1 6. (If he makes) three morning meals of food
12. Vishmi XL VI, 23. I read
13. Vishmi XLVI, 19.
15. The rule is described by Vishmi XLVIII.
1 6. The meaning of the Sutra is that each mode of subsistence
is to be continued during three days.
132 VASISHJTHA. XXVII, 17.
fit for a sacrifice and three evening meals in like
manner, and if food given without asking (is his
subsistence) in the same manner, (he will thus per-
form) three fasts.
17. Now if he is in haste to make (himself pure),
(let him) subsist on air during a day, and pass the
night standing in water; (that penance) is equal to
a Pra^-apatya (Krt£££ra).
1 8. But if at sunrise he mutters the Gayatri eight
thousand times, he will be freed from all mortal sins,
provided he be not the slayer of a Brihma«a.
19. He, forsooth, who has stolen (the gold of
a Brahma#a), has drunk spirituous liquor, has slain
a learned Brahmarca, or has violated his Guru's
bed, will become free from all (these) mortal sins
if he studies the Institutes of the sacred law.
20. For unlawful acts, for unlawful sacrifices, and
for great sins (let him perform) a Kri££faa. and
a A'andraya^a, which destroy all guilt.
21. Let him add daily one mouthful (to his food)
during the bright (half of the month), let him dimi-
nish it (daily by one mouthful) during the dark (half),
and let him fast on the new-moon day ; that is the
rule for the ^fandraya^a (or lunar penance).
CHAPTER XXVIII.
i. A woman is not defiled by a lover, nor a Brah-
ma#a by Vedic rites, nor water by urine and ordure,
nor fire by consuming (impure substances).
1 8. Ash/asahasram, 'eight thousand times/ may also mean 'one thousand and eight times.'
21. See above, XXIII, 44-47.
XXVIII. i. 'Is not denied by a lover,' i.e. does not become irrevocably an outcast, but may be restored to her position after
XXVIII, g. SECRET PENANCES. 133
2-3. A wife, (though) tainted by sin, whether she
be quarrelsome, or have left the house, or have suf-
fered criminal force, or have fallen into the hands of
thieves, must not be abandoned ; to forsake her is
not prescribed (by the sacred law). Let him wait
for the time of her courses; by her temporary
uncleanness she becomes pure.
4. Women (possess) an unequalled means of
purification ; they never become (entirely) foul.
For month by month their temporary uncleanness
removes their sins.
5. Women belong first to three gods, Soma (the
moon), the Gandharva, and Fire, and come after-
wards into the possession of men ; according to the
law they cannot be contaminated.
6. Soma gave them cleanliness, the Gandharva
their melodious voice, and Fire purity of all (limbs);
therefore women are free from stains.
7. Those versed in the sacred law state that there
are three acts (only) which make women outcasts, (viz.)
the murder of the husband, slaying a learned Brah-
mawa, and the destruction of the fruit of their womb.
8. A calf is pure when the milk flows, a bird when
it causes fruit to fall, women during dalliance, and
a dog when he catches a deer.
9. Pure is the mouth of a goat and of a horse,
pure is the back of a cow, pure are the feet of a Brah-
mawa, but women are pure in all (limbs).
performing a penance, provided her lover was a man of equal caste. — Krz'shtfapa«</ita.
2-3. For the last clause compare Ya^navalkya I, 72.
4. See above, V, 3-4.
5. Paraskara Grzliya-sutra I, -4, 16.
6. Ya^navalkya I, 71. 7- Ya^wavalkya I, 72. 8. Vish«u XXIII, 49. 9- Vishnu XXIII, 40.
1 34 VASISHFHA. XXVIII, 10.
10. I will now declare the purificatory texts (which
are found) in each Veda ; by muttering them or re-
citing them at a burnt-oblation (men) are doubtlessly
cleansed (from sin).
11. (They are) the Aghamarshawa, the Devakrzta,
the Buddha vatls, the Taratsamas, the KushmaWas,
the Pavamanis, and the Durgisavitrl ;
12. The Atlshahgas, the Padastobhas, and the
Samans (called) Vyahrzti, the Bharuwak Samans,
the Gayatra (Saman), and the Raivata ;
13. The Purushavrata and the Bhasa, and like-
wise the Devavrata (Samans), the Ablihga, the Bar-
haspatya, the hymn addressed to VSJs, likewise the
Rifas (called) Madhu ;
14. The 6atarudriya, the Atharvajiras, the Tri-
supar^a, the Mahavrata, the Gosukta, and the A^va-
sukta, and the two Samans (called) -Suddhlfuddhtya.
