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Duties part 1
General Duties and Special Duties of
the four orders of men
Vaisampayana said: After this, Yudhishthira, saluted his
grandsire, viz., the son of Ganga, and with joined hands
and concentrated attention, once more asked him, saying:
What are the general duties of the four orders of men,
and what the special duties of each order?
What mode of life should be adopted by which order? What
duties are especially called the duties of kings? By
what means does a kingdom grow, and what are those means
by which the king himself grows? How also, o bull of
Bharata’s race, do the citizens and the servants of the
king grow? What sorts of treasuries, punishments, forts,
allies, counsellors, priests, and preceptors, should a
king avoid?
Whom should the king trust in what kinds of distress and
danger? From what evils should the king guard himself
firmly? Tell me all this, O grandsire!
Bhishma said: I bow down to Dharma who is great, and to
Krishna who is Brahman (the Supreme Reality). Having
bowed down also unto the Brahmanas (assembled here), I
shall discourse on duties that are eternal.
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Nine duties that are eternal
The suppression of wrath, truthfulness of speech,
justice, forgiveness, begetting children upon one’s
wedded wives, purity of conduct, avoidance of quarrel,
simplicity, and maintenance of dependants, these nine
duties belong to all the four orders (equally).
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Duties that belong exclusively to
Brahmanas
Those duties, however, which belong exclusively to
Brahmanas, I shall now tell thee. Self-restraint, O
king, has been declared to be the first duty of
Brahmanas. Study of the Vedas, and patience in
undergoing austerities (are also their other duties). By
practising these two, all their acts are accomplished.
If while engaged in the observance of his own duties,
without doing any improper act, wealth comes to a
peaceful Brahmana possessed of knowledge, he should then
marry and seek to beget children and should also
practise charity and perform sacrifices. It has been
declared by the wise that wealth thus obtained should be
enjoyed by distributing it (among deserving persons and
relatives). By his study of the Vedas all the pious acts
(laid down for the Brahmana) are accomplished. Whether
he does or does not achieve anything else, if he devotes
himself to the study of the Vedas, he becomes by that
known as a Brahmana or the friend of all creatures.
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Duties of Kshatriyas
I shall also tell thee, O Bharata, what the duties are
of a Kshatriya. A Kshatriya, O king, should give but not
beg, should himself perform sacrifices but not officiate
as a priest in the sacrifices of others. He should never
teach (the Vedas) but study (them with a Brahmana
preceptor). He should protect the people. Always
exerting himself for the destruction of robbers and
wicked people, he should put forth his prowess in
battle. Those among Kshatriya rulers who perform great
sacrifices, who are possessed of a knowledge of the
Vedas, and who gain victories in battle, become foremost
of those that acquire many blessed regions hereafter by
their merit. Persons conversant with the old scriptures
do not applaud that Kshatriya who returns unwounded from
battle. This has been declared to be the conduct of a
wretched Kshatriya (viz., returning unwounded from
battle).
There is no higher duty for him (Kshatriya) than the
suppression of robbers. Gifts, study, and sacrifices,
bring prosperity to kings. Therefore, a king who desires
to acquire religious merit should engage in battle.
[Note: For without battle, he cannot extend his kingdom
and acquire wealth to give away and meet the expenses of
sacrifices.]
Establishing all his subjects in the observance of their
respective duties, a king should cause all of them to do
everything according to the dictates of righteousness.
Whether he does or does not do any other act, if only he
protects his subjects, he is regarded to accomplish all
religious acts and is called a Kshatriya and the
foremost of men.
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Duties of Vaisyas
I shall now tell thee, O Yudhishthira, what the eternal
duties of the Vaisyas are. A Vaisya should make gifts,
study the Vedas, perform sacrifices, and acquire wealth
by fair means. With proper attention he should also
protect and rear all (domestic) animals as a sire
protecting his sons. Anything else that he will do will
be regarded as improper for him. By protecting the
(domestic) animals, he would obtain great happiness. The
Creator, having created the (domestic) animals, bestowed
their care upon the Vaisya. Upon the Brahmana and the
Kshatriya, he conferred (the care of) all creatures.
I shall tell thee what the Vaisya’s profession is and
how he is to earn the means of his sustenance. If he
keeps (for others) six kine (cows), he may take the milk
of one cow as his remuneration; and if he keeps (for
others) a hundred kine, he may take a single pair as
such fee. If he trades with other’s wealth, he may take
a seventh part of the profits (as his share). A seventh
also is his share in the profits arising from the trade
in horns, but he should take a sixteenth if the trade
were in hoofs. If he engages in cultivation with seeds
supplied by others, he may take a seventh part of the
yield. This should be his annual remuneration. A Vaisya
should never desire that he should not tend cattle. If a
Vaisya desires to tend cattle, no one else should be
employed in that task.
