History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.16

v5.c72.16

The sarvaprāyaścitta was to be performed by the dying man or by his son or other relative who was to shave himself, take a bath, drink *pañcagavya*, honour a brāhmaṇa with sandal paste and other things; after having honoured the cow or the money to be paid in lieu of it, and after referring to the several kinds of sins that one may be guilty of (vide note ⁴²⁹) he is to make a gift of a cow (with a calf) to the brāhmaṇa or in lieu of it, of some money. After sarvaprāyaścitta come the ten *dānas* stated above. In the dānas the Kāmastuti⁴³⁰ as studied by the followers of each veda was to be recited. The Garuḍapurāṇa (II. 4. 7-9) further prescribes other dānas called mahā-dānas viz. of sesame, iron, gold, cotton, salt, seven kinds of corn, land and cows when a man is dying and also other gifts called padadānas such as of umbrella, sandals, ring, water-jar, seat, food. The Garuḍapurāṇa (II 4 37) further provides that if a man about to die takes sannyāsa according to the rules laid down for what is called *āturasannyāsa* he never returns to the cycle of births and deaths.