15. The three (Samans called) A^yadohas, the
Rathantara, the Agnervrata, the Vamadevya, and
the Br^hat, being muttered, purify (all) living beings,
(He who sings them) may obtain the recollection of
former existences, if he desires it.
1 6. Gold is the firstborn of Fire, through Vishwu exists the earth, and the cows are children of the
10-15. Vish«u LVT, and preface, p. xviii. The explanation of the various terms used will be found in the notes to Professor Jolly's translation of Vishmi.
12. MSS. and K>*sh«apa;fcfita, Abhishahg&fc. Krz'sh«apa«<fita and MS. B. bharadaw^dni ; E. bh&fani ; Bh. and F. omit w. 1 2 and 1 3 a.
1 3. Kn'shnapaw/ita and B. artvigam ; Bh. E. F. as above. The Bhasa begins, according to Krz'sh«apa«<fita, ague -vratapate.
14. Kr/sh«apa«<fita and B. indr&mddhe; Bh. E. F. juddhaw- iuddhena.
Xxviii, 22. Gifts. 135
Sun ; he who bestows as gifts gold, a cow, and land will obtain rewards without end for them.
17. A cow, a horse, gold, (and) land, bestowed
on an unlearned Brahmarca who neglects his sacred
duties, prevent the giver (from attaining heaven).
18-19. (If he presents), on the full moon of the
month of Vawakha, (to) seven or five Brahmawas,
black or white sesamum grains (mixed) with honey,
(saying), 'May the king of justice (Yama) rejoice!'
or (expressing) some other (wish) which he may have
in his mind, the guilt which he has incurred during
his (whole) life will instantly vanish.
20. But hear (now) the reward of the merit
acquired by that man who gives the skin of a black
antelope, to which the hoofs are (still) attached and
the navel of which is adorned with gold, covering it
with sesamum grains.
21. 'Without doubt he has bestowed (through
that gift) the four-faced earth, together with its
caves filled with gold, and together with its moun-
tains, groves, and forests.'
22. 4 He who, placing on the skin of a black ante-
lope, sesamum, gold, honey, and butter, gives it to
a Brdhmawa, overcomes all sin.'
17. Manu IV, 190, 193-194. Kr;sh«apa»<fita and MSS. B. and E. read uparudanti dataraw, MSS. Bh. and F. uparundanti. I change the latter reading to uparundhanti.
18-19. Vishnu XC, 10.
20-22. -Vishnu LXXXVII, 8-10, and Professor Jolly's preface, p. xviii.
21. 'The four-faced earth,' i.e. the earth which is surrounded by the four oceans.
136 VASISHZTfA. XXIX, i.
CHAPTER XXIX.
1 . Through liberality (man) obtains all his desires,
2. (Even) longevity, (and he is born again as) a student of the Veda, possessed of beauty.
3. He who abstains from injuring (sentient beings) obtains heaven.
4. By entering a fire the world of Brahman (is gained).
5. By (a vow of) silence (he obtains) happiness.
6. By staying (constantly) in water he becomes a lord of elephants.
7. He who expends his hoard (in gifts) becomes free from disease.
8. A giver of water (becomes) rich by (the fulfil- ment of) all his desires.
9. A giver of food (will have) beautiful eyes and a good memory.
10. He who gives a promise to protect (some- body) from all dangers (becomes) wise.
1 1. (To bestow gifts) for the use of cows (is equal to) bathing at all sacred places.
12. By giving a couch and a seat (the giver becomes) master of a harem.
13. By giving an umbrella (the giver) obtains a house.
XXIX. 4. This Sutra, which recommends self-cremation, is of some importance, as it confirms the teaching of the Pura»as and explains the accounts of the Greeks regarding the self-immolation of Brahma«as who visited Europe.
9. Vishnu XCII, 21.
12. Vish/m Xdl, 27; Manu IV, 232. 'Master of a harem,' i. e. the possessor of many beautiful wives and concubines.
XXIX, 21. GIFTS.
14. He who gives a house obtains a town.
15. He who gives a pair of shoes obtains a vehicle.
1 6. Now they quote also (the following verses) :
' Whatever sin a man distressed for livelihood com-
mits, (from that) he is purified by giving land, (be
it) even " a bull's hide." '
17. 'He who gives to a Brahmawa a vessel filled
with water for sipping, will obtain after death com-
plete freedom from thirst and be born again as a
drinker of Soma.'