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Duties of Sudras
I shall tell thee, O Bharata, what the duties of a Sudra
are. The Creator intended the Sudra to become the
servant of the other three orders. For this, the service
of the three other classes is the duty of Sudra. By such
service of the other three, a Sudra may obtain great
happiness. He should wait upon the three other classes
according to their order of seniority. A Sudra should
never amass wealth, lest, by his wealth, he makes the
members of the three superior classes obedient to him.
By this he would incur sin. With the king’s permission,
however, a Sudra, for performing religious acts, may
earn wealth.
I shall now tell thee the profession he (Sudra) should
follow and the means by which he may earn his
livelihood. It is said that Sudras should certainly be
maintained by the (three) other orders. Worn-out
umbrellas, turbans, beds and seats, shoes and fans,
should be given to the Sudra servants.
[Note: A Beshtana is literally a cloth tied round (the
head); hence, a turban or Pagree. The word Ousira is
applied to both beds and seats. The Hindu Upanaha had
wooden soles.]
Torn clothes that are no longer fit for wear, should be
given away by the regenerate classes unto the Sudra.
These are the latter’s lawful acquisitions.
Men conversant with morality say that if the Sudra
approaches any one belonging to the three regenerate
orders from desire of doing menial service, the latter
should assign him proper work. Unto the sonless Sudra
his master should offer the funeral cake. The weak and
the old amongst them should be maintained. The Sudra
should never abandon his master, whatever the nature or
degree of the distress into which the latter may fall.
If the master loses his wealth, he should with excessive
zeal be supported by the Sudra servant. A Sudra cannot
have any wealth that is his own. Whatever he possesses
belongs lawfully to his master.
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Sacrifice as a Duty
Sacrifice has been laid down as a duty of the three
other orders (Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaisya). A Sudra,
however, is not competent to utter Swaha and Swadha or
any other Vedic Mantras. For this reason, the Sudra,
without observing the vows laid down in the Vedas,
should worship the gods in minor sacrifices called
Paka-Yajnas. The gift called Purna-Patra is declared to
be the Dakshina (gift) of such sacrifices.
[Note: A Paka-Yajna is a minor sacrifice, such as the
propitiation of a planet foreboding evil, or worship
offered to the inferior deities called Viswadevas. A
Purnapatra is literally a large dish or basket full of
rice. It should consist of 256 handfuls. Beyond a
Purnapatra, the Sudra should not give any other Dakshina
in any sacrifice of his.]
It has been heard by us that in days of old a Sudra of
the name of Paijavana gave a Dakshina (in one of his
sacrifices) consisting of a hundred thousand Purnapatras,
according to the ordinance called Aindragni.
[Note: This ordinance lays down that the Dakshina should
be a hundred thousand animals such as cows or horses. In
the case of this particular Sudra, that ordinance
(without its Mantras) was followed, and a hundred
thousand Purnapatras were substituted for cows or horses
of that number.]
Sacrifice (as has been already said), is as much laid
down for the Sudras as for the three other classes. Of
all sacrifices, devotion has been laid down to be the
foremost.
[Note: Hence the Sudra, by devotion to the members of
the three other classes, may earn the merit of
sacrifices though he is not competent to utter Mantras.]
Devotion is a high deity. It cleanses all sacrificers.
Then again Brahmanas are the foremost of gods unto their
respective Sudra attendants. They worship the gods in
sacrifices, for obtaining the fruition of various
wishes. The members of the three other classes have all
sprung from the Brahmanas.
[Note: For this reason the Sudra earns the merit of the
sacrifices performed by their Brahmana masters and
progenitors].
The Brahmanas are the gods of the very gods. Whatever
they would say would be for thy great good. Therefore,
all kinds of sacrifices naturally appertain to all the
four orders. The obligation is not one whose discharge
is optional. The Brahmana, who is conversant with Richs,
Yajuses, and Samans, should always be worshipped as a
god. The Sudra who is without Riks and Yajuses and
Samans, has Prajapati for his god.
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Mental sacrifices are laid down for
all the ordersy
Mental sacrifices, O sire, are laid down for all the
orders, O Bharata! It is not true that the gods and
other (superior) persons do not manifest a desire to
share the offerings in such sacrifices of even the Sudra.
