History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.556

v5.c71.s1.556

*MAHĀSĀNTAPANA*—Sāntapana, according to Yāj. III. 314, Manu XI 212 (=Baud. Dh. S. IV. 5.11=Śaṅkha 18.8=Bṛhad-Yama I. 13), Atri 117-118, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 46.20, lasts for two days; on the first the sinner drinks together cow's urine, dung, milk, curds, ghee and kuśa water and on the second day he fasts altogether. Mahāsāntapana penance consists, according to Laugākṣigṛhya VII. 3, Yāj. III. 315 (=Devala 82=Atri. 118-119), in drinking separately for six days in succession the six ingredients mentioned above and fasting on the next day (i e it lasts for 7 days) According to Śaṅkha 18.9, Baud Dh. S. IV. 5.17 and Jābāla³³⁸ the Mahāsāntapana lasts for 21 days, each of the six ingredients referred to above being taken for three days and a fast being observed for three days. Yama speaks ³³⁹ of a mahāsāntapana for 15 days viz when each of cow's urine, dung, milk, curds and ghee is taken as subsistence for three days consecutively.