Chapter 6

Hereafter, I shall declare the penance for killing living beings, as previously spoken by Parāśara and also elaborated upon in the context of Manu's laws. (II,1, p. 77) // Par_6.1 //

For killing a curlew, a flamingo, a swan, a ruddy goose, and a rooster, as well as a web-footed bird and a śarabha, one becomes pure by fasting for a day and a night. (II,1, p. 78) // Par_6.2 //

For killing a heron, a sandpiper, a parrot, or a pigeon, and for killing a non-venomous snake or a crocodile, one is purified by eating only at night. (II,1, p. 79) // Par_6.3 //

A killer of wolves, crows, or pigeons, and of mynas or partridges, is purified by performing breath control while submerged in water at both twilights. (II,1, p. 80) // Par_6.4 //

A killer of a vulture, a hawk, a hare-eater (a type of hawk), or an owl should remain for a day eating uncooked food and subsisting on air at the three junctures of the day. (II,1, p. 81) // Par_6.5 //

For killing bats, sandpipers, cuckoos, wagtails, quails, or red-winged birds, one is purified by eating only at night. (II,1, p. 82) // Par_6.6 //

Having killed a duck, a partridge, a tawny owl, or a francolin partridge, or a skylark and the like, one is purified by worshipping Śiva. (II,1, p. 83) // Par_6.7 //

For killing a bheruṇḍa, a blue jay, a bhāsa bird, a pigeon, or a francolin partridge, and for all other birds, a fast for a day and a night is prescribed. // Par_6.8 //

Having killed a mouse, a cat, a snake, a python, or a non-venomous water snake, one should feed Brāhmaṇas a dish of rice and sesame, and the sacrificial fee is an iron rod. (II,1, p. 85) // Par_6.9 //

Having killed a dolphin, an iguana, a tortoise, or a porcupine, one becomes pure in a day and a night by eating only eggplant. (II,1, p. 87) // Par_6.10 //

A killer of a wolf, jackal, bear, hyena, or dog should give a prastha (a measure) of sesame seeds to a dvija and subsist on air for three days. (II,1, p. 89) // Par_6.11 //

For the killing of an elephant, a horse, a buffalo, or a camel, the penance is to fast for a day and a night, bathing at the three junctures of the day. (II,1, p. 90) // Par_6.12 //

One who kills a deer, a monkey, a lion, a leopard, or a tiger is purified in three nights and by satisfying Brāhmaṇas with food and drink. (II,1, p. 91) // Par_6.13 //

A killer of a deer, a rohita deer, or a boar, or of a sheep or a goat, should fast for a day and a night and then eat what is grown on unplowed land. (II,1, p. 92) // Par_6.14 //

Thus, for all four-footed forest-dwelling animals, one should remain fasting for a day and a night and recite the hymn to Jātavedas (Agni). (II,1, p. 93) // Par_6.15 //

He who kills an artisan, a craftsman, a Śūdra, or a woman should perform two Prājāpatya penances, and the sacrificial fee is eleven bulls. (II,1, p. 94) // Par_6.16 //

He who kills a blameless Vaiśya or Kṣatriya should also perform two Kṛcchra penances and give twenty cows as a sacrificial fee. (II,1, p. 95) // Par_6.17 //

For killing a Vaiśya or a Śūdra devoted to their duties, or a foremost dvija engaged in improper acts, the penance is the Cāndrāyaṇa, and the sacrificial fee is thirty cows. (II,1, p. 105) // Par_6.18 //

If any Brāhmaṇa kills a caṇḍāla, he should perform the Prājāpatya Kṛcchra penance and give two cows as a sacrificial fee. (II,1, p. 106) // Par_6.19 //

If a caṇḍāla is killed by a Kṣatriya, a Vaiśya, a Śūdra, or another, he is purified by half a Kṛcchra penance. // Par_6.20 //

If a thief, a śvapāka, or a caṇḍāla is killed by a Brāhmaṇa, he becomes pure by fasting for a day and a night, bathing, and consuming pañcagavya. (II,1, p. 107) // Par_6.21 //

If a Brāhmaṇa speaks with a śvapāka or a caṇḍāla, he should converse with a dvija and recite the Sāvitrī mantra once. (II,1, p. 108) // Par_6.22 //

One who sleeps with caṇḍālas should be made to fast for three nights. One who walks the same path as a caṇḍāla becomes pure by remembering the Gāyatrī. // Par_6.23 //

