राजधर्मानुशासन पर्व — व्यास उन्हें शोक त्यागकर राज्य करने का उपदेश देते हैं

Yudhishthira said 'What are the necessary rites of expiation? And what are those acts which one must do for being released from sin? Tell me this, O grandfather.

Vyasa said “Having omitted to perform those acts that have been ordained, and done those that have been forbidden, and have behaved deceitfully, a man becomes liable to perform expiation.

The Brahmacharin, who rises from bed after the sun rise, or goes to bed while the sun is setting, one who has a rotten nail or black tecth, one whose younger brother married first, one who marries before his elder brother is married, one who has been guilty of Brahmanicide, one who speaks ill of others, one who marries a younger sister before the elder sister has been married, one who marries an elder sister after having married a younger one, one who does not observe his vow, one kill who a saint, one who imparts a knowledge of the Vedas to a unworthy person, one who does not impart a knowledge thereof a worthy person, one who takes many lives, one who sells flesh, one who has abandoned his (sacred) fire, one who sells the knowledge of the Vedas, one who kills his preceptor or a woman, one born in a sinful family, one who kills an animal wilfully, one who gives fire to a dwelling house, one who lives by deceit, one who disobeys his preceptor, and one who has violated agreement,-these all are guilty of sins requiring expiation.

I shall now mention other acts which men should not do, viz., acts that are forbidden by men and the Vedas. Listen to me with rapt attention.

The rejection of one's own religion, the following of other people's religion, assisting at the sacrifice or the religious rites of one who does not deserve such assistance, eating of forbidden food, deserting one who seeks refuge, neglect in maintaining servants and dependents, selling salt and treacle, killing of birds and animals, refusal, though able to beget children, upon a soliciting woman, negligence of making the daily offering, negligence to present the Dakshina, humiliating a Brahmana, these all are considered as forbidden acts by persons conversant with duty.

The son that quarrels with the father, the person who violates the bed of his preceptor, one who neglects to beget children on his wife, are all sinful, O foremost of men.

I have now described to you in brief as also in detail, those acts and omissions by which a man is compelled to perform expiation.

Listen now to the circumstances under which men, by even committing these acts, are not sullied with sin.

If a Brahmana well acquainted with the Vedas takes up arins and tries to kill you in battle, you may proceed against him for taking his life. By such an act the slayer does not become guilty of Brahmanicide.

There is a Mantra in the Vedas, O son of Kunti, that sanctions it, I describe to you only those practices which are sanctioned by the authority of the Vedas.

One who kills a Brahmana who deviates from his own duties and who goes armed for killing a man, does not truly become the killer of a Brahmania. In such a case it is the anger of the slayer that proceeds against the anger of the slain.

A person by drinking alcohol unknowingly or upon the advice of a virtuous physician when his life is in a danger should have the expiatory rites performed once more in his case.

All that I have told you, O son of Kunti, about the eating of forbidden food, inay be purified by such expiatory rites.

Knowing the preceptor's wife at the preceptor's behest, does not stain the pupil. The sage Uddalaka caused his son Shvetaketu to be begotten by a disciple.

A person by committing theft for his preceptor in a time of distress, is not sullied by that sin. One, however, who commits theft for procuring enjoyments for himself, becomes stained.

One is not sullied by stealing from other than Brahmanas in times of distress and for the sake of his preceptor. Only one who steals under such circumstances without reserving for himself any portion thereof, is not sullied by sin.

A falsehood may be uttered for saving one's own life or that of another, or for the sake of one's preceptor, or for gratifying a woman, or for bringing about a marriage.

One's vow of celibacy is not broken by having nocturnal pollutions. In such cases the expiation consists in the pouring of libations of clarified butter on the burning fire.

If the elder brother is killed or has left the world, the younger brother does not commit sin by marrying. He who solicited by a woman, knows her commits no sin.

One should not kill or cause to be killed an animal except in a sacrifice. Animals have become sacred for the kindness shown towards them by the creator, himself in the ordinance laid down by him.

By making a gift unknowingly to an undeserving Brahmana one does not commit sin. The ignorant omission of behaving with liberality towards a deserving person does not lead to sin.

By forsaking an unchaste wife one does not incur sin. By such treatment the woman herself may be purified while the husband may avoid sin.

One who knows the true uses of the Soma juice, does not commit sin by selling it. By dismissing a servant who is incapable of doing service, one is not visited with sin.

I have grow described those acts by doing which one does not commit sin. I shall now speak to you of expiation in detail.