44-47. Vish«u XLVIL It must be understood that during the bright half of the month the number of mouthfuls must be increased every day by one.
XXIV. 1-2. Gautama XXVI, 18-19. ' Above,' i. e. XXI, 20.
1 24 VASISH77/A. XXIV, 3.
asking, and to fast during the last three days. That is an Atik;V/£/£/zra.
3. A Krt&£Ara, penance (during the performance of which one) subsists on water (only is called) a
4. The peculiar observances (prescribed during the performance) of KrifaUtra. penances (are as follows):
5. ' Having cut his nails, (the performer) shall
cause his beard and all his hair to be shaved off,
excepting the eyebrows, the eyelashes, and the lock
at the top of the head ; (wear) one garment only ; he
shall eat blameless food ; what one obtains by going
to beg once (is called) blameless food ; he shall bathe
in the morning, at noon, and in the evening ; he shall
carry a stick (and) a waterpot ; he shall avoid to
speak to women and .Sudras ; carefully keeping
himself in an upright or sitting posture, he shall
stand during the day, and remain seated during
the night/ Thus speaks the divine VasishMa.
6. Let him not instruct in these Institutes of the
sacred law anybody but his .son or a pupil who
stays (in his house at -least) for a year.
7. The fee (for teaching it) is one thousand (pawas), (or) ten cows and a bull, or the worship of the teacher.
CHAPTER XXV.
i. I will completely explain the purification of
those whose guilt has not been made public, both
from great crimes and for minor offences.
3. Gautama XXVI, 20; see also Vishmi XL VI, 13-14.
4-5. Gautama XXVI, 6, 8 ; Vish«u XLVII, 24-25.
6. The MSS. read in the beginning of this Sutra, satayanudeti or sataydtudeta, while Krzsh«apa«</ita, probably as a guess, writes saiapa" nudati. I do not think that his correction is satisfactory, and propose in its stead, sa tadyadetad (dharma-rastram).
Xxv, 8. Secret Penances. 125
2. A penance prescribed in (the section on) secret
(penances) is for an Agnihotrin, an aged and a learned
man, who have subdued their senses ; but other men
(must perform the expiations) described above.
3. Those constantly engaged in suppressing their
breath, reciting purificatory texts, giving gifts, making
burnt-oblations, and muttering (sacred texts) will,
undoubtedly, be freed from (the guilt of) crimes
causing loss of caste.
4. Seated with Kara grass in his hands, let him
repeatedly suppress his breath, and again and again
recite purificatory texts, the Vyahr/tis, the syllable
Om, and the daily portion of the Veda.
5. Always intent on the practice of Yoga, let him
again and again suppress his breath. Up to the
ends of his hair and up to the ends of his nails let
him perform highest austerity.
6. Through the obstruction (of the expiration)
air is generated, through air fire is produced, then
through heat water is formed ; hence he is internally
purified by (these) three.
7. Neither through severe austerities, nor through
the daily recitation of the Veda, nor through offering
sacrifices can the twice-born reach that condition
which they attain by the practice of Yoga.
8. Through the practice of Yoga (true) knowledge
is obtained, Yoga is the sum of the sacred law, the
practice of Yoga is the highest and eternal austerity ;
therefore let him always be absorbed in the practice
of Yoga.
XXV. 4. Read pra»ayaman in the text.
5. The MSS. read at the end of this verse, tapas tapyatam utta- mam, while Krzsh»apa»</ita gives tapas tapyfct tu uttamam. The correct reading is probably tapas tapyatu uttamam.
126 VASISHrtfA. XXV, 9.
9. For him who is constantly engaged in (reciting
the syllable) Om, the seven Vyihmis, and the three-
footed Gayatr! no danger exists anywhere.
10. The Vedas likewise begin with the syllable
Om, and they end with the syllable Om, the syllable
Om is the sum of all speech ; therefore let him
repeat it constantly.
11. The most excellent (portion of the) Veda,
which consists of one syllable, is declared to be the
best purificatory text.
12. If the guilt of all sins did fall on one man^
to repeat the Gayatrl ten thousand times (would be)
an efficient means of purification.
13. If, suppressing his breath, he thrice recites
the Gayatrl together with the Vyahr/tis together
with the syllable Om and with the (text called) .Siras,
that is called one suppression of breath.
CHAPTER XXVI.
