Adhyaya 132: Expiatory Rites for Contact with a Corpse and with a Menstruating Woman

Verse 1

अथ मृतकस्पर्शप्रायश्चित्तम् ॥ श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ गत्वा तु मैथुनं भद्रे अस्नातो यः शवं स्पृशेत् ॥ रेतः पिबति दुर्बुद्धिः सहस्रं नव पञ्च च ॥

Now, the expiation concerning contact with a corpse. Śrī Varāha said: “O good lady, one who, after sexual intercourse and without bathing, touches a corpse—such a person of poor judgment is said to ‘drink semen’ a thousand and nine and five (i.e., 1014) times.”

Verse 2

वर्षं नारायणाच्छ्रुत्वा सा मही संशितव्रता ॥ ततो दीनमना भूत्वा प्रोवाच मधुसूदनम् ॥

Having heard it from Nārāyaṇa, the Earth—steadfast in her vow—became downcast in mind and spoke to Madhusūdana.

Verse 3

धरण्युवाच ॥ किमिदं भाषसे देव धर्मं भीषणसङ्कटम् ॥ कथमेवं पुमान्वै स रेतःपानपरो भवेत् ॥

Dharaṇī said: “O Deva, what is this that you speak of—a dharma that is terribly perilous? How could a man, in such a way, become one devoted to drinking semen?”

Verse 4

एतनमे परमं दुःखं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति ॥ श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ शृणु तत्त्वेन मे देवि इदं गुह्यमनुत्तमम् ॥

“This is my deepest sorrow; you ought to explain it.” Śrī Varāha said: “Listen, O Devī, in accordance with the truth: this is a supreme and confidential teaching.”

Verse 5

चिह्नमैतद्वरारोहे आधिचारविनिश्चयः ॥ पुरुषः स्त्रीषु कर्माणि यो विकुर्वीत निर्घृणः ॥

“O fair-hipped one, this is a sign—an ascertainment regarding wrongful conduct: the man who, without compassion, commits improper acts toward women.”

Verse 6

दृष्टं तस्यापराधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः ॥ एवमेतद्वरारोहे यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

“A human being receives the manifest result of that offence. This indeed is so, O fair-hipped one, regarding what you ask me.”

Verse 7

अपराधस्य दोषेण विशुद्धिश्च न जायते ॥ प्रायश्चित्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि रागदोषेण दोषितम् ॥

Because of the fault inherent in the offence, purity does not arise. I shall declare an expiation (prāyaścitta) for one tainted by the fault of passion.

Verse 8

गृहस्थाः पुरुषा भद्रे मम कर्मपरायणाः ॥ यावकेन त्रयं क्षिप्त्वा पिण्याकेन दिनत्रयम् ॥

O auspicious one, householders devoted to my prescribed discipline—having observed three days with yāvaka-grain, and then three days with oil-cake (piṇyāka) …

Verse 9

वायुभक्षं दिनं त्वेकं ततो मुच्येत किल्बिषात् ॥ य एवम् कुरुते भूमे विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

(Then) living on air alone for a single day—thereafter one is released from sin. O Earth, whoever does thus, by an act prescribed according to rule …

Verse 10

प्रायश्चित्तं महाभागे मम लोकसुखावहम् ॥ स्पृष्ट्वा तु मृतकं भद्रे नरं पञ्चत्वमागतम् ॥

O fortunate one, the expiation (prāyaścitta) I teach brings well-being in my realm. But having touched a corpse—O auspicious one—a man who has reached the state of the five elements (i.e., death) …

Verse 11

मम शास्त्रं बहिष्कृत्य यः श्मशानं प्रपद्यते ॥ पितरस्तस्य सुश्रोणि आत्मनश्च पितामहाः ॥

Rejecting my śāstra, whoever resorts to the śmaśāna (cremation-ground)—O fair-hipped one—for him the ancestors (pitaras), and even his own grandfathers …

Verse 12

श्मशाने जम्बुका भूत्वा भक्षयन्ति शवांस्तथा ॥ ततो हरेर्वर्चः श्रुत्वा धर्मकामा वसुन्धरा ॥

In the cremation-ground, becoming jackals, they likewise devour corpses. Then, having heard of Hari’s sacred potency, Vasundharā—desirous of dharma—turns her attention toward it.

