpāt pramucyate ॥12-36-20॥
Even if one has served or restrained the teacher with untruth, by offering something dear to him, one is released from that sin.
avakīrṇinimittaṃ tu brahmahatyāvrataṃ caret। kharacarmavāsāḥ ṣaṇmāsaṃ tathā mucyeta kilbiṣāt ॥12-36-21॥
However, for the act of scattering bones, one should undertake the expiation for Brāhmaṇa-slaying; by wearing donkey skin for six months, one is thus freed from sin.
paradārāpahārī ca parasya apaharan vasu। saṃvatsaraṃ vratī bhūtvā tathā mucyeta kilbiṣāt ॥12-36-22॥
One who has taken another's wife or another's wealth, by observing a vow for one year, may thus be freed from sin.
steyaṃ tu yasyāpharettasmai dadyātsamaṃ vasu। vividhenābhyupāyena tena mucyeta kilbiṣāt ॥12-36-23॥
But if someone commits theft, he should give equal wealth to the person from whom he took it. By various means, by doing so, he may be freed from sin.
kṛcchrāddvādaśarātreṇa svabhyastena daśāvaram। parivettā bhavetpūtaḥ parivittiśca bhārata ॥12-36-24॥
O Bhārata, by performing penance for twelve nights, and by practicing self-discipline ten times, both the officiant and the assistant become purified.
niveśyaṃ tu bhavettena sadā tārayitā pitṝn। na tu striyā bhaveddoṣo na tu sā tena lipyate ॥12-36-25॥
When it is offered, by that, the ancestors are always delivered. There is no fault for the woman, nor is she tainted by that.
bhajane hyṛtunā śuddhaṃ cāturmāsyaṃ vidhīyate। striyastena viśudhyanti iti dharmavido viduḥ ॥12-36-26॥
The pure four-monthly sacrifice is prescribed to be performed in the proper season. By this, women are purified, as is known by those who are learned in dharma.
striyastvāśaṅkitāḥ pāpairnopagamyā hi jānatā। rajasā tā viśudhyante bhasmanā bhājanaṃ yathā ॥12-36-27॥
Women who are suspected of sin should not be approached by the wise; just as a vessel stained by impurity is purified by ashes, so too are they purified.
catuṣpāt sakalo dharmo brāhmaṇānāṃ vidhīyate। pādāvakṛṣṭo rājanye tathā dharmo vidhīyate ॥12-36-28॥
The complete dharma in all its four parts is prescribed for the Brāhmaṇas. For the Kṣatriyas, dharma with one part removed is similarly prescribed.
tathā vaiśye ca śūdre ca pādaḥ pādo vidhīyate। vidyādevaṃvidhenaaiṣāṃ gurulāghavaniścayam ॥12-36-29॥
Similarly, for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra, a quarter share each is prescribed. Thus, one should understand the determination of the relative weight and lightness among these.
tiryagyonivadhaṃ kṛtvā drumāṃś chittvetarān bahūn। trirātraṃ vāyubhakṣaḥ syāt karma ca prathayen naraḥ ॥12-36-30॥
After killing animals of lower birth and cutting many other trees, a man should live on air for three nights and publicly declare the act.
agamyāgamane rājanprāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate. ārdravastreṇa ṣaṇmāsam vihāryam bhasmaśāyinā ॥12-36-31॥
O king, for the act of approaching a forbidden woman, atonement is prescribed: one must live for six months wearing wet clothes and sleeping on ashes.
eṣa eva tu sarveṣāmakāryāṇāṃ vidhirbhavet। brāhmaṇoktena vidhinā dṛṣṭāntāgamhetubhiḥ ॥12-36-32॥
However, for all improper acts, the rule should be as stated by the Brāhmaṇa, following the prescribed procedure, and supported by examples, scriptures, and reasoning.
sāvitrīm apy adhīyānaḥ śucau deśe mitāśanaḥ | ahiṃsro 'mandako 'jalpan mucyate sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ ॥12-36-33॥
One who recites the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī mantra) in a pure place, eats moderately, is non-violent, energetic, and refrains from idle talk is freed from all sins.
