The Rite of the Sin-Offering at Kapaleshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.6.270.1)

आनर्त उवाच मूर्खत्वाद्वा प्रमादाद्वा कामाद्बालस्यतोऽपि वा यो नरः कुरुते पापं प्रायश्चित्तं करोति न

ānarta uvāca mūrkhatvādvā pramādādvā kāmādbālasyato'pi vā yo naraḥ kurute pāpaṁ prāyaścittaṁ karoti na

Anarta said: The man who commits sin out of foolishness, or carelessness, or desire, or even from childishness, and does not perform atonement...

Verse 2 (skanda.6.270.2)

तस्य पापक्षयकरं पुण्यं ब्रूहि द्विजोत्तम येन मुक्तिर्भवेत्सद्यो यदि तुष्टोऽसि मे प्रभो

tasya pāpakṣayakaraṁ puṇyaṁ brūhi dvijottama yena muktirbhavetsadyo yadi tuṣṭo'si me prabho

...tell me, O best of brahmins, that meritorious act which destroys his sin, by which liberation may come at once, if you are pleased with me, O lord.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.270.3)

लोभमोहपरो योऽसौ पापपिंडं महामुने प्रददाति विधिं ब्रूहि येन यच्छाम्यहं द्रुतम्

lobhamohaparo yo'sau pāpapiṁḍaṁ mahāmune pradadāti vidhiṁ brūhi yena yacchāmyahaṁ drutam

He who is overcome by greed and delusion — tell me, O great sage, the procedure for giving the sin-lump, so that I too may give it swiftly.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.270.4)

भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच दद्यात्स्वपिंडं सौवर्णं पंचविंशत्पलात्मकम्

bhartṛyajña uvāca dadyātsvapiṁḍaṁ sauvarṇaṁ paṁcaviṁśatpalātmakam

Bhartriyajna said: One should give a golden image of oneself, weighing twenty-five palas.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.270.5)

विधायापरपक्षे तु स्नापयित्वा विधानतः मंडपाद्यं च प्राक्कृत्वा स्नात्वा धौतांबरः शुचिः

vidhāyāparapakṣe tu snāpayitvā vidhānataḥ maṁḍapādyaṁ ca prākkṛtvā snātvā dhautāṁbaraḥ śuciḥ

Having arranged it during the dark fortnight, having bathed it according to rite, having first made the pavilion and other requisites, and having himself bathed, clad in washed garments, pure...

Verse 6 (skanda.6.270.6)

तदा स्वरूपं पृथ्व्यादि पूजयेत्पापकृन्नरः तथा स मुच्यते पापात्तत्कृताद्धि न संशयः

tadā svarūpaṁ pṛthvyādi pūjayetpāpakṛnnaraḥ tathā sa mucyate pāpāttatkṛtāddhi na saṁśayaḥ

...the man who has committed sin should then worship it in the form representing earth and the other elements; thus he is freed from the sin he has committed — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.270.7)

चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वानि पृथिव्यादीनि यानि च तेषां नामभिस्तत्पिंडं पूजयेतन्नराधिपः

caturviṁśatitattvāni pṛthivyādīni yāni ca teṣāṁ nāmabhistatpiṁḍaṁ pūjayetannarādhipaḥ

O lord of men, with the names of the twenty-four principles, beginning with earth, he should worship that golden figure.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.270.8)

ॐ पृथिव्यै नमः ॐ अद्भ्यो नमः ॐ तेजसे नमः ॐ वायवे नमः ॐ आकाशाय नमः ॐ घ्राणाय नमः ॐ जिह्वायै नमः ॐ चक्षुषे नमः ॐ त्वचे नमः ॐ श्रोत्राय नमः ॐ गन्धाय नमः ॐ रसाय नमः ॐ रूपाय नमः ॐ स्पर्शाय नमः ॐ शब्दाय नमः ॐ वाचे नमः ॐ पाणिभ्यां नमः ॐ पादाभ्यां नमः ॐ पायवे नमः ॐ उपस्थाय नमः ॐ मनसे नमः ॐ बुद्ध्यै नमः ॐ चित्ताय नमः ॐ अहंकाराय नमः ॐ क्षेत्रात्मने नमः ॐ परमात्मने नमः धूपं धूरसि मंत्रेण अग्निर्ज्योतीति दीपकम् युवा सुवासेति च ततो वासांसि परिधापयेत्

