History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.149

v5.c71.s1.149

*Prāṇāyāma* (restraint of the breath) Vide H of Dh. vol II p 317 for a description of this Manu XI. 248 (which is the same as Baud. Dh S IV 1 31, Vas. 26 4, Atri II. 5, Saṅkhasmṛti XII 18-19) lays down 'sixteen prāṇāyāmas attended by the Vyāhṛtis and the Praṇava (omkāra), if performed every day, would purify after a month even the murderer of a bhrūṇa (a learned brāhmaṇa)'. Viṣṇu Dh S. 55.2 (in prose) is to the same effect. Vas 26 1-3 provide that on the proper performance of three prāṇāyāmas all the sins committed by day or in the night are at once destroyed Yāj. III 305 states that for the removal of all sins, of upapātakas and *of sins for which no special expiation is provided by the texts* one hundred prāṇāyāmas should be performed. This refers to sins not known to others for which expiation is to be performed secretly. Baud Dh. S (IV 1 5-11) provides for varying numbers (3, 7, 12) of prāṇāyāmas to be spread over one day to a year for different kinds of sins ranging from the eating of the food of a śūdra to brāhmaṇa murder This whole passage is quoted by the Mit on Yāj III.305 which points out the kinds of sins it deals with The Agnipurāṇa 173.21 has the same half verse as Yāj. III 305 (first half)