History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.143

v3.c40.143

Megasthenes (p. 69) and Strabo (XV. 1. 53) note that Indians did not drink wine except at sacrifices (in the 4th century B. C.). Gautama 23. 1, Manu XI. 90-91, Yāj. III. 253 prescribe that if a person knowingly and frequently drinks surā i. e. paiṣṭī, he can be purified only by death due to the pouring in his mouth of boiling surā or water or ghee or cow's urine or milk. Yāj. III. 254 prescribes another prāyaścitta (expiation) also. Vas. Dh. S. 20. 19, Manu XI. 146 and Yāj. III. 255 prescribe that if any one of the three varṇas drinks surā through ignorance he becomes pure by undergoing the penance of Kṛcchra and by having his upanayana performed again. Aparārka (p. 1070) quotes a smṛti of Kumāra that a child up to five years has to perform no penance for drinking any intoxicant, that after five but before upanayana the child's parents or other relative or friend has to undergo it viz. three kṛcchras.¹⁹⁰⁷