[Note: Sacrifices are performed by the body, by words,
and by the mind. The Brahmana can perform sacrifices by
all the three. The Kshatriya and the Vaisya cannot
perform sacrifices by means of their bodies. They must
employ Brahmanas in their sacrifices. These two orders,
however, can utter Mantras and perform mental
sacrifices. The Sudra alone cannot employ his body or
utter Mantras in sacrifices. The holy sacrifice in his
case is the mental sacrifice. A mental sacrifice is a
resolve to give away in honour of the gods or unto the
gods without the aid of the Vedic ritual. The resolve
must be followed by actual gifts.]
For this reason, the sacrifice that consists in devotion
is laid down for all the classes (i.e., for the Sudras
also). The Brahmana is the foremost of gods. It is not
true that they that belong to that order, do not perform
the sacrifices of the other orders. The fire called
Vitana, though procured from Vaisyas and inspired with
Mantras, is still inferior.
The Brahmana is the performer of the sacrifices of the
three other orders. For this reason all the four orders
are holy. All the orders bear towards one another to
relation of consanguinity, through the intermediate
classes. They have all sprung from Brahmanas. In
ascertaining (the priority or subsequence of men in
respect of their creation) it will appear that amongst
all the orders the Brahmana was created first.
Originally Saman was one; Yajus was one, and Rich was
one.
In this connection, persons conversant with ancient
histories cite a verse, O king, sung in praise of
sacrifice by the Vaikhanas Munis on the occasion of
performing a sacrifice of theirs. Before or after
sunrise a person of subdued senses, with heart filed
with devotion, pours libations on the sacrificial fire
according to the ordinance. Devotion is a mighty agent.
With regard to Homas (sacred fire ceremonies) again,
that variety which is called Skanna is the initial one,
while that which is called Askanna is the last (but
foremost in point of merit). Sacrifices are
multifarious. Their rites and fruits again are
multifarious. The Brahmana possessed of devotion who,
endued with scriptural learning, who is acquainted with
them all, is competent to perform sacrifices. That
person who desires to perform a sacrifice is regarded as
righteous even if he happens to be a thief, a sinner, or
the worst of sinners. The Rishis applaud such a man.
Without doubt they are right. This then is the
conclusion that all the orders should always and by
every means in their power perform sacrifices. There is
nothing in the three worlds equal to sacrifice.
Therefore, it has been said that every one, with heart
free from malice, should perform sacrifices, aided by
devotion which is sacred, to the best of his power and
according as he pleases.
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Duties part 2
Special protection of Brahmanas2
Bhishma said: For enabling such pious and impoverished
Brahmanas as have been robbed of their wealth (by
robbers and thieves), as are engaged in the performance
of sacrifices, as are well conversant with all the
Vedas, and as are desirous of acquiring the merit of
righteousness, to discharge their obligations to
preceptors and the Pitris, and pass their days in
reciting and studying the scriptures, wealth and
knowledge, O Bharata, should be given.
[Note: In India, from the remotest times, preceptors are
excluded from charging their pupils any fees for the
instructions they give. No doubt, a final fee, called
Gurudakshina, is demandable, but that is demandable
after the pupil has completed his studies. To sell
knowledge for money is a great sin. To this day in all
the indigenous schools of the country, instruction is
imparted free of all charges. In addition to this, the
pupils are fed by their preceptors. The latter, in their
turn, are supported by the charity of the whole country.
Unto those Brahmanas that are not poor, only the
Dakshina (gift or present made in sacrifice), O best of
the Bharatas, should be given. As regards those that
have fallen away (in consequence of their sinful deeds)
from the status of Brahmana, uncooked food should be
given to them outside the limits of the sacrificial
altar.
The Brahmanas are the Vedas themselves and all the
Sacrifices with large presents. Desirous of excelling
one another, they always perform sacrifices, impelled by
their virtuous inclinations. The king should, therefore,
make presents of diverse kinds of valuable wealth unto
them. That Brahmana who hath the sufficiency of stores
for feeding his family for three or more years, deserves
to drink the Soma (i.e., such a person may perform a
grand sacrifice in which Soma is offered to the gods and
drunk by the sacrificer and the priests). If
notwithstanding the presence of a virtuous king on the
throne, the sacrifice begun by anybody, especially by a
Brahmana, cannot be completed for want of only a fourth
part of the estimated expenses, then the king should,
for the completion of that sacrifice, take away from his
kinsmen the wealth of a Vaisya that is possessed of a
large flock of cattle but that is averse from sacrifices
and abstains from quaffing Soma.
