History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.212

v5.c71.s1.212

10 the form 'prāyaścitti' is employed. Jai. in several places employs the word prāyaścitta (as in VI 3 7, VI 4.10, VI 5.45 and 49, XII 3 16). Śabara¹³⁹ on the last sūtra (XII 3.16) explains that the prāyaścittas (in the Śruti texts) are of two kinds, viz some are meant to make good the defect in the procedure and materials of sacrifice which arises or befalls through some neglect or heedlessness, while others are subsidiary parts of a rite when an occasion arises i e they are undertaken to atone for not doing what is ordained or doing something which is forbidden (e g non-performance of daily Agnihotra even though the sun rises) The Śat. Br¹⁴⁰ XII 4 and Ait Br. 32 2-11 provide some interesting and amusing examples of the mishaps for which prāyaścittas are provided e. g when a vicious boar, ram or dog runs between the sacrificial fires, or if Agnihotra milk gets spilled while the cow is being milked or if the milk pot is turned upside down or if it were to break or if the cow were to lie down while being milked, or if the fire were to go out after the first libation is offered etc Vide also Mānava-gṛhya I 3, Hir. gr I. 5 1-16, Bhāradvāja gr II 32, Kauśika-sūtra 46. 14-55, Āśv Śr III 10 and Āśv gr. III. 6-7 for similar occurrences and prāyaścittas The Mahābhāṣya on Pān. VI 1.157 explains¹⁴¹ both prāyaścitti and prāyaścitta on the analogy of the word *Pāraskara* Prāyaścittas may be said to be, in the language of the Mīmāṁsā, either *kratvartha* or *puruṣārtha* The former are prescribed in the Śrautasūtras. It is the latter kind of prāyaścittas that are generally dealt with in Smṛti works on prāyaścitta In this work the prāyaścittas mentioned in Śrauta works are passed over, as they have either been mentioned in vol. II. or were of rare occurrence even in olden days.