History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.1247

v4.c63.1247

In the case of those guilty of grave sins who did not perform the prāyaścittas prescribed for such sins there was a peculiar procedure called *ghaṭasphoṭa* prescribed for excommunicating them and severing all connection with them and treating them as dead, which has been described in H. of Dh. vol. II p. 388. Vide Gaut. 20. 2-7, Manu XI. 182-184, Yāj. III. 294. But when the sinner performed the appropriate prāyaścitta (penance), the smṛtis declare that he became fit to be associated with (*vyavahārya*), he was to be welcomed by his relatives who were to take a bath along with him in a holy river or the like and who were to throw in the water an unused jar filled with water, he should offer grass to cows in the midst of his relations, they were not to find fault with him later on. Vide Manu XI. 186-187, Yāj. III. 295, 299, Vas. 15. 20, Gaut. 20- 10-14 (which prescribes the recital of certain Vedic mantras and the offering of clarified butter into fire). Āp. Dh. S. I. 9. 24. 24-25 and I. 10. 29. 1-2 prescribe for the sinner who kills a *guru* or a *śrotriya* that has performed *soma* sacrifice or a *bhrūṇa* certain observances till death, but declare that such a person can never get rid of the loss of the right of association with all people, that there is no return for him to his relatives.¹¹⁶⁷ In the Nirṇayasindhu (III Uttarārdha pp. 567-68) and in the Dharmasindhu (III Uttarārdha pp. 453-54) the rite of *ghaṭasphoṭa* for a *patita* and the rite for taking him back are concisely described.¹¹⁶⁸