The Law Code of Yājñavalkya 3.5.205

3.5.205

atredaṃ cintanīyam | kiṃ dvitrabrāhmaṇavadhe prāyaścittasya tantratvam utāvṛttir iti | tatra kecin manyante brahmahā dvādaśābdāni (YDh 3.243) ity atra brahmaśabdasyaikasmin dvayor bahuṣu sādhāraṇatvād ekasmin brāhmaṇavadhe yat prāyaścittaṃ tad eva dvitīye tṛtīye 'pi | tatraikabrāhmaṇavadhanimittaikaprāyaścittānuṣṭhāne satīdaṃ kṛtam idaṃ neti na śakyate vaktum | deśakālakartṝṇāṃ prayogānubandhabhūtānām abhedenāgṛhyamāṇaviśeṣatvāt tantrānuṣṭhānenaiva pāpakṣayalakṣaṇakāryaniṣpattir yuktā | yathā tantrānuṣṭhitaiḥ prayājādibhir āgneyādiṣu tantreṇaivānekopakāralakṣaṇakāryāṇāṃ niṣpattiḥ | na caivaṃ vācyam dvitrabrāhmaṇavadhe pāpasya gurutvād enasi guruṇi gurūṇi laghuni laghūni (GDh 19.19) iti gautamavacanād āvṛttam eva prāyaścittānuṣṭhānaṃ yuktam vilakṣaṇakāryayos tantreṇa niṣpattyanupapatter iti | yato nedaṃ vacanam āvṛttividhāyakaṃ kiṃ tūpadiṣṭānāṃ gurulagukalpānāṃ vyavasthāpratipādanaparam | na ca dvitīyabrāhmaṇavadhe pāpasya gurutvaṃ, pramāṇābhāvāt | yac ca manudevalābhyām uktam,

Here, this is to be considered: when two or three Brahmins are killed, does the penance operate as a combined performance, or is there repetition? On this point, some hold: in the passage 'The killer of a Brahmin [shall perform a vow for] twelve years,' because the word 'Brahmin' is common to one, two, or many, whatever penance applies to the killing of one Brahmin is the very same for the second and the third as well. There, when a single penance occasioned by the killing of one Brahmin is performed, it is impossible to say 'this [killing] has been expiated, this has not.' Because the place, time, and agents, which constitute the ancillary conditions of the performance, are identical, and no distinction is apprehended, the accomplishment of the effect characterized as the destruction of sin properly occurs through a combined performance alone. Just as, when the fore-sacrifices and the like are performed in combination, the accomplishment of the effects characterized as multiple assistances for the Āgneya and other [main rites] occurs in combination alone. Nor should it be said: 'Because the sin is heavier in the killing of two or three Brahmins, and based on Gautama's statement, "For heavy guilt, heavy [penances]; for light, light," a repeated performance of the penance is proper, since two distinct effects cannot logically be produced through a combined performance.' For this text does not enjoin repetition; rather, it is intended to set forth a fixed distribution among the heavy and light alternatives taught. Nor is there a greater heaviness of sin in the killing of a second Brahmin, for lack of an authoritative means of knowledge. And as for what has been stated by Manu and Devala: