Shloka 7
Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)
षड्भिर्वर्ष: कृच्छुभोजी ब्रह्महा पूयते नर: । मासे मासे समझश्र॑स्तु त्रिभिर्वर्ष: प्रमुच्यते
ṣaḍbhir varṣaiḥ kṛcchubhojī brahmahā pūyate naraḥ | māse māse samāhṛṣṭas tu tribhir varṣaiḥ pramucyate ||
Vyāsa bersabda: Seorang yang bersalah karena membunuh brāhmaṇa menjadi suci dengan menjalani laku Kṛcchra selama enam tahun. Namun bila ia, bulan demi bulan, menunaikan tata-laku yang ditetapkan dengan disiplin yang teguh, maka dalam tiga tahun ia terbebas dari noda itu.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even grave wrongdoing is addressed within dharma through structured prāyaścitta: sustained austerity, regulated conduct, and disciplined observance are presented as means to purification and release from moral taint.
In the didactic discourse of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa states specific time-frames for expiation of brahmahatyā: six years by living on the Kṛcchra regimen, or three years if the monthly observances are performed consistently and properly.