1. If, uritired, he performs three suppressions of
his breath according to the rule, the sins which he
committed during a day and a night are instantly
destroyed.
2. Seated during the evening prayer, he removes by (three) suppressions of his breath all guilt which
9. I read with the MSS. bhayaw for bhave.
10. Manu II, 74.
13. Identical withVistowi LV, 9. Regarding the text called »Siras, see above, XXI, 6.
XXVI. i. The verb dharayet, 'performs,' seems to be used in order to indicate that, according to the Yoga^stra, three Pra«a- ySmas make one Dhara»l; see Ya^wavalkya III, 201.
2-3. Regarding the position at the Sandhya prayers, see also above.
XXVI, 8. SECRET PENANCES.
he incurred during the day by deeds, thoughts, or speeches.
3. But standing during the morning prayer, he re-
moves by (three) suppressions of his breath all guilt
which he incurred during the night by deeds, thoughts,
or speeches.
4. But sixteen suppressions of breath, accompanied
by (the recitation of) the Vyihmis and the syllable
Om, repeated daily, purify after a month even the
slayer of a learned Brahma#a.
5. Even a drinker of spirituous liquor becomes
pure, if he mutters the (hymn seen) by Kutsa, ' Apa
na^ sosu&ad agham,' and (the hymn seen) by Vasish-
tkm (which begins with the word) ' Prati,' the Mahitra
(hymn), and the .Suddhavatis.
6. Even he who has stolen gold becomes instantly
free from guilt, if he once mutters (the hymn begin-
ning with the words) 'Asya vamasya' and the
.Sivasawkalpa.
7. The violator of a Guru's bed is freed (from sin)
if he repeatedly recites the (hymn beginning) ' Havish
pantam a^aram ' and that (beginning) ' Na tarn a*#ha/& '
and mutters the hymn addressed to Purusha.
8. Or plunging into water he may thrice mutter
the Aghamarshawa. Manu has declared that the
(effect is the) same as if he had gone to bathe at
a horse-sacrifice.
4. Identical with Manu XI, 249; see also Vishwu LV, 2.
5. Identical with Manu XI, 230. The Vedic texts mentioned are Rig-veda I, 97, i ; VII, 80; X, 185; VIII, 84, 7-9.
6. Manu LI, 251. The Vedic texts alluded to are Rig-veda I, 164 ; and an Upanishad.
7. Identical with Manu XI, 252. The Vedic texts mentioned are Rig-veda X, 88; X, 126; X, 90.
8. Manu XI, 260-261 ; Vishwu LV, 7.
128 VASISH77/A. XXVI, g.
9. An offering consisting of muttered prayers is
ten times more efficacious than a sacrifice at which
animals are killed ; a (prayer) which is inaudible (to
others) surpasses it a hundred times, and the mental
(recitation of sacred texts) one thousand times.
10. The four Pakaya^as and those sacrifices
which are enjoined by the rules of the Veda are all
together not equal in value to the sixteenth part of
a sacrifice consisting of muttered prayers.
11. But, undoubtedly, a Brahma^a reaches the
highest goal by muttering prayers only ; whether he
perform other (rites) or neglect them, he is called a
Brahmawa who befriends all creatures (maitra).
12. The sins of those who are intent on muttering
prayers, of those who offer burnt-oblations, of those
who are given to meditation, of those who reside in
sacred places, and of those who have bathed after
performing the vows called K$iras, do not remain.
13. As a fire, fanned by wind, burns brighter, and
(as its flame grows) through offerings (of butter),
even so a Brahma«a who is daily engaged in
9. Manu II, 85; Vish/m LV, 19. The term a«-ambhaya^na, translated by ' an offering at which animals are slain/ is taken by Kr/shflapa«</ita to mean pa./kayagna,, ' an offering consisting of Vedic mantras recited aloud.' The word may be taken in several ways, but the various reading vidhiya^tla in Manu's verse induces me to adopt the translation given above.
10. Identical with Manu II, 86, and Vishnu LV, 20. Regarding the four Pakaya^was, see Professor Jolly's note on Vishmi. In my opinion the four classes of rites huta, ahuta, prahuta, and prd- j-ita are meant.
11. Identical with Manu II, 87.
1 2. ' After performing the vows (called) Siras,' i. e. those which are known in the Upanishads, which are called agnidhdrana and so forth, and whose head (jiras) consists in the worship of the teacher. — Kr/sh»apa#</ita. Mu»</aka Upanishad III, 2, 10.
