व्यास उवाच तपसा कर्मणा चैव प्रदानेन च भारत। पुनाति पापं पुरुषः पुनश्चेन्न प्रवर्तते॥
Vyasa said ‘By penances, religious rites, and gifts, O Bharata, a man purify his sins if he does not commit them again.
एककालं तु भुञ्जीत चरन् भैक्ष्यं स्वकर्मकृत्। कपालपाणिः खट्वाङ्गी ब्रह्मचारी सदोत्थितः॥ अनसूयुरधःशायी कर्म लोके प्रकाशयन्। पूर्णीदशाभिर्वषैर्ब्रह्महा विप्रमुच्यते॥
By living upon only one meal a day, procured by begging, by doing all his acts himself, by going about begging with a human skull in one hand and a staff with a skull on it in another, by becoming a Brahmacharin and always ready for work, by renouncing all malice, by sleeping on the naked earth, by declaring his offence publicly, by doing all this for full twelve years, a person can cleanse himself from the sin of a Brahmanicide.
लक्ष्यः शस्त्रभृतां वा स्याद् विदुषामिच्छयाऽऽत्मनः। प्रास्येदात्मानमग्नौ वा समिद्धे त्रिरवाक्छिराः॥ जपन् वान्यतमं वेदं योजनानां शतं व्रजेत्। सर्वस्वं वा वेदविदे ब्राह्मणायोपपादयेत्॥ धनं वा जीवनायालं गृहं वा सपरिच्छदम्। मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्याया गोप्ता गोब्राह्मणस्य च॥
By perishing by the weapons of a person living by the use of arms, of one's own accords and upon the advice of persons read in the scriptures, or by throwing one's self down, for three times, with head downwards, upon a burning fire, or by walking a hundred Yojanas reciting the Vedas, or by presenting one's all to a Brahmana well read in the Vedas, or at least so much by which he would live comfortably for life, or a house properly furnished, and by protecting kine and Brahmanas, one may be purged of the sin of Brahmanicide.
षड्भिर्वर्षेः कृच्छ्रभोजी ब्रह्महा पूयते नरः। मासे मासे समश्नंस्तु त्रिभिर्वर्षेः प्रमुच्यते॥
By living upon poor diet every day for six years. a person may be purged off that sin. By observing a more difficult vow about food one may be cleansed in three years.
संवत्सरेण मासाशी पूयते नात्र संशयः। तथैवोपवसन् राजन् स्वल्पेनापि प्रपूयते॥ क्रतुना चाश्वमेधेन पूयते नात्र संशयः। ये चाप्यवभृथस्नाताः केचिदेवंविधा नराः॥ ते सर्वे धूतपाप्मानो भवन्तीति परा श्रुतिः। ब्राह्मणार्थे हतो युद्धे मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया॥
By living upon one meal a month, one may be cleansed in a year. By an absolute fast, one may be cleansed within a very short time, one is again purified by a Horse-sacrifice. Men that have been guilty of Brahmanicide and who have succeeded in taking the final bath at the completion of the Horse-sacrifice, become washed off all their sins. This is highly authoritative injunction of the Shrutis. One again, by renouncing his life in a battle undertaking for a Brahmana, becomes cleansed of the sin of Brahmanicide.
गवां शतसहस्रं तु पात्रेभ्यः प्रतिपादयेत्। ब्रह्महा विप्रमुच्येत सर्वपापेभ्य एव च।॥
By giving away a hundred thousand kine to deserving persons, one becomes cleansed of the sin of Brahmanicide as also of all other sins.
कपिलानां सहस्राणि यो दद्यात् पञ्चविंशतिम्। दोग्ध्रीणां स च पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यो विप्रमुच्यते॥
One that gives away twenty-five thousand kine of the Kapila breed all of them having calves becomes cleansed of all his sins.