Upon seeing a caṇḍāla, one should immediately look at the sun. Upon touching a caṇḍāla, one must bathe with one's clothes on. (II,1, p. 109) // Par_6.24 //

A foremost-born (agraja) who unknowingly drinks water from wells or tanks dug by a caṇḍāla is purified in a day and a night by eating only once. (II,1, p. 111) // Par_6.25 //

Having drunk water from a well that has been touched by the vessel of a caṇḍāla, one attains purity in three nights by consuming barley gruel mixed with cow's urine. (II,1, p. 112) // Par_6.26 //

A dvija who drinks water that was in a caṇḍāla's pot, if he vomits it out at that very moment, should perform the Prājāpatya penance. // Par_6.27 //

If he does not vomit the water and it is digested in his body, the Prājāpatya should not be given; he should perform the Sāntapana Kṛcchra penance. // Par_6.28 //

A Brāhmaṇa should perform the Sāntapana penance; the next in order (a Kṣatriya) should perform the Prājāpatya. A Vaiśya should perform half of that, and a Śūdra should perform a quarter. (II,1, p. 113) // Par_6.29 //

If a Brāhmaṇa, a Kṣatriya, a Vaiśya, or a Śūdra inadvertently drinks water, curd, or milk from a vessel of the lowest castes (antyajas), (II,1, p. 114) // Par_6.30 //

the penance for the dvijātis is fasting and consuming brahmakūrca. For a Śūdra, it is fasting and giving charity according to his ability. // Par_6.31 //

If a foremost dvija unknowingly eats the food of a caṇḍāla in any way, he is purified in ten nights by consuming barley gruel mixed with cow's urine. (II,1, p. 115) // Par_6.32 //

He should eat one mouthful of the barley gruel with cow's urine each day. This vow is prescribed for him who remains under this rule for ten days. (II,1, p. 116) // Par_6.33 //

If an unrecognized caṇḍāla stays in a house, when he is discovered and has approached them, the dvijas should grant their favor. (II,1, p. 118) // Par_6.34 //

Those who are experts in dharma and masters of the Veda, chanting the dharmas that have come from the mouths of sages, should lift up that falling one from the confusion of sin. // Par_6.35 //

He should consume curd, clarified butter, milk, and barley gruel with cow's urine along with all of them, and bathe at the three junctures of the day. (II,1, p. 119) // Par_6.36 //

For three days he should eat curd, for three days he should eat clarified butter, for three days he should eat milk, one of each for a three-day period. // Par_6.37 //

One should not eat what is impure in thought, nor what is leftover, nor what is contaminated by worms. The measure is three palas of curd and milk, and one pala of clarified butter. (II,1, p. 120) // Par_6.38 //

Purification for both copper and bronze is by ash. Purification of clothes is by washing with water, and of earthenware by discarding it. // Par_6.39 //

Having placed safflower, raw sugar, cotton, salt, oil, and clarified butter at the door, and also the grains, one should set fire to the house. // Par_6.40 //

Thus purified, he should afterwards host a feeding of Brāhmaṇas. He should give thirty cows and one bull to the Brāhmaṇas as a sacrificial fee. (II,1, p. 121) // Par_6.41 //

The ground is purified by re-plastering and digging, by fire offerings and sacred recitation. Through the support of Brāhmaṇas, there is no fault in the land. // Par_6.42 //

For contact with caṇḍālas for a month or half a month, one is purified in half a month by consuming barley gruel mixed with cow's urine. (II,1, p. 122) // Par_6.43 //

If a washerwoman, a shoemaker's wife, a huntress, or a woman who lives by working with bamboo stays unrecognized in the house of any of the four varṇas, (II,1, p. 123) // Par_6.44 //

upon discovering this, one should perform the penance, which is half of the one previously mentioned. One should not burn the house, but should perform all the other remaining rites. (II,1, p. 124) // Par_6.45 //

If a caṇḍāla should enter the interior of anyone's house, one should expel him from the dwelling and discard the earthenware vessels. // Par_6.46 //

But a vessel that is full of liquid should never be thrown away. One should sprinkle the house with water mixed with cow dung. // Par_6.47 //

If a worm arises in the opening of a Brāhmaṇa's wound, where pus and blood have formed, what shall be the penance? (II,1, p. 126) // Par_6.48 //

One who is contaminated by worms becomes pure by bathing in and drinking for three days the urine and dung of cows, curd, milk, and clarified butter. // Par_6.49 //

