The Rule of Expiation

Verse 1 (garuda.1.52.1)

॥ ब्रह्मोवाच ॥ अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रायश्चित्तविधिं द्विजाः ॥ ब्रह्महा च सुरापश्च स्तेयी च गुरुतल्पगः

. brahmovāca . ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi prāyaścittavidhiṁ dvijāḥ . brahmahā ca surāpaśca steyī ca gurutalpagaḥ

Brahma said: O twice-born, hereafter I shall declare the rule of expiation. The killer of a brahmin, the drinker of liquor, the thief, and one who defiles his guru's bed —

Verse 2 (garuda.1.52.2)

पञ्च पातकिनस्त्वेते तत्संयोगी च पञ्चमः ॥ उपपापानि गोहत्याप्रभृतीनि सुरा जगुः

pañca pātakinastvete tatsaṁyogī ca pañcamaḥ . upapāpāni gohatyāprabhṛtīni surā jaguḥ

these are the five great sinners, and one who associates with them is a fifth. Cow-slaughter and the like are declared as minor sins, and so is liquor.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.52.3)

ब्रह्महा द्वादशाब्दानि कुटीं कृत्वा वने वसेत् ॥ कुर्य्यादनशनं वाथ भृगोः पतनमेव च

brahmahā dvādaśābdāni kuṭīṁ kṛtvā vane vaset . kuryyādanaśanaṁ vātha bhṛgoḥ patanameva ca

The killer of a brahmin should build a hut and dwell in the forest for twelve years. Or he should fast unto death, or leap from a cliff,

Verse 4 (garuda.1.52.4)

ज्वलन्तं वा विशेदग्निं जलं वा प्रविशेत्स्वयम् ॥ ब्राह्मणार्थे गवार्थे वा सम्यक् प्राणान्परित्यजेत्

jvalantaṁ vā viśedagniṁ jalaṁ vā praviśetsvayam . brāhmaṇārthe gavārthe vā samyak prāṇānparityajet

or enter blazing fire, or plunge into water of his own accord. For the sake of a brahmin or a cow, he may rightly give up his own life.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.52.5)

दत्त्वा चान्नं च विदुषे ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति ॥ अश्वमेधावभृथके स्नात्वा वा मुच्यते द्विजः

dattvā cānnaṁ ca viduṣe brahmahatyāṁ vyapohati . aśvamedhāvabhṛthake snātvā vā mucyate dvijaḥ

By giving food to a learned man, he removes the sin of killing a brahmin. Or, by bathing at the concluding rite of an Ashvamedha sacrifice, the twice-born is freed.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.52.6)

सर्वस्वं वा वेदविदे ब्राह्मणाय प्रदापयेत् ॥ सरस्वत्यास्तरङ्गिण्याः सङ्गमे लोकविश्रुते

sarvasvaṁ vā vedavide brāhmaṇāya pradāpayet . sarasvatyāstaraṅgiṇyāḥ saṅgame lokaviśrute

Or he should give all his possessions to a Veda-knowing brahmin. At the world-renowned confluence of the Sarasvati and the Tarangini,

Verse 7 (garuda.1.52.7)

शुद्धे त्रिषवणस्नातस्त्रिरात्रोपोषितो द्विजः ॥ सेतुबन्धे नरः स्नात्वा मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

śuddhe triṣavaṇasnātastrirātropoṣito dvijaḥ . setubandhe naraḥ snātvā mucyate brahmahatyayā

purified, bathing three times a day, fasting three nights, the twice-born is freed. A man bathing at Setubandha is freed from the sin of killing a brahmin.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.52.8)

कपालमोचने स्नात्वा वाराणस्यां तथैव च ॥ सुरापस्तु सुरां पीत्वा अग्निवर्णां द्विजोत्तमः

kapālamocane snātvā vārāṇasyāṁ tathaiva ca . surāpastu surāṁ pītvā agnivarṇāṁ dvijottamaḥ

By bathing at Kapalamochana, and likewise at Varanasi. Let the drinker of liquor drink fire-hot metal, glowing red, O best of the twice-born,

Verse 9 (garuda.1.52.9)

पयो घृतं वा गोमूत्रं तस्मात्पापात्प्रमुच्यते ॥ सुवर्णस्तेयी मुक्तः स्यान्मुसलेन हतो नृपैः

payo ghṛtaṁ vā gomūtraṁ tasmātpāpātpramucyate . suvarṇasteyī muktaḥ syānmusalena hato nṛpaiḥ

or milk, ghee, or cow's urine — by this he is freed from that sin. A thief of gold is freed by being struck with a club at the king's hand.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.52.10)

