CHAP. kill, shall remain in hell a hundred years; for actually striking him with the like intent, a thousand: XI. 208. As many small pellets of dust as the blood ' of a Bráhmen collects on the ground, for so many 'thousand years must the shedder of that blood be 'tormented in hell. 6 209. For a simple assault, the first or common penance must be performed; for a battery, the third or very severe penance; but for shedding blood, without killing, both of those penances. 210. To remove the sins, for which no particular 'penance has been ordained, the assembly must award a fit expiation, considering the ability of the sinner to perform it, and the nature of the sin. 211. THOSE penances, by which a man may atone for his crimes, I now will describe to you; pe6 nances, which have been performed by deities, by holy sages, and by forefathers of the human race. 212. WHEN a twice-born man performs the com 6 mon penance, or that of PRAJAPATI, he must for three days eat only in the morning; for three days, only in the evening; for three days, food unasked but presented to him; and for three more days, nothing. 213. Eating for a whole day the dung and urine ' of cows mixed with curds, milk, clarified butter, ' and water boiled with cusa-grass, and then fasting entirely for a day and a night, is the penance ' called 'called Santapana, (either from the devout man SAN- CHAP. TAPANA, or from tormenting). 214. A twice-born man performing the penance, 'called very severe, in respect of the common, must eat, as before, a single mouthful, or a ball of rice as large as a hen's egg, for three times three days; and for the last three days, must wholly abstain 'from food. 215. A Bráhmen, performing the ardent penance, must swallow nothing but hot water, hot milk, hot ' clarified butter, and hot steam, each of them for 'three days successively, performing an ablution and mortifying all his members. 6 6 216. A total fast for twelve days and nights, by a penitent with his organs controlled and his mind attentive, is the penance named paráca, which expiates all degrees of guilt. 217. If he diminish his food by one mouthful each day, during the dark fortnight, eating fifteen mouthfuls on the day of the opposition, and increase it, in the same proportion, during the bright fortnight, fasting entirely on the day of the conjunction, and perform an ablution regularly at sunrise, noon, and sunset, this is the chándrayana, or the lunar pe6 nance: 218. Such is the penance called ant-shaped or narrow in the middle; but, if he perform the barleyshaped, or broad in the middle, he must observe the XI. CHAP. same rule, beginning with the bright half-month, XI. ' and keeping under command his organs of action and sense. 219. To perform the lunar penance of an anchoret, he must eat only eight mouthfuls of forest grains at noon for a whole month, taking care to subdue his mind. 220.' If a Bráhmen eat only four mouthfuls at sun'rise, and four at sunset, for a month, keeping his organs controlled, he performs the lunar penance of ' children. 221. He, who, for a whole month, eats no more 'than thrice eighty mouthfuls of wild grains, as he happens by any means to meet with them, keeping his organs in subjection, shall attain the same abode ' with the regent of the moon : 222. The eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, the eight Vasus, the Maruts, or genii of the winds, and the seven great Rishis, have performed this lunar penance as a security from all evil. 223. The oblation of clarified butter to fire must every day be made by the penitent himself, accompanied with the mighty words, earth, sky, heaven; 'he must perfectly abstain from injury to sentient 'creatures, from falsehood, from wrath, and from all crooked ways. 224. Or, thrice each day, and thrice each night ' for a month, the penitent may plunge into water ' clothed 'clothed in his mantle, and at no time conversing CHAP. ' with a woman, a Súdra, or an outcast. 6 225. LET him be always in motion, sitting and rising alternately; or, if unable to be thus restless, 'let him sleep low on the bare ground; chaste as a 'student of the Véda, bearing the sacred zone and staff, showing reverence to his preceptor, to the gods, and to priests; 6 226. Perpetually must he repeat the gáyatrì, and 6 other pure texts to the best of his knowledge: 'thus in all penances for absolution from sin, must 'he vigilantly employ himself. 227. By these expiations are twice-born men ab'solved whose offences are publickly known, and are mischievous by their example; but for sins not publick, the assembly of priests must award them penances, with holy texts and oblations to fire. 6 6 228. By open confession, by repentance, by devotion, and by reading the scripture, a sinner may be released from his guilt; or by alms-giving, in case of his inability to perform the other acts of re•ligion. 229. In proportion as a man, who has committed 230. And, in proportion as • loathes XI. CHAP. XI. loathes his evil deed, so far shall his vital spirit be freed from the taint of it. 231. If he commit sin, and actually repent, that sin shall be removed from him; but if he merely "I will sin thus no more," he can only be ' released by an actual abstinence from guilt. say, 232. Thus revolving in his mind the certainty of ' retribution in a future state, let him be constantly good in thoughts, words, and action. 233. If he desire complete remission of any foul act which he has committed, either ignorantly or 'knowingly, let him beware of committing it again; for the second fault his penance must be doubled. 234. If, having performed any expiation, he feel not a perfect satisfaction of conscience, let him repeat the same devout act, until his conscience be perfectly satisfied. 235. All the bliss of deities and of men is de'clared by sages, who discern the sense of the Véda, to have in devotion its cause, in devotion its continuance, in devotion its fullness. 236. Devotion is equal to the performance of all duties; it is divine knowledge in a Bráhmen; it is ' defence of the people in a Cshatriya; devotion is the business of trade and agriculture in a Vaisya; ' devotion is dutiful service in a Súdra. |