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I consider abortion to be a greater sin than Brahmanicide. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad considers thieves and abortionists to be great sinners. The Vasishtha Sutra divides sinners into three categories: 1. Ansavi, 2. Mahapataki, 3. Upapataki. Ansavi refers to ordinary sinners. Specific atonement is prescribed for them. According to Vasishtha, there are five Mahapatakas (1) Defiling the bed of a Guru (2) Drinking liquor (3) Killing a fetus (4) Stealing the gold of a Brahmin (5) Contact with an outcast. Upapataki is one who abandons Agnihotra. He incurs the wrath of his Guru by his misdeeds. He earns his livelihood from atheists. It is true that there have been different opinions regarding these categories of sins. Due to the fear of expansion, we are not discussing all of them and their opinions here. The descriptions of Brahmanicide, drinking liquor, theft, sexual intercourse with the Guru's wife, etc. are found in detail in Agni Purana, Prayaschittaviveka, Dharmasatra, Manusmriti, etc. Narada says that if a person has sexual intercourse with his mother, maternal aunt, mother-in-law, paternal aunt, sister-in-law, aunt, friend's wife, disciple's wife, sister, sister's friend, wife's sister, teacher's wife, woman of the same gotra, midwife, fasting woman and Brahmin woman, he becomes guilty of the sin of Gurutalpa adultery. There is no punishment other than castration for such a misdeed.
After committing various sins, people started praising Aditi, Mitra, Varuna, etc. to save themselves from those sins. Fearing the consequences of their crimes, they also started performing various kinds of vows, etc. According to the Rig Veda, the first ritual for atonement for sin was prayer for mercy, praise to avoid sin, and sacrifice to get rid of the consequences of serious sins. The Taittiriya Samhita Shatapatha Brahmana states that by performing Ashvamedha, the gods freed the king from sin. Another means of getting rid of sin was confession of sin.
The Gautama Dharma Sutra, Vasishtha Smriti states that Japa, Tapa, Homa, fasting and charity are the atonements for misdeeds. Acharya Manu has written that by confessing the crime and repenting, performing Tapa, chanting Gayatri mantras, the sinner is freed from the crime. If he cannot do this, he is freed by charity. The same thing is mentioned in Parashara Shatatapasmriti, Bhavishya Purana. The Shatapatha Brahmana clearly states that whoever
1. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4/3/22
Narada Smriti Sloka 73-75 Rig Veda 7/86/4-5, 8/88/6-7, 7/89/1-4 Taittiriya Samhita 5/3/12/1-2
Shatapatha Brahmana 13/3/1/1 6. Gautama Dharma Sutra 19/11 7. Vasishtha Smriti 22/8 8. Manusmriti 3/227
Parashara Maghaviya 10/40 10. Shatatapasmriti 1/4 11. Bhavishya Purana Prayah Vivek Page 31 12. Shatapatha Brahmana 2/5/2/20
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