चीरवासा द्विजोऽरण्ये चरेद्ब्रह्महणव्रतम् ॥ गुरुभार्य्यां समारुह्य ब्राह्मणः काममोहितः

cīravāsā dvijo'raṇye caredbrahmahaṇavratam . gurubhāryyāṁ samāruhya brāhmaṇaḥ kāmamohitaḥ

Wearing bark garments, the twice-born should observe the brahmin-killer's vow in the forest. A brahmin who, deluded by desire, has approached his guru's wife —

Verse 11 (garuda.1.52.11)

अवगूहेत्स्त्रियं तप्तां दीप्तां कार्ष्णायसीं कृताम् ॥ गुर्वङ्गनागामिनश्च चरेयुर्बह्महाव्रतम्

avagūhetstriyaṁ taptāṁ dīptāṁ kārṣṇāyasīṁ kṛtām . gurvaṅganāgāminaśca careyurbahmahāvratam

should embrace a heated, blazing image of a woman made of iron. And those who have approached a guru's wife should likewise observe the brahmin-killer's vow,

Verse 12 (garuda.1.52.12)

चान्द्रायणानि वा कुर्य्यात्पञ्च चत्वारि वा पुनः ॥ पतितेन च संसर्गं कुरुते यस्तु वै द्विजः

cāndrāyaṇāni vā kuryyātpañca catvāri vā punaḥ . patitena ca saṁsargaṁ kurute yastu vai dvijaḥ

or perform the Chandrayana penance five times, or again four times. And whatever twice-born associates with a fallen person,

Verse 13 (garuda.1.52.13)

स तत्पापापनोदार्थं तस्यैव व्रतमाचरेत् ॥ तप्तकृच्छ्रं चरेद्वाथ संवत्सरमतन्द्रितः

sa tatpāpāpanodārthaṁ tasyaiva vratamācaret . taptakṛcchraṁ caredvātha saṁvatsaramatandritaḥ

should, for the removal of that sin, perform that same person's vow. Or he should perform the Tapta-krichchhra penance tirelessly for a year.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.52.14)

सर्वस्वदानं विधिवत्सर्वपापविशोधनम् ॥ चान्द्रायणं च विधिना कृतं चैवातिकृच्छ्रकम्

sarvasvadānaṁ vidhivatsarvapāpaviśodhanam . cāndrāyaṇaṁ ca vidhinā kṛtaṁ caivātikṛcchrakam

Giving away all one's possessions according to rule purifies every sin. The Chandrayana performed according to rule, and the Atikrichchhra as well, likewise purify.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.52.15)

पुण्यक्षेत्रे गयादौ च गमनं पापनाशनम् ॥ अमावस्यां तिथिं प्राप्य यः समाराधयेद्भवम्

puṇyakṣetre gayādau ca gamanaṁ pāpanāśanam . amāvasyāṁ tithiṁ prāpya yaḥ samārādhayedbhavam

Going to sacred sites, to Gaya and the like, destroys sin. Whoever, upon reaching the new-moon day, worships Bhava (Shiva),

Verse 16 (garuda.1.52.16)

ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा तु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ उपोषितश्चतुर्दश्यां कृष्णपक्षे समाहितः

brāhmaṇān bhojayitvā tu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate . upoṣitaścaturdaśyāṁ kṛṣṇapakṣe samāhitaḥ

and feeds brahmins, is freed from all sins. Having fasted on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, with focused mind,

Verse 17 (garuda.1.52.17)

यमाय धर्मराजाय मृत्यवे चान्तकाय च ॥ वैवस्वताय कालाय सर्वभूतक्षयाय च

yamāya dharmarājāya mṛtyave cāntakāya ca . vaivasvatāya kālāya sarvabhūtakṣayāya ca

for Yama, for Dharmaraja, for Mrityu, and for Antaka; for Vaivasvata, for Kala, and for the destroyer of all beings,

Verse 18 (garuda.1.52.18)

प्रत्येकं तिलसंयुक्तान्दद्यात्सप्त जलाञ्जलीन् ॥ स्नात्वा नद्यां तु पूर्वाह्णे मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

pratyekaṁ tilasaṁyuktāndadyātsapta jalāñjalīn . snātvā nadyāṁ tu pūrvāhṇe mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

seven handfuls of water, each mixed with sesame seeds, should be offered to each of them. Having bathed in a river in the forenoon, one is freed from all sins.

