History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.25

v5.c71.s1.25

The word '*durita*' is sometimes used in the sense of sin In Ṛg I 23 22 the waters are invoked as follows:¹¹ 'O waters! carry away from me whatever sin may exist in me, whatever transgressions I may have been guilty of as regards my sensual appetite or whatever falsehood I may have uttered'. Here all three words 'durita, droha and anṛta' are brought together and convey almost the same idea, viz. sin or guilt against the law of the Gods. In Ṛg I. 185 10 Heaven and Earth are called father and mother and are invoked to save the worshipper from *durita* (sin) which involves blame (pātām-avadyād-duritād) '*Avadya*' means 'garhya' acc. to Pāṇ. III. 1. 101. Ṛg. VII. 82. 7 states 'Him neither *aṁhas* (sin) nor *durita* nor worry reaches from anywhere to whose sacrifice you go, O Mitra and Varuṇa!'. In Ṛg. X. 126. 1 '*aṁhas*-' and '*durita*' are brought together (na tam-aṁho na duritam devāso asta martyam) In Ṛg VIII 67 21 the words aṁhati and rapas¹² seem to be employed in the sense of sin. '*Duṣkṛta*' (evil deed) is used in the sense of sin in Ṛg. VIII. 47. 13 and in Ṛg X 164. 3 Agni is implored to keep far away from the worshipper all sins¹³. The word '*pāpa*' generally¹⁴ occurs in the Ṛg. in the sense of 'sinner' (Ṛg. VIII. 61. 11, X. 10 12, IV. 5. 5) or 'sinful' or 'evil' (Ṛg X 108 6, X. 164 5, I. 129. 11) In Ṛg VII. 32. 18, VII. 94 3, VIII. 19 26 'pāpatva' occurs and appears to mean 'sinfulness' In the Brāhmaṇas 'pāpam' (neuter) occurs in the sense of 'sin' as in Śat Br. XI. 2 7. 19; vide also¹⁵ Ait Br 33. 5 In the Upaniṣads 'pāpam' means 'sin' (e g in Tai Up II 9, Chāndogya IV 14. 3). Certain important modifications of the doctrine about sin and *Karma* were introduced in the Upaniṣads and the Bhagavadgītā, which will be discussed later on.