oṁ pṛthivyai namaḥ oṁ adbhyo namaḥ oṁ tejase namaḥ oṁ vāyave namaḥ oṁ ākāśāya namaḥ oṁ ghrāṇāya namaḥ oṁ jihvāyai namaḥ oṁ cakṣuṣe namaḥ oṁ tvace namaḥ oṁ śrotrāya namaḥ oṁ gandhāya namaḥ oṁ rasāya namaḥ oṁ rūpāya namaḥ oṁ sparśāya namaḥ oṁ śabdāya namaḥ oṁ vāce namaḥ oṁ pāṇibhyāṁ namaḥ oṁ pādābhyāṁ namaḥ oṁ pāyave namaḥ oṁ upasthāya namaḥ oṁ manase namaḥ oṁ buddhyai namaḥ oṁ cittāya namaḥ oṁ ahaṁkārāya namaḥ oṁ kṣetrātmane namaḥ oṁ paramātmane namaḥ dhūpaṁ dhūrasi maṁtreṇa agnirjyotīti dīpakam yuvā suvāseti ca tato vāsāṁsi paridhāpayet

Om, salutation to Earth. Om, salutation to Water. Om, salutation to Fire. Om, salutation to Air. Om, salutation to Ether. Om, salutation to smell. Om, salutation to the tongue. Om, salutation to the eye. Om, salutation to the skin. Om, salutation to the ear. Om, salutation to fragrance. Om, salutation to taste. Om, salutation to form. Om, salutation to touch. Om, salutation to sound. Om, salutation to speech. Om, salutation to the two hands. Om, salutation to the two feet. Om, salutation to the organ of excretion. Om, salutation to the organ of generation. Om, salutation to the mind. Om, salutation to the intellect. Om, salutation to consciousness. Om, salutation to the ego. Om, salutation to the individual self. Om, salutation to the supreme self. Incense should be offered with the mantra 'dhurasi,' the lamp with the mantra 'agnir jyotih,' and thereafter garments put on it with the mantra 'yuva suvasa.'

Verse 9 (skanda.6.270.9)

ततो ब्राह्मणमानीय वेदवेदांगपारगम् प्रक्षाल्य चरणौ तस्य वासांसि परिधापयेत्

tato brāhmaṇamānīya vedavedāṁgapāragam prakṣālya caraṇau tasya vāsāṁsi paridhāpayet

Then, having brought a brahmin who has mastered the Vedas and their limbs, having washed his feet, one should clothe him in garments.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.270.10)

केयूरैः कंकणैश्चैव अंगुलीयकभूषणैः

keyūraiḥ kaṁkaṇaiścaiva aṁgulīyakabhūṣaṇaiḥ

...with armlets, bracelets, and ring-ornaments.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.270.11)

भूषयित्वा तनुं तस्य ततो मूर्तिं समानयेत् मंत्रेणानेन राजेंद्र ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्

bhūṣayitvā tanuṁ tasya tato mūrtiṁ samānayet maṁtreṇānena rājeṁdra brāhmaṇāya nivedayet

Having thus adorned his body, one should then bring forth the golden image, and, O lord of kings, present it to the brahmin with this mantra.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.270.12)

एष आत्मा मया दत्तस्तव हेममयो द्विज यत्किंचिद्विहितं पापं पूर्वं भूयात्तवाखिलम्

eṣa ātmā mayā dattastava hemamayo dvija yatkiṁcidvihitaṁ pāpaṁ pūrvaṁ bhūyāttavākhilam

'O brahmin, this golden self of mine I have given to you; whatever sin was previously committed by me, let all of it now become yours.'

