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XI, 134.
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131. He who has slain a Sûdra, shall perform that whole penance during six months, or he may also give ten white cows and one bull to a Brâh
mana.
PENANCES FOR MINOR OFFENCES.
132. Having killed a cat, an ichneumon, a blue jay, a frog, a dog, an iguana, an owl, or a crow, he shall perform the penance for the murder of a Sûdra;
133. Or he may drink milk during three days, or walk one hundred yoganas, or bathe in a river, or mutter the hymn addressed to the Waters.
134. For killing a snake, a Brâhmana shall give a spade of black iron, for a eunuch a load of straw and a mâsha of lead;
particle vâ,'or,' takes the place of the copula, and thus one penance only is prescribed.
131. Gov. and Kull. hold that these penances, too, are to be performed in the case of an unintentional homicide. Medh. explains sitâh, 'white,' to mean 'not white in colour, but (called so) because they resemble in purity (white substances), and give much milk and are accompanied by their calves.'
132. Ap. I, 25, 13; Gaut. XXII, 19; Vas. XXI, 24; Vi. L, 30-32; Yâgn. III, 270. Gov., Kull., Nand. expressly state that the penance for the murder of a Sûdra is to be performed for intentionally (thus also Nâr.) killing any single one of these animals, while Medh. thinks that the rule holds good only if one has killed all of them. The penance intended is, according to Gov., Kull., Nâr., and Râgh., not that mentioned in the preceding verse, but the lunar penance (Gov., Kull., Râgh.), or the Govrata (Gov., Kull.), or the Tapta Krikkhra (Nâr.).
133. According to Gov., Kull., Nâr., Râgh., these penances are to be performed if the animal has been killed unintentionally; according to Medh. they serve to expiate the slaughter of a single animal. The choice among the four penances depends according to Kull. and Râgh. on the strength of the offender, according to Gov. and Når. on his caste and other circumstances. 'A yogana,' i. e. 2-9 miles. The hymn mentioned is found Rig-veda X, 9.
134. Gaut. XXII, 23, 25; Vi. L, 34-35; Yâgn. III, 273. 'A Brahmana,' i. e. 'even a Brâhmana' (Nâr.). The recipient of the gift is in every case a Brâhmana.
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