Verse 13

उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं सर्वलोकहिताय वै ॥ धरण्युवाच ॥ तव नाथ प्रपन्नानां क्व पापं विद्यते प्रभो ॥

She spoke sweet words for the welfare of all worlds. Dharaṇī said: “O Lord, for those who have taken refuge in you, where can sin be found, O Master?”

Verse 14

प्रायश्चित्तं च मे ब्रूहि येन मुच्यन्ति किल्बिषात् ॥ श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ शृणु सुन्दरि तत्त्वेन यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

“Tell me also the expiation by which they are released from wrongdoing.” Śrīvarāha said: “Listen, O fair one, in truth, to what you are asking me.”

Verse 15

कथयिष्यामि ते हीदं शोभनं पापनाशनम् ॥ एकाहारो दिनान्सप्त त्रिरात्रं चाप्युपोषितः ॥

“I shall tell you this—auspicious and destructive of sin: one should take a single meal for seven days, and also observe a fast for three nights.”

Verse 16

पञ्चगव्यं ततः पीत्वा ततो मुच्येत किल्बिषात् ॥ शवॆ स्पृष्टेऽपराधस्य एष ते कथितो विधिः ॥

“Then, having drunk pañcagavya, one is released from wrongdoing. This is the procedure I have explained to you for the offense of having touched a corpse.”

Verse 17

सर्वथा वर्जनीयं वै सर्वभागवतेन तु ॥ य एतेन विधानॆन प्रायश्चित्तं समाचरेत् ॥

Indeed, it is to be avoided in every way—by every devotee. But whoever performs expiation according to this procedure…

Verse 18

विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो नापराधोऽस्ति तस्य वै ॥ नारीं रजस्वलां स्पृष्ट्वा यो मां स्पृशति निर्भयः ॥

…(he becomes) freed from all sins; indeed, no offense remains for him. But having touched a menstruating woman, whoever touches me (the sacred object/ground in context) without fear…

Verse 19

अन्धश्च जायते देवि दरिद्रो ज्ञानमूर्खवान् ॥ न च विन्दति चात्मानं पतितो नरके यथा ॥

And one is born blind, O goddess, and poor—possessing a confused (misdirected) understanding. He does not find his own Self, like one fallen into hell.

Verse 20

अपराधमिमं कृत्वा तत्रैवं नास्ति संशयः ॥ धरण्युवाच ॥ तव देव प्रपन्नानां मोक्षं संसारसागरात् ॥

Having committed this offense, it is indeed so—there is no doubt. Dharaṇī said: “O god, (tell me of) the liberation of those who have taken refuge in you from the ocean of saṃsāra.”

Verse 21

अपराधसमायुक्तस्तव कर्मपरायणः ॥ कर्मणा येन शुध्येत तन्मे ब्रूहि जनार्दन ॥

“Even if one is burdened with offenses, yet devoted to your prescribed conduct—by what act is one purified? Tell me that, O Janārdana.”

Verse 22

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ स्पृष्ट्वा रजस्वलां नारीं नरो मद्भक्तितत्परः ॥ तपः कृत्वा त्रिरात्रं तु आकाशशयने वसेत् ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “If a man devoted to my bhakti has touched a menstruating woman, then, having undertaken austerity for three nights, he should reside on an open-air bed (sleeping without a roof).”

Verse 23

शुद्धो भागवतो भूत्वा मम कर्मपरायणः ॥ एवं कृत्वा महाभागे प्रायश्चित्तं मम प्रियम् ॥

“Becoming purified, being a bhāgavata devoted to my ordinances—having done so, O fortunate one, this expiation (prāyaścitta) is pleasing to me.”

Verse 24

मुच्यते किल्बिषाद्देवि आचारेण बहिष्कृतः ॥ एतत्ते कथितं भद्रे यत्स्पृष्ट्वा तु रजस्वलाम् ॥

“O goddess, one who has been excluded due to (a lapse in) proper conduct is released from sin by (restored) observance. O auspicious one, I have told you this: what is to be done after touching a menstruating woman.”

Verse 25

स्पृष्ट्वा तु मृतकं देवि यो मत्क्षेत्रेषु तिष्ठति ॥ शतवर्षसहस्राणि गर्भेषु परिवर्तते ॥

“O goddess, one who, having touched a corpse, remains within my sacred precincts—he revolves through wombs for thousands of hundreds of years (i.e., for an immensely long time).”

Verse 26

दशवर्षसहस्राणि चाण्डालश्चैव जायते ॥ अन्धः सप्तसहस्राणि मण्डूकश्च शतं समाः ॥

“For ten thousand years he is born as a caṇḍāla; for seven thousand (years) as blind; and for a hundred years as a frog.”

Verse 27

मक्षिका त्रीणि वर्षाणि टिट्टिभैकादशं समाः ॥ दंशो वै सप्त चान्यानि कृकलासो भवेत्समाः ॥

(He becomes) a fly for three years; a ṭiṭṭibha (a kind of bird) for eleven years; a biting insect for seven years; and, for the remaining years, a lizard.

Verse 28

एवं स चात्मदोषेण मम कर्मपरायणः ॥ प्राप्नोति सुमहद्दुःखं देवि चैवं न संशयः ॥

Thus, even one devoted to my ordinances, by his own fault attains exceedingly great suffering, O goddess—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 29

ततो हरेर्वचः श्रुत्वा दुःखेन परिपृच्छति ॥ सर्वसंसारमोक्षाय प्रत्युवाच वसुन्धरा ॥

Then, having heard Hari’s words, she asked in distress; and for the sake of liberation from the entire cycle of worldly existence, Vasundharā (Earth) replied.

Verse 30

धरण्युवाच ॥ किमिदं भाषसे देव मानुषाणां दुरासदम् ॥ वाक्यं भीषणमत्यन्तं मम मर्मप्रभेदकम् ॥

Dharāṇī said: “O god, what is this that you speak—so difficult for human beings to approach (or to comply with)? Your statement is exceedingly terrifying; it pierces my very core.”

Verse 31

आचाराच्च परिभ्रष्टस्तवकर्मपरायणः ॥ यथा तरति दुर्गाणि प्रायश्चित्तं तथा वद ॥

“Even one devoted to your ordinances, if he has fallen away from proper conduct—tell me the expiation (prāyaścitta) by which he crosses over difficulties (durgas) in that manner.”

Verse 32

श्रुत्वा पृथ्व्यास्तथा वाक्यं लोकनाथो जनार्दनः ॥ धर्मसंरक्षणार्थाय प्रत्युवाच वसुन्धराम् ॥

Having heard Pṛthivī’s words, Janārdana, the Lord of the world, replied to Vasundharā for the sake of safeguarding dharma.

Verse 33

श्रीवराह उवाच ॥ स्पृष्ट्वा तु मृतकं भूमे मम कर्मपरायणः ॥ एकाहारं ततस्तिष्ठेद्दिनानि दश पञ्च च ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “O Earth, after touching a corpse, one devoted to my prescribed observances should thereafter remain on a single daily meal for fifteen days.”

Verse 34

तत एवं विधिं कृत्वा पञ्चगव्यं तु प्राशयेत् ॥ शुद्धभावं विशुद्धात्मा कर्मणा च न लिप्यते ॥

“Then, having performed the procedure in this manner, one should ingest pañcagavya; being pure in disposition and purified in self, one is not tainted by the act.”

Verse 35

एतत्ते कथितं देवि स्पृष्ट्वा मृतकमेव च ॥ दोषं चैव विशुद्ध्यर्थं यत्त्वया पूर्वपृच्छितम् ॥

“Goddess, I have told you this—concerning the fault that arises from touching a corpse and the means of purification—which you previously asked about.”

Verse 36

य एतेन विधानेंन प्रायश्चित्तं समाचरेत् ॥ अपराधविमुक्तो वै मम लोकं स गच्छति ॥

“Whoever performs expiation according to this procedure becomes free from offense, and he goes to my realm.”

Verse 37

ज्ञात्वा कर्मापराधं तु न स पापेन लिप्यते ॥ एतत्ते कथितं भद्रे मिथुनं योऽभिगच्छति ॥

Having recognized the offense in action, one is not stained by sin. This I have told you, O auspicious one, concerning the one who approaches sexual union.

Verse 38

रागमोहेन संयुक्तः कामेन च वशीकृतः ॥ वर्षाणां तु सहस्रैकं रजः पिबति निर्घृणः ॥

Joined with attachment and delusion, and brought under the sway of desire, the merciless one drinks ‘rajas’ for a thousand and one years.

Verse 39

हस्ती वर्षशतं चैव खरो द्वात्रिंशकं भवेत् ॥ मार्जारो नववर्षाणि वानरो दशपञ्च च ॥

(One becomes) an elephant for a hundred years; a donkey for thirty-two years; a cat for nine years; and a monkey for fifteen years.