1 8. ' If a gift of one thousand oxen fit to draw
a carriage (has been bestowed) according to the rule
on a perfectly worthy man, that is equal to giving
a maiden.'
19. ' They declare that cows, land, and learning
are the three most excellent gifts. For to give
learning is (to bestow) the greatest of all gifts, and
it surpasses those (other gifts).'
20. ' A learned man who. free from envy, follows
this rule of conduct which procures endless rewards,
and which through final liberation frees him from
transmigration ;'
21. ' Or who, full of faith, pure, and subduing his
14. Vishmi XCII, 31. 15. Vishmi XCII, 28.
1 6. Vishmi XCII, 4. Kr/sh«apa»<fita quotes a passage of the Matsya-purawa according to which ' a bull's hide ' is a measure equal to 1 40 square hastas ; see, however, notes to Vishnu loc. cit. and V, 183.
17. Manu IV, 229.
1 8. Read in the text vidhivaddanam kanyidanena tatsamam.
19. Kr;sh»apaw^ta wrongly makes two Sutras out of this verse.
20. Kr/srmapa«<fita and MS. B. read, against the metre and sense, yoginaw sampuritam vidvan, another reading yoginSw saw- matam vidv&n. F. reads yonasawyurimawz vidv&n. I read yo 'na-
vidvan.
1 38 VASISH7WA. XXX, I.
senses, remembers or even hears it, will, freed from all sin, be exalted in the highest heaven.'
CHAPTER XXX.
1. Practise righteousness, not unrighteousness ;
speak truth, not untruth ; look far, not near ; look
towards the Highest, not towards that which is not
the Highest.
2. A Brahmawa is a fire.
3. For the Veda (says), ' Agni, forsooth, is a Brahma^a,'
4. And how is that ?
5. And it is also declared in the Kanaka, 'On
that (occasion) the body of the Brahma»a who repre-
sents the sacrificial seat is the altar, the vow to per-
form the rite is the sacrifice, the soul is the animal
to be slain, the intellect the rope (with which the
animal is bound), the mouth of (the Brahma^a) who
represents the seat is the Ahavanlya fire, in his
navel (is the Dakshi^a fire), the fire in his abdomen
is the Garhapatya fire, the Prawa is the Adhvaryu
priest, the Apana the Hotrt priest, the Vyana the
Brahman, the Samana the Udgit^' priest, the organs
of sensation the sacrificial vessels. He who knowing
this offers a sacrifice to the organs through the
organs.' ...
6. Now they quote also (the following verses) : ' An offering placed in the mouth-fire of a Brah-
XXX. 2. See above, III, 10.
3. .Satapatha-brahmafla I, 4, 22.
5. Krzsh«apa#(/ita divides the passage into thirteen Sfitras, and connects tatra, 'on that occasion/ with the preceding Sutra. 'On that (occasion),' i. e. if a Brahma»a is fed.
XXX, p. GIFTS. 139
ma«a which is rich in Veda-fuel, protects and saves the giver and (the eater) himself from sin.'
7. ' But the offering made through the mouth of a
Brahmawa, which is neither spilt nor causes pain (to
sentient creatures), nor assails him (who makes it), is
far more excellent than an Agnihotra.'
8. After performing a mental sacrifice at which
meditation (takes the place of the sacred) fire, truth-
fulness (the place of) the sacred fuel, patience (the
place of) the oblation, modesty (the place of) the
sacrificial spoon, abstention from injuring living
beings (the place of the) sacrificial cake, contentment
(the place of) the sacrificial post, (and a promise
of) safety given to all beings which is hard to keep
(the place of) the reward given to the priests, a wise
man goes to his (eternal) home.
9. The hair of an aging man shows signs of age,
(and) the teeth of an aging man show signs of age,
(but) the desire to live and the desire for wealth do
not decay even in an aging man.
7. ManuVII, 84; YagTiavalkya I, 315. Krjsh»apa«<fita's read- ing, nainam adhya^ate fa yaJi, which occurs also in B., is nonsense. I read with Bh. nainamadhy£pate££a yat, and take adhyapatet, ' assails (the giver)/ in the sense of ' troubles him by causing the performance of penances, on account of mistakes committed. Manu's version, na vinajyati karhi&t, ' and never perishes,' is of course an easier one, but it seems to me doubtful whether it is older than Vasish//5a's.
