Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 195

SEPTEMBER, 1931 ] PRAYAŚCITTA, OR HINDU IDEAS ON THE EXPIATION OF SIN
167
must drink pañcagavya. Afterwards she should assemble with other women, and worship the seven seers as follows:
"Lucky symbols are drawn in colour on a board, on which is placed a copper vessel Glled with clean water and wrapped in a new cloth. The eight small heaps of rice are made (for the seven and Arundhati) and on each heap is put a supiri nut [areca nut) or a pavitra, i.e., a ring made of darbha grass (Eragrostis cynosuroides). Coins, perfumes, flowers and rice are put in the pot, and all these are worshipped with mantras. Afterwards the officiating priest receives presents and his fee, and gives his blessing.
“On this day nothing grown from bullocks' labour must be eaten. An onion must be bitten into and then thrown into a stream."33
This festival is held on the fifth Suklapakua (light half) of the month of Bhadra3* (August. September). According to some authorities this ceremony of expiation should be performed every year, whereas others are of opinion that if ii be performed for seven consecutive years, enough virtue will be gained to last till one's death.
These expiatory ceremonies are for all sins : mahapataka (mortal sins) as well as upay påtaka (venial sins). To the former belong killing a Brahmana, drinking wine, having carnal knowledge of a guru's wife, theft, and association with a person who has committed any one or all of these sins. To the latter, for which forgiveness is asked twice daily, belong untruthfulness, cheating, refusing to give alms to the deserving, eating garlic, onions and so on, or doing such things as are unworthy of a Brahmana. After performing these präykscittas the pancagavya is tasted, or rather in modern times the pancamla or nectar consisting of milk, curds, clarified butter, honey and sugar. The paficamota is a modern substitute for the pancagavya, in which the objectionable ingredients, urine and dung, are left out. For smaller sins it is equally effective, the pañcagavya being reserved for the greater sins,
We see, then, that sin may be expiated by various means, all of which have a more or less magical character, and sin itself is of a magical nature. It may be cleansed by bathing; as the flowing runs over the body and carries away the dirt and dust, so is the heart purified of all pollution. The cow being sacred lends some of her sanctity to those using the producta, for who can doubt that things which have been in contact with the cow must retain some of the sanctity of the cow ? Rebirth, too, is resorted too when all else fails, and the method employed for being reborn is symbolical. And lastly, we are told, that in order to expiate a certain sin it is of the utmost importanoe that the sin be revealed to all and sundry,35 because each time a sinner tells his sins to another, bis sins become less and less; the hearer, go to gay. becomes a partner to it, and finally the sin becomes so dissolved that it disappears altogether. In short, magic enters largely in all modern prdyascittas, and true repentance has very little, if anything, to do with the expiation of sing. We may, therefore, be justified in saying that the Hindu prayascitta is nothing but a magical rite, widespread but little understood.
38 M. M. Underhill, The Hindu Religious Year (The Religious Life of India ; Ox. Un. Pr., 1921), pp. 73 f. ef. pp. 71 f.
34 Ibid., p. 146.
36 " Un peccato si dice-non viene perdonato se non quando è giunto a conoscanea di tutto mondo.... Cont il peccatore rivela il suo peccato a tutti quelli que incontra, e sotto regreto perchd la noticia propaghi pia presto Gillo Tostore, S.J., "La superstizioni indiane sotto il loro aspetto utilitario," Stronna delle mie sioni della Compagnia di Gesi per l'anno 1922, p. 39). Presumably Father Gille-Testore's paper refers only to Southern India, where Hindus are much mixed with the aboriginal Dravidians.