History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.456

v5.c71.s1.456

The sages observed that some of the penances mentioned in old smṛtis were terrible and involved loss of life Therefore, gradually more humane and easier penances came to be prescribed For example, Hārīta²⁸⁸ states 'brāhmaṇas who have studied dharmaśāstra should prescribe a penance appropriate to the age, the time and the strength of the brāhmaṇa (sinner), the penance being such that he may not lose his life and yet may be purified; one should not prescribe an observance that will cause great distress (to the sinner) Aṅgiras also says that the *pariṣad* should indicate the penance resolved upon by all the members which would not cause loss of life Śaṅkha declares:²⁸⁹ 'a brāhmaṇa should never practise the performance of a penance in a forest full of thieves, ferocious beasts, elephants and other animals through fear of injury to life. The body that is the all in all (i e. the only source) of (the observance of) dharma must be protected with efforts; just as water oozes down from the mountain, so dharma springs from the body'.