History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.404

v5.c71.s1.404

*Vratalopa* (non-observance of the vow of celibacy on the part of a brahmacārin). A Vedic student who has sexual intercourse with a woman is technically called *avakīrṇin* The Tai. Ā. II. 18 contains the penance for avakīrṇin first promulgated by Sudeva Kāśyapa²⁵⁴. Āp Dh S. (I 9. 26. 8-9) provides²⁵⁵ that such a student shall offer to Nirṛti (goddess of Hell or death) an ass according to the manner of Pākayajñas and that a śūdra shall eat the remainder of the offering. Jaimini (VI. 8 22) provides that the offering is to be made in the ordinary fire (*laukikāgni*) and not in the consecrated Vedic fire.²⁵⁶ Vas. (23 1-3) prescribes 'if a Vedic student approaches a woman, then hè should offer an ass to the goblins (*rakṣas*) in a forest where four roads meet, kindling an ordinary fire or he may offer an oblation of boiled rice to Nirṛti and throw into the fire four oblations of that food saying 'To lust, *svāhā*; to him who follows his lust, svāhā; to Nirṛti svāhā; to the deities called *Rakṣas*, svāhā'. Gaut 23. 17-19, Manu XI. 118-123, Baud Dh. S II. 1. 35-43; Yāj. III. 280, Agnipurāṇa 169. 15-18, Pār gr. III. 12 contain similar provisions, Gautama adding that he shall beg for a year at seven houses with a red vessel (earthen) in his hand and proclaim his misdeed. The Baud. Dh S. and Pār gr furnish elaborate details. The former states that the Paśupuroḍāśa may be offered to Rakṣas or to Yama or he may offer on the Amāvāsyā at night two offerings of clarified butter in fire after performing the preparatory rites of a *darvihoma* and that he may then invoke fire with the verse (Tai. Ā. II 18) 'Saṃ mā ciñcantu marutaḥ &c.' (may the Maruts grant me long life and strength).