Verse 19 (garuda.1.52.19)

ब्रह्मचर्य्यमधः शय्यामुपवासं द्विजार्चनम् ॥ व्रतेष्वेतेषु कुर्वीत शान्तः संयतमानसः

brahmacaryyamadhaḥ śayyāmupavāsaṁ dvijārcanam . vrateṣveteṣu kurvīta śāntaḥ saṁyatamānasaḥ

Celibacy, sleeping on the ground, fasting, and reverence for brahmins — one should practice these in observing such vows, with a tranquil and controlled mind.

Verse 20 (garuda.1.52.20)

पष्ठ्यामुपोषितो देवं शुक्लपक्षे समाहितः ॥ सप्तम्यामर्चयेद्भानुं मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

paṣṭhyāmupoṣito devaṁ śuklapakṣe samāhitaḥ . saptamyāmarcayedbhānuṁ mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Having fasted on the sixth day of the bright fortnight, composed, one should worship the deity, and on the seventh worship the Sun — one is thus freed from all sins.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.52.21)

एकादश्यां निराहारः समभ्यर्च्य जनार्दनम् ॥ द्वादश्यां शुक्लपक्षस्य महापापैः प्रमुच्यते

ekādaśyāṁ nirāhāraḥ samabhyarcya janārdanam . dvādaśyāṁ śuklapakṣasya mahāpāpaiḥ pramucyate

Fasting completely on the eleventh day, having duly worshipped Janardana, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight one is freed from great sins.

Verse 22 (garuda.1.52.22)

तपो जपस्तीर्थसेवा देवब्राह्मणपूजनम् ॥ ग्रहणादिषु कालेषु महापातकनाशनम्

tapo japastīrthasevā devabrāhmaṇapūjanam . grahaṇādiṣu kāleṣu mahāpātakanāśanam

Austerity, recitation, service at sacred fords, and worship of gods and brahmins — at times of eclipse and the like, these destroy great sins.

Verse 23 (garuda.1.52.23)

यः सर्वपापयुक्तोऽपि पुण्यतीर्थेषु मानवः ॥ नियमेन त्यजेत्प्राणान्मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

yaḥ sarvapāpayukto'pi puṇyatīrtheṣu mānavaḥ . niyamena tyajetprāṇānmucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Whoever, even a person laden with every sin, gives up his life according to rule at holy sacred fords, is freed from all sins.

Verse 24 (garuda.1.52.24)

ब्रह्मघ्नं वा कृतघ्नं वा महापातकदूषितम् ॥ भर्त्तारमुद्धरेन्नारी प्रविष्टा सह पावकम्

brahmaghnaṁ vā kṛtaghnaṁ vā mahāpātakadūṣitam . bharttāramuddharennārī praviṣṭā saha pāvakam

A wife who enters the fire together with her husband can redeem him even if he be a killer of a brahmin, an ingrate, or tainted with a great sin.

Verse 25 (garuda.1.52.25)

पतिव्रता तु या नारी भर्त्तुः शुश्रूषणोत्सुका ॥ न तस्या विद्यते पापमिह लोके परत्र च

pativratā tu yā nārī bharttuḥ śuśrūṣaṇotsukā . na tasyā vidyate pāpamiha loke paratra ca

For the devoted wife who is eager to serve her husband, no sin exists — neither in this world nor in the next.

Verse 26 (garuda.1.52.26)

तथा रामस्य सुभगा सीता त्रैलोक्यविश्रुता ॥ पत्नी दाशरथेर्देवी विजिग्ये राक्षसेश्वरम्

tathā rāmasya subhagā sītā trailokyaviśrutā . patnī dāśaratherdevī vijigye rākṣaseśvaram

So too the fortunate Sita, celebrated throughout the three worlds, wife of Rama, queen of Dasharatha's son, conquered the lord of the rakshasas by her virtue.

Verse 27 (garuda.1.52.27)

फल्गुतीर्थादिषु स्नातः सर्वाचारफलं लभेत् ॥ इत्याह भगवान्विष्णुः पुरा मम यतव्रताः

phalgutīrthādiṣu snātaḥ sarvācāraphalaṁ labhet . ityāha bhagavānviṣṇuḥ purā mama yatavratāḥ

Bathing at Phalgu-tirtha and the other sacred fords, one obtains the fruit of every observance. Thus spoke the Lord Vishnu, of old, to me while I was practicing austerity.