History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.58

v5.c71.s1.58

*Brahmahatyā Hatyā* or *vadha* (killing) is applied to an act which immediately or after some time results in causing loss of life directly without the intervention of any other cause.³⁶ The Agnipuraṇa (173 1), the Mit, the Prāyaścittaviveka (p 47) and other works define what is meant by *vadha* A man may be the cause of the death of a brāhmaṇa in five ways, viz. he may himself kill (i e. he becomes the *kartā*), he may incite another to kill (*prayojaka*) by ordering that other to do so (as a king or noble by ordering his servant) or by imploring another to kill and giving advice about the killing, he may encourage another to kill by his own approval (*anumantā*), or by helping the killer when he wavers or by offering protection to the killer against others (*anugrāhaka*) and by becoming a *nimitta*.³⁷