Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17
अत्रेः तपोबलप्रकाशः तथा च्यवनस्य सोमाधिकारः
Atri’s Illumination by Tapas; Cyavana and Soma-Entitlement
मृतस्य दशरात्रेण प्रायश्चित्तानि दापयेत् सावित्री रैवतीमिष्टिं कृूष्माण्डमघमर्षणम्
mṛtasya daśarātreṇa prāyaścittāni dāpayet | sāvitrīṃ raivatīm iṣṭiṃ kūṣmāṇḍam aghamarṣaṇam ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Kung sa loob ng sampung araw ng karumihan matapos ang kamatayan ay may taong kumain sa bahay ng iba, dapat siyang pagawin ng mga pag-amin at pagtubos (prāyaścitta). Ang lunas ay ang pagbigkas ng Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) na mantra, ang ritwal na Raivatī, ang panlinis na iṣṭi (handog na sakripisyo), ang pormulang Kūṣmāṇḍa, at ang himnong Aghamarṣaṇa—sa gayon nalilinis ang pagkukulang at naibabalik ang kaayusang ritwal at asal ayon sa dharma.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that violations committed during the sensitive period of death-impurity (maraṇa-āśauca) require deliberate expiation. Dharma is maintained not only by avoiding improper conduct but also by restoring purity through prescribed mantra-recitation and rites when a lapse occurs.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Bhīṣma lays down a specific rule: if someone eats food while under the ten-day death-impurity connected with another household, he should undertake named purificatory recitations/rites—Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī), Raivatī, an iṣṭi, Kūṣmāṇḍa, and Aghamarṣaṇa—to remove the fault.