History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.411

v2.c24.s1.411

If the student failed in observing the specific vratas, he had to perform prāyaścitta by undergoing the prājāpatya penance thrice or six times or twelve times. If the brahmacārī is guilty of failing in his daily duties of observing śauca and ācamana, of the performance of saṁdhyā prayer, of using darbha, of begging for food, of offering fuel stick to fire, of avoiding the touch of śūdras and the like, of wearing the cloth (for covering his private parts), the loin thread, the yajñopavīta, the girdle and the staff and deerskin, of not sleeping by day, of not holding an umbrella over his head or of not wearing shoes, or not putting on garlands, of avoiding luxurious bath, sandal paste, collyrium, of not sporting in water, of avoiding gambling, and addiction to dancing, singing and music, of not engaging in conversation with heretics, he had to undergo the penance of three kṛcchras (according to Baudhāyana) and to perform a *homa* with the vyāhṛtis separately and together (i. e. four oblations of clarified butter were to be offered).⁹⁰⁶ If he was guilty of other more serious lapses he had to undergo heavier penance. The most reprehensible act in a brahmacārin was to have sexual intercourse with a woman. The Tai. Ār. II. 18 speaks of the prāyaścitta for such a brahmacārin who is called *avakīrṇin*. Gaut. 25. 1-2 quotes the Tai. Ār. “they (the sages)⁹⁰⁷ say ‘in how many (deities) the avakīrṇin enters; (the answer is) he enters the Maruts with his breath, Indra with his strength, Bṛhaspati with his spiritual eminence and fire with the rest (of his senses)’” and Gautama further provides that he should kindle fire at midnight on a new moon day and then offer two ājya oblations by way of penance with the two mantras ‘kāmāva-’ and ‘Kāmāvadrugdhosmi’ &c., place a fuel stick on fire, sprinkle water round the fire, offer the yajñavāstu oblation (for which see Gobhila gṛ. I. 8. 26-29) and standing near the fire should worship fire thrice with the verse ‘sam mā siñcantu’. Baud. Dh. S. (IV. 2. 10–13) contains the same rules. Jaimini⁹⁰⁸ (VI. 8. 22) prescribes that ordinary (*laukika*) fire is to be used for the *paśu* to be sacrificed (viz. ass to Nirṛti, which is symbolic of the stupid lapse the student is guilty of) and Śabara quotes a Vedic passage that ‘a brahmacārin who has become *avakīrṇin* should sacrifice an ass to Nirṛti’. Āp. Dh. S. I. 9. 26. 8, Vas. 23. 1-3, Manu XI. 118–121, Yāj. III. 280 contain similar provisions (Vasiṣṭha allowing in the absence of an ass oblations of boiled rice with the mantras mentioned by Gautama). Manu XI. 122–123 and Viṣṇu Dh. S. 28. 49-50 prescribe that the brahmacārī so guilty should for one year wear the skin of the ass, should beg for food at seven houses announcing to them his lapse, should take food only once, should bathe thrice and then only he becomes pure. Manu II. 187 (=Viṣṇu Dh. S. 28. 52) prescribes similar penance for a brahmacārī who without being ill gives up begging for food and offering fuel to fire continuously for seven days. Prāyaścitta is prescribed for loss of yajñopavīta or its being torn, or its being polluted by impure things like blood &c. It consists in offering homa and wearing a new one. Vide Saṁskāra-ratnamālā pp. 365-367 for details.