गोसहस्रं सवत्सानां दोग्ध्रीणां प्राणसंशये। साधुभ्यो वै दरिद्रेभ्यो दत्त्वा मुच्येत किल्बिषात्॥
One who, at the time of death, presents a thousand kine with calves to poor but deserving persons, becomes freed for sin.
शतं वै यस्तु काम्बोजान् ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छति। नियतेभ्यो महीपाल स च पापात् प्रमुच्यते॥
That man, o king, who gives away a hundred horse of the Kamvoja breed to Brahmanas of regulated conduct, becomes freed from sin.
मनोरथं तु यो दद्यादेकस्मा अपि भारत। न कीर्तयेत दत्त्वा यः स च पापात् प्रमुच्यते॥
That man, O Bharata, who gives to even one man all that he asks for, and who, having given it, does not advertise his act, becomes freed from sin,
सुरापानं सकृत् कृत्वा योऽग्निवर्णां सुरां पिबेत्। स पावयत्यथात्मानमिह लोके परत्र च॥
If a person who has once taken wine, drinks hot water, he purifies himself both here and hereafter.
मरुप्रपातं प्रपतन् ज्वलनं वा समाविशन्। महाप्रस्थानमातिष्ठन् मुच्यते सर्वकिल्विषैः॥
By falling from the summit of a mountain or entering a burning fire, or by going on journey for ever after renouncing the world, one is freed from all sins.
बृहस्पतिसवेनेष्ट्वा सुरापो ब्राह्मणः पुनः। समितिं ब्राह्मणो गच्छेदिति वै ब्रह्मणः श्रुतिः॥
By celebrating the sacrifice laid down by Brihaspati, a Brahmana who drinks wine may obtain the region of Brahmana this has been said by Brahma himself.
भूमिप्रदानं कुर्याद् यः सुरां पीत्वा विमत्सरः। पुनर्नच पिबेद् राजन् संस्कृतः स च शुद्ध्यति॥
If a person, after having drunk wine, becomes humble and makes a gift of land, and abstains himself from it ever afterwards he becomes purified and cleansed.
गुरुतल्पी शिलां तप्तामायसीमभिसंविशेत्। अवकृत्यात्मनः शेर्फ प्रव्रजेदूर्ध्वदर्शनः॥
The person that has violated his preceptor's bed, should lie down on a sheet of heated iron, and having cut off the male organ, should leave the world and live in the woods, with eyes always turned upwards.
शरीरस्य विमोक्षेण मुच्यते कर्मणोऽशुभात्। कर्मभ्यो विप्रमुच्यन्ते यत्ताः संवत्सरं स्त्रियः॥
By renouncing one's body, one become cleansed of all his sins. Women, by leading a regular life for one year, becomes freed off of all their sins.
महाव्रतं चरेद् यस्तु दद्यात् सर्वस्वमेव तु। गुर्वर्थे वा हतो युद्धे स मुच्येत् कर्मणोऽशुभात्॥
The person who practises a very rigid vow, or gives away the whole of his wealth, or dies in a battle fought for the sake of his preceptor, becomes freed off of all his sins.
अनृतेनोपवर्ती चेत् प्रतिरोद्धा गुरोस्तथा। उपाहृत्य प्रियं तस्मै तस्मात् पापात् प्रमुच्यते॥
One who utters untruth before one's preceptor or acts against his wishes, becomes freed of that sin by doing something agreeable to one's preceptor.
अवकीर्णिनिमित्तं तु ब्रह्महत्याव्रतं चरेत्। गोचर्मवासाः षण्मासांस्तथा मुच्येत किल्बिषात्॥
One who has deviated from the vow of celibacy may become freed of that sin by being clad in a hide of a cow for six months and observing the penances laid down for Brahmanicide.
परदारापहारी तु परस्यापहरन् वसु। संवत्सरं व्रती भूत्वा तथा मुच्येत किल्बिषात्॥
One who has been guilty of adultery or of theft, is purified by practising rigid vows for a year.
धनं तु यस्यापहरेत् तस्मै दद्यात् समं वसु। विविधेनाभ्युपायेन तदा मुच्येत किल्बिषात्॥
When one steals another's property, one should, by all means in his power, return to the said party another property of the value of what has been stolen. One may then be freed of the sin.
कृच्छ्राद् द्वादशरात्रेण संयतात्मा व्रते स्थितः। परिवेत्ता भवेत् पूतः परिवित्तिस्तथैव च॥
The younger brother who has married before his elder brother is married, as also the elder brother whose younger brother has married before him, becomes freed by observing a rigid vow, with controlled mind for twelve nights.
निवेश्यं तु पुनस्तेन सदा तारयता पितॄन्। न तु स्त्रिया भवेद् दोषो न तु सा तेन लिप्यते॥
The younger brother, however, should marry again for rescuing his departed manes. Upon such second marriage the first wife becomes purified and her husband himself would not commit sin by taking her.
भोजनं ह्यन्तराशुद्धं चातुर्मास्ये विधीयते। स्त्रियस्तेन प्रशुध्यन्ति इति धर्मविदो विदुः॥
Men well read in the scriptures say that women may be freed of even the greatest sins by practising the vow of Chaturmasya living all the while upon restricted and pure diet.
स्त्रियस्त्वाशङ्किताः पापा नोपगम्या विजानता। रजसा ता विशुध्यन्ते भस्मना भाजनं यथा॥
Persons well read in the scriptures take no notice of the sins that women may commit at heart. Whatever their sins may be they are cleaned by their menstrual course like a metallic plate that is cleansed with ashes.
पादजोच्छिष्टकांस्यं यद् गवा ध्रातमथापि वा। गण्डूषोच्छिष्टमपि वा विशुध्येद् दशभिस्तु तत्॥
Plates desercated by a Shudra eating off it, or a vessel of the same metal that has been smelt by a cow, or stained by a Brahmana's Gandusha, may be cleansed by the ten purifying substances.
चतुष्पात् सकलो धर्मो ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते। पादावकृष्टो राजन्ये तथा धर्मो विधीयते॥
It has been ordained that a Brahmana should acquire and practise all the virtues. For a Kshatriya it has been ordained that he should acquire and practise one fourth of all virtues.
तथा वैश्ये च शूद्रे च पादः पादो विधीयते। विद्यादेवंविधेनैषां गुरुलाघवनिश्चयम्॥
So, a Vaishya should practise less (than a Kshatriya's) by a fourth, and a Shudra less (than a Vaishya's) for a fourth. The gravity or lightness of sins of each of the four orders, should thus be ascertained.
तिर्यग्योनिवधं कृत्वा दुमाश्छित्त्वेतरान् बहून्। त्रिरात्रं वायुभक्षः स्यात् कर्म च प्रथयन्नरः॥
Having killed a bird or an animal, or cut down living trees, a person should declare his sin publicly and fast for three nights.
अगम्यागमने राजन् प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते। । आर्द्रवस्त्रेण षण्मासान् विहार्य भस्मशायिना॥
By having intercourse with one whom intercourse is forbidden, the expiation consists in wandering in wet clothes and sleeping on a bed of ashes.
एष एव तु सर्वेषामकार्याणां विधिर्भवेत्। ब्राह्मणोक्तेन विधिना दृष्टान्तागमहेतुभिः॥
These, O king, are the expiations for sins, as laid down in scriptures and by Brahmana himself.
सावित्रीमप्यधीयीत शुचौ देशे मिताशनः। अहिंसो मन्दकोऽजल्यो मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः॥
A Brahmana may be freed off all sins by reciting the Gayatri in a sacred place, living all the while upon restricted fare, casting off malice, abandoning anger and hate, unaffected by praise and blame, and observing the vow of silence.
अहःसु सततं तिष्ठेदभ्याकाशं निशां स्वपन्। त्रिरह्नि त्रिर्निशायां च सवासा जलमाविशेत्॥
He should during the day be under shelter of the sky and should sleep in the same way at night, thrice during the day, and thrice during the night, he should also plunge with the clothes into a river or lake for performing his ablutions.
स्त्रीशूद्रं पतितं चापि नाभिभाषेद् व्रतान्वितः पापान्यज्ञानतः कृत्वा मुच्येदेवंव्रतो द्विजः॥
Practising rigid vows, he should abstain from speaking with women, Shudras, and degraded persons. A Brahmana by observing such rules may be freed off of all sins unconsciously committed by him.
शुभाशुभफलं प्रेत्य लभते भूतसाक्षिकम्। अतिरिच्येत यो यत्र तत्कर्ता लभते फलम्॥
A person reaps in the next world the fruits, good or bad, of his acts here which are all seen by the elements. Proportionate to virtue or vice, one enjoys or suffers the consequences.
तस्माद् दानेन तपसा कर्मणा च फलं शुभम्। वर्धयेदशुभं कृत्वा यथा स्यादतिरेकवान्॥
By knowledge, by penances, and by pious acts, therefore, one multiplies his happiness. One, therefore, may likewise increase his misery by committing sinful acts.
कुर्याच्छुभानि कर्माणि निवर्तेत् पापकर्मणः। दद्यान्नित्यं च वित्तानि तथा मुच्येत किल्बिषात्॥
One should, therefore, perform righteous deeds and avoid altogether sinful ones.
अनुरूपं हि पापस्य प्रायश्चित्तमुदाहृतम्। महापातकवर्जं तु प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते॥
I have now described what the expiations of the sins are. There is expiation for every sin except those that are (highly heinous.)
भक्ष्याभक्ष्येषु चान्येषु वाच्यावाच्ये तथैव च। अज्ञानज्ञानयो राजन् विहितान्यनुजानतः॥
As regards sins regarding unclean food and the like, and improper speeches, etc., they are of two classes, viz., those committed knowingly and those that committed unconsciously.
जानता तु कृतं पापं गुरु सर्वं भवत्युत। अज्ञानात् स्वल्पको दोषः प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते॥
All sins that are committed knowingly are serious, while those that are committed unwittingly are light. there is expiation for both.
शक्यते विधिनां पापं यथोक्तेन व्यपोहितुम्। आस्तिके श्रद्दधाने च विधिरेष विधीयते॥
Forsooth, sin is capable of being washed away by following the ordinances. Those ordinances, however, have been laid down only for them who have faith in God.
नास्तिकाश्रद्दधानेषु पुरुषेषु कदाचन। दम्भद्वेषप्रधानेषु विधिरेष न दृश्यते॥
They are not for atheists or those that have no faith, or those who are full of pride and malice.
शिष्टाचारश्च शिष्टश्च धर्मो धर्मभृतां वर। सेवितव्यो नरव्याघ्र प्रेत्येह च सुखेप्सुना॥
A person, O foremost of men, who seeks well-being both here and hereafter should, O foremost of virtuous men, always follow virtue, hear the righteous, and satisfy the duties that have been ordained for him.
स राजन् मोक्ष्यसे पापात् तेन पूर्णेन हेतुना। प्राणार्थं वा धनेनैषामथवा नृपकर्मणा॥
Therefore, for the reasons already pointed out by me, you, O king, shall be freed off of all your sins, for you have slain your enemies in the discharge of your duties as a king and for the protection of your life and inheritance,
अथवा ते घृणा काचित् प्रायश्चित्तं चरिष्यसि। मा त्वेवानार्यजुष्टेन मन्युना निधनं गमः॥
Or, if despite it, you still consider yourself sinful, perform expiation. Do not cast away your life for such grief that does not become a wise man.'
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तो भगवता धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तेन प्रत्युवाच तपोधनम्॥
Vaishampayana said This accosted by the holy Rishi, king Yudhishthira the just, having thought for a short time, said these words to the sage.