Atri Smriti 4

Now we shall explain secret penances.

In the case of sexual intercourse with a common woman in secret, one should perform a secret purifying rite; in the case of a public one, a public purifying rite.

Or, in the case of intercourse with forbidden women or eating bad food, whether secret or public,

one should perform a purifying rite. Or, plunging into the waters, reciting the Samando'yaṃ hymn thrice, one becomes pure.

Upon killing a cow or a wild animal, or upon defiling a maiden, having drunk water with the Indraśuddhi hymn, one is released.

Repeating a Veda, or three times as much, is called an immediate purifier; / or, repeating the Rudra hymns eleven times, one is purified.

One is released from grave sins, minor sins, and polluting deeds. / The three-footed Gāyatrī mentioned in the Vājasaneyi Veda, / recited thrice while submerged in water, removes all sin.

After having intercourse with a brahmin woman, one should bathe and give water jars to a brahmin.

After having intercourse with a Kṣatriya or Vaiśya woman, one is purified by repeating the Tāpasa hymn three times.

After having intercourse with a Śūdra woman, one is purified by repeating the Aghamarṣaṇa three times.

Having approached the wives of one's guru, one is purified by twelve repetitions of the Vṛṣabha hymn.

Having drunk what is undrinkable, one is purified by drinking water with the Aghamarṣaṇa.

If incapable of penance, one is purified by grieving throughout the entire night.

Having recited 'Agnīṣomā' and 'Indrāsomā', the defiler of a maiden is released.

Having recited 'Somaṃ rājānam', poisoners and arsonists are released. / When a confusion of all sins has occurred,

the Gāyatrī repeated ten thousand times is the supreme purifier. / Whether a slayer of a brahmin, a violator of the guru's bed, or one who approaches forbidden women,

a thief of gold, a killer of cows, a destroyer of trust, / a slayer of one who sought refuge, a false witness, or a committer of forbidden acts—

even if devoted for a long time to these and other sins, / he who performs breath control facing the rising sun,

reaching the rising of the sun, spotless and cleansed of defilement, / such men become like the sun, like fires free of smoke.

Indeed, there is no purifier in this world equal to meditation; / even eating among outcaste dog-cookers, one is not stained here by virtue of meditation.

Meditation alone is the superior duty; meditation alone is supreme austerity; / meditation alone is supreme purity; therefore, one should be dedicated to meditation.

Even if addicted to all sins, one should regularly practice meditation; / always endowed with meditation, the ascetic is a purifier of the assembly row.

Furthermore, the ascetic becomes a purifier of the purifiers of the assembly row.

Thus ends the fourth chapter in the Smṛti of Atri.