Chapter 8

If a cow dies unintentionally in its tethers or yokes, what shall be the penance for this unintentionally committed sin? (II,1, p. 199) // Par_8.1 //

One should declare one's sin to Brāhmaṇas who are learned in the Veda and its auxiliary sciences, who know the Dharmaśāstras, and who are devoted to their own duties. (II,1, p. 205) // Par_8.2 //

Brāhmaṇas who are ignorant of the Sāvitrī and Gāyatrī mantras, of twilight worship and the fire-rite, and who are farmers, are Brāhmaṇas in name only. (II,1, p. 207) // Par_8.3 //

For those who are without vows, without mantras, and who live by their caste alone, there is no validity as a pariṣad (an assembly of learned Brāhmaṇas), even if thousands of them are assembled. (II,1, p. 209) // Par_8.4 //

Whatever dharma those who are deluded by darkness, who are fools and do not know the truth, may declare—that sin, becoming a hundredfold, falls upon its speakers. (II,1, p. 210) // Par_8.5 //

He who, without knowing the Dharmaśāstras, gives a penance—the penitent becomes pure, but the guilt goes to the pariṣad. // Par_8.6 //

What four, or even three, who are masters of the Veda declare—that should be known as dharma, and not what is said by thousands of others. (II,1, p. 212) // Par_8.7 //

For those who, seeking the path of authority, declare the dharma and speak of true qualities, sin recoils. // Par_8.8 //

Just as water standing on a stone is purified by wind and sun, so his evil deed is destroyed by the decrees of the pariṣad. (II,1, p. 213) // Par_8.9 //

The sin goes neither to the perpetrator nor to the pariṣad. Through contact with wind, sun, and the like, the sin is destroyed like the water. (II,1, p. 214) // Par_8.10 //

Four, or even three, who know the Veda and maintain the sacred fire, and who are capable among Brāhmaṇas—that is called a pariṣad. (II,1, p. 215) // Par_8.11 //

Others who do not maintain the sacred fire but are masters of the Veda and its auxiliary sciences—five or three such knowers of dharma are proclaimed to be a pariṣad. // Par_8.12 //

Of sages who know the Self, of dvijas who perform sacrifices, and of those who have completed their vows in the Veda, even one can be a pariṣad. // Par_8.13 //

Five were previously proclaimed by me; if they are unavailable, then three, who are content with their own livelihood—that is proclaimed to be a pariṣad. // Par_8.14 //

Beyond these, those Brāhmaṇas who are merely bearers of the name—there is no validity as a pariṣad in them, even if they are multiplied a thousand times. (II,1, p. 218) // Par_8.15 //

Like a wooden elephant, like a leather deer, and a Brāhmaṇa who has not studied—these three are bearers of the name only. // Par_8.16 //

As a village settlement is empty, as a well is without water, and as an offering made without fire, so is a Brāhmaṇa without a mantra. (II,1, p. 219) // Par_8.17 //

As a eunuch is fruitless with women, as a barren cow is fruitless, and as a gift to an ignorant person is fruitless, so is a Brāhmaṇa without the Veda fruitless. (II,1, p. 220) // Par_8.18 //

Just as a painting is slowly revealed through its many parts, so too is Brāhmaṇahood revealed through consecrations preceded by mantras. (II,1, p. 221) // Par_8.19 //

Those dvijas who are bearers of the name and who give penances—those sinful dvijas, having assembled, go to hell. // Par_8.20 //

Those dvijas who study the Veda and are devoted to the five great sacrifices—they save the three worlds, even if they are devoted to the five senses. (II,1, p. 222) // Par_8.21 //

The fire, though kindled in cremation grounds, is the all-consumer and radiant. Likewise, a Brāhmaṇa learned in the Veda, though he may consume anything, is a deity. (II,1, p. 224) // Par_8.22 //

Just as all impure things are cast into water, so too should all guilt be cast into the fire of a dvija. (II,1, p. 227) // Par_8.23 //

A Brāhmaṇa without the Gāyatrī is more impure than even a Śūdra. Dvijas who know the Gāyatrī and the truth of Brahman are revered by the people. // Par_8.24 //

Even a dvija of bad conduct is to be revered, but not a Śūdra who has controlled his senses. Who, abandoning a vicious cow, would milk a well-behaved she-donkey? (II,1, p. 228) // Par_8.25 //

Dvijas mounted on the chariot of Dharmaśāstra, wielding the sword of the Veda—whatever they may say, even in jest, is remembered as the supreme dharma. (II,1, p. 229) // Par_8.26 //

One who knows the four Vedas, one who interprets them, one who knows the auxiliary sciences, a teacher of dharma, and three from the chief stages of life—this is a pariṣad of at least ten. (II,1, p. 230) // Par_8.27 //

Standing with the king's permission, one should prescribe a penance. One should not do it on one's own, though a minor penance may be done. (II,1, p. 232) // Par_8.28 //

If a king wishes to act, bypassing those Brāhmaṇas, that sin, becoming a hundredfold, goes to the king. (II,1, p. 233) // Par_8.29 //

One should always give a penance in front of a temple. Then, having performed a personal penance, one should recite the mother of the Vedas. // Par_8.30 //

Having shaved his head including the top-knot, and bathing at the three junctures of the day, he should live among the cows at night and follow the cows by day. (II,1, p. 237) // Par_8.31 //

Whether it is hot, raining, or cold, or the wind blows fiercely, he should not protect himself without first protecting the cow to the best of his ability. (II,1, p. 238) // Par_8.32 //

Whether in his own house or in another's, in a field or on a threshing floor, he should not report a cow that is eating, nor a calf that is drinking. // Par_8.33 //

He should drink water when the cows are drinking; he should lie down when they lie down. If one has fallen or is stuck in mud, he should rescue it with all his strength. (II,1, p. 239) // Par_8.34 //

He who gives up his life for the sake of a Brāhmaṇa or a cow is freed from the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa, being a protector of the cow and the Brāhmaṇa. // Par_8.35 //

In accordance with the sin of killing a cow, one should prescribe the Prājāpatya. Then one should divide that Prājāpatya Kṛcchra penance in four ways. (II,1, p. 240) // Par_8.36 //

For one day, eating one meal; for one day, eating at night; for one day, eating unsolicited food; for one day, subsisting on air. // Par_8.37 //

For two days, eating one meal; for two days, eating at night; for two days, eating unsolicited food; for two days, subsisting on air. // Par_8.38 //

For three days, eating one meal; for three days, eating at night; for three days, eating unsolicited food; for three days, subsisting on air. // Par_8.39 //

For four days, eating one meal; for four days, eating at night; for four days, eating unsolicited food; for four days, subsisting on air. (II,1, p. 241) // Par_8.40 //

Then, when the penance is completed, one should host a feeding of Brāhmaṇas. The dvija should give a sacrificial fee to the Brāhmaṇas and recite purifying texts. // Par_8.41 //