The Sudra has no competence for performing a sacrifice.
The king should, therefore, take away (wealth for such
purpose i.e., performing a sacrifice) from a Sudra house
of ours.
That Brahmana who has been forced by want to go without
six meals (i.e. who has fasted for three whole days),
may take away without permission, according to the rule
of a person that cares for today without any thought of
the morrow, only what is necessary for a single meal,
from the husking tub or the field or the garden or any
other place of even a man of low pursuits. He should
however, whether asked or unasked, inform the king of
his act.
[Note: ‘Asvastanavidhana’ is the rule of providing only
for today without thinking of the morrow]
If the king be conversant with duty he should not
inflict any punishment upon such a Brahmana. He should
remember that a Brahmana becomes afflicted with hunger
only through the fault of the Kshatriya.
[Note: The sense, of course, is that if a Brahmana
starves, that is due to the king having neglected his
duty of providing for him.]
Having ascertained a Brahmana’s learning and behaviour,
the king should make a provision for him, and protect
him as a father protects the son of his own loins.
On the expiry of each year one should perform the
Vaisvanara sacrifice (if he is unable to perform any
animal or Soma sacrifice). They who are conversant with
religion say that the practice of an act laid down in
the alternative, is not destructive of virtue. The
Viswedevas, the Sadhyas, the Brahmanas, and great Rishis,
fearing death in seasons of distress, do not scruple to
have recourse to such provisions in the scriptures as
have been laid down in the alternative. That man.
However, who while able to live according to the primary
provision, betakes himself to the alternative, comes to
be regarded as a wicked person and never succeeds in
winning any felicity in heaven. A Brahmana conversant
with the Vedas should never speak of his energy and
knowledge to the king. (It is the duty of the king to
ascertain it himself). Comparing again the energy of a
Brahmana with that of the king, the former will always
be found to be superior to the latter. For this reason
the energy of the Brahmanas can scarcely be borne or
resisted by a king.
The Brahmana is said to be creator, ruler, ordainer, and
god. No word of abuse, no dry speeches, should be
addressed to a Brahmana. The Kshatriya should cross all
his difficulties by the aid of the might of his arms.
The Vaisya and the Sudra should conquer their
difficulties by wealth; the Brahmana should do so by
Mantra and Homa (sacred fire ceremony).
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None of these is competent to pour
libations on the sacrificial fire
None of these, viz., a maiden, a youthful woman, a
person unacquainted with Mantras, an ignorant guy, or
one that is impure, is competent to pour libations on
the sacrificial fire. If any of these do so, he or she
is sure to fall into hell, with him for whom they act.
For this reason, none but a Brahmana conversant with the
Vedas and skilled in all sacrifices should become the
pourer of sacrificial libations. They who are conversant
with the scriptures say that the man who, having kindled
the sacrificial fire, does not give away the dedicated
food as Dakshina (gift of food, money, clothes etc.) is
not the kindler of a sacrificial fire. A person should,
with his senses under control, and with proper devotion,
do all the acts of merit (indicated in the scriptures).
One should never worship the deities in sacrifices in
which no Dakshina is given. A sacrifice not complete
with Dakshina (instead of producing merit) brings about
the destruction of one’s children, animals, and heaven.
Such a sacrifice destroys also the senses, the fame, the
achievements and the very span of life that one has.
Those Brahmanas that lie with women in their season, or
who never perform sacrifices, or whose families have no
members conversant with the Vedas, are regarded as
Sudras in act. That Brahmana who, having married a Sudra
girl, resides for twelve continuous years in a village
that has only a well for its water supply, becomes a
Sudra in act. That Brahmana who summons to his bed an
unmarried maiden, or suffers a Sudra, thinking him
worthy of respect, to sit upon the same carpet with him,
should sit on a bed of dry grass behind some Kshatriya
or Vaisya and give him respect in that fashion. (It may
also mean: ‘regarding himself to be a fallen Brahmana,
for the time being'). It is in this manner that he can
be cleansed.
Listen, O king, to my words on this subject. The sin
that a Brahmana commits in a single night by
respectfully serving a member of a lower order or by
sporting with him in the same spot or on the same bed,
is cleansed by observing the practice of sitting behind
a Kshatriya or a Vaisya on a bed of dry grass for three
continuous years.