XXVII, i. SECRET PENANCES. 129
muttering sacred texts shines with a brilliant lustre.
14. The destruction of those who fulfil the duty
of daily study, who constantly restrain themselves,
who mutter prayers and offer sacrifices has never
been known (to happen).
15. Let him who is desirous of purification repeat,
though he be charged with all sins, the divine (Gaya-
trl), at the most one thousand times, or one hundred
times as a medium (penance), or at least ten times
(for trivial faults).
1 6. A Kshatriya shall pass through misfortunes
which have befallen him by the strength of his arms,
a Vawya and iSttdra by their wealth, the highest
among twice-born men by muttered prayers and
burnt-oblations.
1 7. As horses (are useless) without a chariot, as
chariots (are useless) without horses, even so austerity
(is useless) to him who is destitute of sacred learn-
ing, and sacred learning to him who practises no
austerities.
1 8. As food mixed with honey, or honey mixed
with food, even so are austerities and learning, joined
together, a powerful medicine.
19. No guilt taints a Brahma^a who possesses
learning, practises austerities, and daily mutters sacred
texts, though he may constantly commit sinful acts.
CHAPTER XXVII.
i. If a hundred improper acts, and even more, have been committed, and the (knowledge of the)
14. Manu IV, 146.
XXVII. 1-2. Manu XI, 347.
Cm]
1 30 VASISH7W A. XXVII, 2.
Veda is retained, the fire of the Veda destroys all
(the guilt) of that man just as a (common) fire con-
sumes fuel.
2. As a fire that burns strongly consumes even
green trees, even so the fire of the Veda destroys
one's guilt caused by (evil) deeds.
3. A Brahmawa who remembers the Rig-veda is
not tainted by any guilt, though he has destroyed
these (three) worlds and has eaten the food of all,
(even of the most sinful) men.
4. If (a Brahma#a) relies on the power of the
Veda, he cannot find pleasure in sinful acts. Guilt
(incurred) through ignorance and negligence is de-
stroyed, not (that of) other (intentional offences).
5. If a hermit subsisting on roots and fruit prac-
tises austerities in a forest, and (a householder)
recites a single Rik, the merit of the acts of the one
and of the other is equal.
6. Let him strengthen the Veda by (studying)
the Itihasas and Pura«as. For the Veda fears a man
of little learning, (thinking) ' He will destroy me.'
7. The daily recitation of the Veda and the per-
formance, according to one's ability, of the series
of Mahaya^as quickly destroy guilt, even that of
mortal sins,
8. Let him daily perform, without tiring, his par-
ticular rites which the Veda enjoins. For if he does
that according to his ability, he will reach the most
blessed state.
9. Through sacrificing for wicked people, through
teaching them, through intermarrying with them,
and through receiving gifts from them, (learned)
3. Identical with Manu XI, 262.
8. ' The most blessed state,' i. e. final liberation, or moksha.
XXVII, i6. SECRET PENANCES.
Brahma«as do not contract guilt, for (a learned Brahmawa) resembles a fire and the sun.
10. I will now declare the .purification prescribed
for (eating) food, regarding which doubts have arisen,
whether it may be called fit to be eaten or not.
Listen to my words !
11. Let a Brahma^a drink during three days the
astringent decoction of the Brahmasuvar/£ala plant,
unmixed with salt or pungent condiments, and (a de-
coction of) the .Sahkhapushpl plant, together with milk.
12. Let him drink water, after boiling in it Pali\ya
and Bilva leaves, Kusa. grass, and (leaves of) lotuses
and Udumbara trees ; after three days and no more
he becomes pure.
13. (Subsisting) during one day on each (of the
following substances), cow's urine, cowdung, milk,
sour milk, butter, and water in which Kuja grass has
been boiled, and fasting on the seventh day purify
even (him who fears that he has partaken of the
food of) a 6Vapaka.
14. He who lives during five days on cow's urine,
cowdung, milk, sour milk, and clarified butter, is
purified by means of (that) Pa#/£agavya, (the five
products of the cow.)
15. He who, in accordance with the rule, uses
barley (for his food), becomes pure even by ocular
proof. (For) if he is pure, those (barley grains) will
be white, if he is impure they will be discoloured.