A Kṣatriya, by giving five māṣas of gold, and for a Vaiśya, a cow as a sacrificial fee and a fast are prescribed. // Par_6.50 //

There is no fast for Śūdras; a Śūdra is purified by charity. The words 'May it be without flaw' that the gods of the earth (Brāhmaṇas) speak, (II,1, p. 127) // Par_6.51 //

should be received with a bow of the head, for it indeed has the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice. Any flaw in recitation, any flaw in austerity, any flaw in the performance of a sacrifice, (II,1, p. 128) // Par_6.52 //

all becomes flawless when arranged by Brāhmaṇas. In sickness, distress, exhaustion, famine, or public calamity, // Par_6.53 //

a fast, a vow, or a fire offering may be arranged by dvijas. Or, if the Brāhmaṇas are pleased, they grant every favor. (II,1, p. 129) // Par_6.54 //

One obtains all desires here through rites arranged by dvijas. A concession is prescribed for the weak, as well as for the young and the old. (II,1, p. 130) // Par_6.55 //

Otherwise, a fault arises; therefore, no concession is ordained. Those who grant a concession out of affection, or greed, or fear, or even ignorance, (II,1, p. 131) // Par_6.56 //

that sin passes to them. Those who prescribe a rule when the body is in peril of death, (II,1, p. 132) // Par_6.57 //

or due to the obstruction of a great duty, but never for one who is healthy. Those fools who arrange and prescribe a relaxation of the rule for a healthy person, (II,1, p. 133) // Par_6.58 //

they become obstructors of his penance and fall into an impure hell. He who, having undertaken a vow himself, disrespects a Brāhmaṇa, // Par_6.59 //

his fast is in vain; he is not joined with merit. That rule should be accepted which even a single dvija may declare. (II,1, p. 134) // Par_6.60 //

One should follow the word of the dvijas; otherwise, one becomes a slayer of an embryo. Brāhmaṇas are a moving pilgrimage site; indeed, the righteous are embodiments of pilgrimage sites. // Par_6.61 //

By the water of their words alone are sullied people purified. Whatever Brāhmaṇas speak, that the gods consider. (II,1, p. 135) // Par_6.62 //

A Brāhmaṇa is the embodiment of all gods; his word is not otherwise. A fast, a vow, bathing, pilgrimage, recitation, and austerity, (II,1, p. 136) // Par_6.63 //

for whom these are arranged by a Brāhmaṇa, for him the fruit is complete. If food is mixed with insects, or contaminated by flies or hair, // Par_6.64 //

one should sprinkle water in between, and touch that food with ash. A Brāhmaṇa who, while eating, touches his foot with his hand, // Par_6.65 //

eats his own leftover food with his hand from an open vessel. One should not eat while standing on sandals, nor while situated on a couch. (II,1, p. 138) // Par_6.66 //

One should also avoid a meal that has been seen by a dog or a caṇḍāla. Whatever food is forbidden, and likewise the purification of food, // Par_6.67 //

just as it was spoken by Parāśara, so I shall tell it to you. If a droṇa or āḍhaka measure of cooked food is defiled by a crow or a dog, (II,1, p. 139) // Par_6.68 //

one should report to the Brāhmaṇas, asking, "By what is this purified?" One should not discard a droṇa measure of food that has been licked by a crow or a dog. (II,1, p. 140) // Par_6.69 //

This is according to Brāhmaṇas who know the Veda and its auxiliary sciences and who follow the Dharmaśāstras. A droṇa is remembered as thirty-two prasthas, and an āḍhaka as two prasthas. // Par_6.70 //

Thus, those who know the śruti and smṛti understand the measure of a droṇa and āḍhaka of food. Food licked by a crow or dog, or sniffed by a cow or a donkey, (II,1, p. 141) // Par_6.71 //

a Brāhmaṇa should discard a small amount of it; purification occurs for a droṇa or āḍhaka. Having removed that portion of the food which has been touched by saliva, (II,1, p. 142) // Par_6.72 //

one should sprinkle it with water containing gold and heat it with fire. That which is touched by fire and by water with gold, // Par_6.73 //

becomes fit to be eaten at that very moment through the sacred chanting of Brāhmaṇas. If it is oil or a product of the cow, how is purification to be done there? (II,1, p. 144) // Par_6.74 //

One should discard a small amount there, and for oil, by skimming it. For a product of the cow, purification is ordained by the flame of a fire. // Par_6.75 //