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These five kinds of falsehood in
speech are not sinful.
A falsehood spoken in jest is not sinful; nor one that
is spoken to a woman. O king, nor one that is spoken on
an occasion of marriage; nor one spoken for benefiting
one’s preceptor; nor one spoken for saving one’s own
life. These five kinds of falsehood in speech, it has
been said, are not sinful.
One may acquire useful knowledge from even a person of
low pursuits, with devotion and reverence. One may take
up gold, without any scruple, from even an unclean
place. A woman that is the ornament of her sex may be
taken (for wife) from even a vile race. Amrita (drink
that confers immortality), if extracted from poison, may
be quaffed; women, jewels and other valuables, and
water, can never, according to the scriptures, be impure
or unclean.
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Expiation of sins
Eternal injunctions laid down for the expiation of sin
The five grave sins
For the benefit of Brahmanas and kine (Cows), and on
occasions of transfusion of castes, even a Vaisya may
take up weapons for his own safety. Drinking alcoholic
liquors, killing a Brahmana, and the violation of the
preceptor’s bed, are sins that, if committed
consciously, have no expiation. The only expiation laid
down for them is death. The same may be said of stealing
gold and the theft of a Brahmana’s property. By drinking
alcoholic liquors, by having congress with one with whom
congress is prohibited, by mingling with a fallen
person, and (a person of any of the other three orders)
by having congress with a Brahmani (Brahmana woman), one
becomes inevitably fallen. By mixing with a fallen
person for one whole year in such matters as officiation
in sacrifices and teaching sexual congress, one becomes
fallen. One, however, does not become so by mixing with
a fallen person in such matters as riding on the same
vehicle, sitting on the same seat, and eating in the
same line.
Excluding the five grave sins that have been mentioned
above, all other sins have expiations provided for them.
Expiating those sins according to the ordinances laid
down for them, one should not again indulge in them. In
the case of those who have been guilty of the first
three of these five sins, (viz., drinking alcoholic
liquors, killing a Brahmana, and violation of the
preceptor'’ bed), there is no restriction for their
(surviving) kinsmen about taking food and wearing
ornaments, even if their funeral rites remain
unperformed when they die. The surviving kinsmen should
make no scruple about such things on such occasions. A
virtuous man should, in the observance of his duties,
discard his very friends and reverend seniors. In fact,
until they perform expiation, they that are virtuous
should not even talk with those sinners. A man that has
acted sinfully destroys his sin by acting virtuously
afterwards and by penances.
By calling a thief a thief, one incurs the sin of theft.
By calling a person a thief who, however, is not a
thief, one incurs a sin just double the sin of theft.
The maiden who suffers her virginity to be deflowered
incurs three-fourths of the sin of Brahmanicide (killing
of Brahmana), while the man that deflowers her incurs a
sin equal to a fourth part of that of Brahmanicide. By
slandering Brahmanas or by striking them, one sinks in
infamy for a hundred years. By killing a Brahmana one
sinks into hell for a thousand years. No one, therefore,
should speak ill of a Brahmana or slay him. If a person
strikes a Brahmana with a weapon, he will have to live
in hell for as many years as the grains of dust that are
soaked by the blood flowing from the wounded. One guilty
of foeticide (abortion) becomes cleansed if he dies of
wounds received in battle fought for the sake of kine
(cows) and Brahmanas. He may also be cleansed by casting
his person on a blazing fire.
[Note: It should be noted that the word ‘foeticide’ used
in such texts frequently means all sins that are
regarded as equivalent to foeticide. Hence, killing a
Brahmana is foeticide, etc.).
A drinker of alcoholic liquors becomes cleansed by
drinking hot alcohol. His body being burnt with that hot
drink, he is cleansed through death in the other world.
A Brahmana stained by such a sin obtains regions of
felicity by such a course and not by any other. For
violating the bed of a preceptor, the wicked-souled and
sinful wretch becomes cleansed by the death that results
from embracing a heated female figure of iron. Or,
cutting off his organ and testicles and bearing them in
his hands, he should go on in a straight course towards
the southwest and then cast off his life. Or, by meeting
with death for the sake of benefiting a Brahmana, he may
wash off his sin. Or, after performing a horse-sacrifice
or a cow-sacrifice or an Agnishtoma, he may regain
esteem both here and hereafter. The slayer of a Brahmana
should practice the vow of Brahmacharya (celibacy) for
twelve years and devoting himself to penances, wander,
holding in his hands the skull of the slain all the time
and proclaiming his sin unto all. He should even adopt
such a course, devoted to penances and leading the life
of an ascetic.