ahaḥsu satataṃ tiṣṭhed abhyākāśaṃ niśi svapet| trirahnas trir niśāyāś ca savāsā jalam āviśet ॥12-36-34॥
One should always remain in the open air during the day and sleep at night. One should enter water with clothes three times during the day and three times during the night.
strīśūdrapatitāṃścāpi nābhibhāṣedvratānvitaḥ। pāpānyajñānataḥ kṛtvā mucyedevaṃvrato dvijaḥ ॥12-36-35॥
One who observes vows should not converse with women, Śūdras, or the fallen; if a twice-born commits sins out of ignorance, he is freed by such observance.
śubhāśubhaphaḷaṃ pretya labhate bhūtasākṣikaḥ। atiricyettayoryattu tatkartā labhate phalam ॥12-36-36॥
After death, a person obtains the results of auspicious and inauspicious actions, witnessed by beings. If one exceeds either of the two, the doer obtains the fruit of that accordingly.
tasmāddānena tapasā karmaṇā ca śubhaṃ phalam। vardhayed aśubhaṃ kṛtvā yathā syād atirekavān ॥12-36-37॥
Therefore, by charity, austerity, and action, one should increase the auspicious result, making the inauspicious less, so that the auspicious may become abundant.
kuryāc chubhāni karmāṇi nimitte pāpakarmaṇām। dadyān nityaṃ ca vittāni tathā mucyeta kilbiṣāt ॥12-36-38॥
One should perform auspicious deeds to counteract sinful actions; one should always give wealth, and thus be freed from sin.
anurūpaṃ hi pāpasya prāyaścittam udāhṛtam। mahāpātaka-varjaṃ tu prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate ॥12-36-39॥
Atonement is prescribed in proportion to the sin, but not for the great sins; for those, atonement is not prescribed.
bhakṣyābhakṣyeṣu sarveṣu vācyāvācye tathaiva ca। ajñānajñānayo rājan vihitāny anujānate ॥12-36-40॥
O king, in all matters of what is edible or inedible, speakable or unspeakable, it is according to ignorance and knowledge that the prescribed acts are permitted.
jānatā tu kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ guru sarvaṃ bhavatyuta। ajñānātskhalite doṣe prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate ॥12-36-41॥
A sin committed knowingly is considered especially grave. However, if a fault occurs due to ignorance or by mistake, atonement is prescribed.
śakyate vidhinā pāpaṃ yathoktena vyapohitum। āstike śraddadhāne tu vidhireṣa vidhīyate ॥12-36-42॥
Sin can be removed by the prescribed method as stated, but this rule is laid down only for the believer, for the one who has faith.
nāstika-āśraddadhāneṣu puruṣeṣu kadācana। dambha-doṣa-pradhāneṣu vidhir eṣa na dṛśyate ॥12-36-43॥
This rule is never seen among atheists, those lacking faith, or those dominated by hypocrisy and fault.
śiṣṭācāraś ca śiṣṭaś ca dharmo dharmabhṛtāṃ vara। sevitavyo naravyāghra pretya ceha sukhārthinā ॥12-36-44॥
O best of the upholders of dharma, O tiger among men, the conduct of the virtuous and righteousness should be followed by one who desires happiness, both here and after death.
sa rājan mokṣyase pāpāttena pūrveṇa hetunā। trāṇārthaṃ vā vadhenaiṣām atha vā nṛpakarmaṇā ॥12-36-45॥
O king, you will be freed from sin either due to that previous cause, or for the sake of protection, or by killing these, or by performing the duty of a king.
atha vā te ghṛṇā kācit prāyaścittaṃ cariṣyasi। mā tvevānāryajuṣṭena karmaṇā nidhanaṃ gamaḥ ॥12-36-46॥
Alternatively, if you feel any remorse, you may perform atonement. But do not, by an ignoble act, bring about your own destruction.