Verse 13 (skanda.6.270.13)

इति दानमंत्रः ततस्तु ब्राह्मणो राजन्मंत्रमेतं समुच्चरेत्

iti dānamaṁtraḥ tatastu brāhmaṇo rājanmaṁtrametaṁ samuccaret

Thus is the donation-mantra. Then, O king, the brahmin should recite this mantra.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.270.14)

यत्किंचिद्विहितं पापं त्वया पूर्वंमया हि तत् गृहीतं मूर्तिरूपं तत्ततस्त्वं पापवर्जितः इति प्रतिग्रहमंत्रः

yatkiṁcidvihitaṁ pāpaṁ tvayā pūrvaṁmayā hi tat gṛhītaṁ mūrtirūpaṁ tattatastvaṁ pāpavarjitaḥ iti pratigrahamaṁtraḥ

'Whatever sin was previously committed by you — that, in the form of this image, has now been accepted by me; therefore you are freed of sin.' Thus is the acceptance-mantra.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.270.15)

एवं दत्त्वा विधानेन ततो विप्रं विसर्जयेत् एवं कृते ततो राजंस्तस्मै दत्त्वाथ दक्षिणाम्

evaṁ dattvā vidhānena tato vipraṁ visarjayet evaṁ kṛte tato rājaṁstasmai dattvātha dakṣiṇām

Having thus given it by rite, one should then take leave of the brahmin; having done so, O king, and then having given him the sacrificial fee...

Verse 16 (skanda.6.270.16)

यथा तुष्टिं समभ्येति ततः पापं नयत्यसौ तस्मिन्कृते महाराज प्रत्ययस्तत्क्षणाद्भवेत्

yathā tuṣṭiṁ samabhyeti tataḥ pāpaṁ nayatyasau tasminkṛte mahārāja pratyayastatkṣaṇādbhavet

...sufficient to bring him satisfaction — only then does the brahmin carry away that sin. O great king, once this is done, confirmation of it comes at that very moment.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.270.17)

शरीरं लघुतामेति तेजोवृद्धिश्च जायते स्वप्ने च वीक्षते रात्रौ संतुष्टमनसः स्थितान्

śarīraṁ laghutāmeti tejovṛddhiśca jāyate svapne ca vīkṣate rātrau saṁtuṣṭamanasaḥ sthitān

The body becomes light, and an increase of radiance occurs; and at night, in dream, one beholds contented persons...

Verse 18 (skanda.6.270.18)

नरान्स्त्रियः सितैर्वस्त्रैः श्वेतमाल्यानुलेपनैः श्वेतान्गोवृषभानश्वांस्तीर्थानि विविधानि च

narānstriyaḥ sitairvastraiḥ śvetamālyānulepanaiḥ śvetāngovṛṣabhānaśvāṁstīrthāni vividhāni ca

...men and women clad in white garments, adorned with white garlands and unguents, white cows, bulls, and horses, and various sacred tirthas.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.270.19)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं पापपिंडस्य दापनम् श्रवणादपि राजेंद्र यस्य पापैः प्रमुच्यते

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ pāpapiṁḍasya dāpanam śravaṇādapi rājeṁdra yasya pāpaiḥ pramucyate

O lord of kings, thus this entire rite of giving the sin-lump has been told to you — merely by hearing of which one is freed from sins.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.270.20)

अन्यत्रापि महादानं पापपिण्डो हरेन्नृप

anyatrāpi mahādānaṁ pāpapiṇḍo harennṛpa

O king, even elsewhere this great donation removes the sin-lump.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.270.21)

एकजन्मकृतं पापं निजकायेन निर्मितम् कपालेश्वरदेवस्य सहस्रगुणितं हरेत्

ekajanmakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ nijakāyena nirmitam kapāleśvaradevasya sahasraguṇitaṁ haret

Sin committed in a single lifetime through one's own body is removed a thousandfold when this donation is made before the god Kapaleshvara.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.270.22)

पूर्ववच्चैव कर्तव्यो वेदिमंडपयोर्विधिः परं होमः प्रकर्तव्यो गायत्र्या केवलं नृप

pūrvavaccaiva kartavyo vedimaṁḍapayorvidhiḥ paraṁ homaḥ prakartavyo gāyatryā kevalaṁ nṛpa

Just as before, the rite of the altar and pavilion should be performed; only the fire-offering, O king, should be made solely with the Gayatri mantra.