Even such is the expiation provided for one who slays a
woman quick with child, knowing her condition. The man
who knowingly slays such a woman incurs double the sin
that follows from Brahmanicide. A drinker of alcoholic
liquor should live on frugal fare, practising
Brahmacharya (celibacy) vows, and sleep on the bare
ground, and perform, for more than three years the
sacrifice next to the Agnishtoma. He should then make a
present of a thousand kine (cows) with one bull (unto a
good Brahmana). Doing all this, he should regain his
purity. Having slain a Vaisya one should perform such a
sacrifice for two years and make a present of a hundred
kine with one bull. Having slain a Sudra, one should
perform such a sacrifice for one year and make a present
of a hundred kine with one bull. Having slain a dog or
bear or camel, one should perform the same penance that
is laid down for the slaughter of a Sudra. For slaying a
cat, a chasa, a frog, a crow, a reptile, or a rat, it
has been said, one incurs the sin of animal slaughter, O
king!
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Minor sins
I shall now tell thee of other kinds of expiations in
their order. For all minor sins one should repent or
practise some vow for one year. For congress with the
wife of a Brahmana conversant with the Vedas, one should
for three years practise the vow of Brahmacharya
(celibacy), taking a little food at the fourth part of
the day. For congress with any other woman (who is not
one’s wife), one should practise similar penance for two
years. For taking delight in a woman’s company by
sitting with her on the same spot or on the same seat,
one should live only on water for three days. By doing
this he may cleanse himself of his sin. The same is laid
down for one who befouls a blazing fire (by throwing
impure things on it).
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Adultery
He who without adequate cause, casts off his sire or
mother or preceptor, surely becomes fallen, O thou of Kuru’s race, as the conclusion is of the scriptures.
Only food and clothes should be given, as the injunction
is, unto a wife guilty of adultery or one confined in a
prison. Indeed, the vows that are laid down for a male
person guilty of adultery should be caused to be
observed by also a woman who is guilty of the same. That
woman who abandoning a husband of a superior caste, has
congress with a vile person (of a lower order), should
be caused by the king to be devoured by dogs in a public
place in the midst of a large concourse of spectators. A
wise king should cause the male person committing
adultery under such circumstances to be placed upon a
heated bed of iron and then, placing faggots underneath,
burn the sinner thereon. The same punishment, O king, is
provided for the woman that is guilty of adultery.
The wicked sinner who does not perform expiation within
a year of the commission of the sin incurs demerit that
is double of what attaches to the original sin. One who
associates with such a person for two years must wander
over the earth, devoting himself to penances and living
upon eleemosynary charity. One associated with a sinner
for four years should adopt such a mode of life for five
years.
If a younger brother weds before his elder brother, then
the younger brother, the elder brother and the woman
that is married, all three, in consequence of such
wedding, become fallen. All of them should observe the
vows prescribed for a person who has neglected his
sacrificial fire, or practise the vow of Chandrayana for
a month, or some other painful vow, for cleansing
themselves of their sin. The younger brother, wedding,
should give his wife unto his unmarried elder brother.
Afterwards, having obtained the permission of the elder
brother, the younger brother may take back his wife. By
such means may all three be cleansed of their sin.
By slaying animals save a cow, the slayer is not
stained. The learned know that man has dominion over all
the lower animals. A sinner, holding in hand a yak-tail
and an earthen pot, should go about, proclaiming his
sin. He should every day beg of only seven families, and
live upon what may be thus obtained. By doing this for
twelve days he may be cleansed of his sin. He who
becomes unable to bear in his hand the yak-tail while
practising this vow, should observe the vow of
mendicancy (as stated above) for one whole year. Amongst
men such expiation is the best. For those that are able
to practise charity, the practise of charity has been
laid down in all such cases. Those who have faith and
virtue may cleanse themselves by giving away only one
cow.
One who eats or drinks the flesh, ordure, or urine, of a
dog, a boar, a man, a cock, or a camel must have his
investiture of the sacred thread re-performed. If a
Soma-drinking Brahmana inhales the scent of alcohol from
the mouth of one that has drunk it, he should drink warm
water for three days, or warm milk for the same period.
Or, drinking warm water for three days he should live
for that period upon air alone. These are the eternal
injunctions laid down for the expiation of sin,
especially for a Brahmana who has committed these sins
through ignorance and want of judgment.
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