Verse 11.221

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

एतद् रुद्रास्तथाऽदित्या वसवश्चाचरन् व्रतम् ।
सर्वाकुशलमोक्षाय मरुतश्च महर्षिभिः ॥ २२१ ॥

etad rudrāstathā'dityā vasavaścācaran vratam |
sarvākuśalamokṣāya marutaśca maharṣibhiḥ || 221 ||

The Rudras, Ādityas and the Maruts, along with the Great Sages, have performed this penance, for deliverance from all evils.—(221)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

All the gods have performed this penance, ‘for deliverance from all evils.’

What this means is that this penance is to be performed, not only in connection with the offences specified above, but in other cases also; as it has been declared (by Gautama, 19.20)—‘The Kṛcchra, the Ātikṛcchra and the Cāndrāyaṇa constitute the ‘universal expiation.’

In this connection there arises the question—“When the text speaks of the universal expiation, does it mean that a single performance of these atones for all sins? Or that they are to be repeated with each sin?”

The answer to this is as follows:—The reasonable view would be that the effect (in the shape of the expiation) should be repeated with the cause (the sin); but what the assertion in question refers to are those sins in regard to each of which no specific expiation has been prescribed, or those whose commitment may be only suspected, and not definitely ascertained;—now when the atonement is meant to be for such sins as are only suspected to have been committed,—when for instance, one is performing the Kṛcchra in accordance with what has been declared (in Manu, 5.21) to the effect that ‘for the atonement of unknown sins one should perform the Kṛcchra at least once a year,’—inasmuch as the cause (the sin) would be uncertain, how could there be any repetition of the expiation with each individual offence? For instance, when one is turning his sides during sleep, he may kill several small creatures on the bed, or when he is walking on the road, he may look at the face of several women, till he reaches home;—in such cases the only right view could be that one performance of the expiation should atone for all these several offences. This has been explained by us under the text, dealing with the expiation for the killing of ‘boneless creatures’ (140), where it has been shown that there is a single expiation for all the offences collectively. When, however, the offences concerned are grave ones,—we find distinct expiation prescribed in connection with each. But what Gautama has prescribed can apply to only such (unspecified) cases as have been mentioned above; and as the expiation is a heavy one, it would not he reasonable to prescribe it except in the case of repetitions. In the case of a number of suspected sins also, if no other definite offence intervenes, it would be only right to regard the single performance of the expiation as atoning for the whole lot of them. The following passage also shows that a single performance should do for a number of offences—‘Whatever sin I may have committed during the night and during the day, what I may have done while I was awake and while I was sleeping, etc., etc.,’—when the repetition of the term ‘what’ has been taken to mean that all the sins are atoned for collectively.—(221)

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Baudhāyana (3.8.30).—‘By the Cāndrāyaṇa the sages of old purified themselves and accomplished their objects. That rite procures wealth, spiritual merit, sons, cattle, long life, heavenly bliss and fame; it secures the fulfilment of all desires.’

Viṣṇu (47.10).—‘After having performed this penance, in a former age, the seven holy sages, Brahmā and Rūdra acquired a splendid abode.’