Praśna I, Paṭala 10, Khaṇḍa 28

1. He who, under any conditions whatsoever, covets (and takes) another man's possessions is a thief; thus (teach) Kautsa and Hārita as well as Kaṇva and Pushkarasādi.

2. Vārshyāyaṇi declares, that there are exceptions to this law, in regard to some possessions.

3. (E.g.) seeds ripening in the pod, food for a draught-ox; (if these are taken), the owners (ought) not (to) forbid it.^[1]

4. To take even these things in too great a quantity is sinful.

5. Hārita declares, that in every case the permission (of the owner must be obtained) first.

6. He shall not go to visit a fallen teacher or blood relation.

7. Nor shall he accept the (means for procuring) enjoyments from such a person.^[2]

8. If he meets them accidentally he shall silently embrace (their feet) and pass on.

9. A mother does very many acts for her son, therefore he must constantly serve her, though she be fallen.

10. But (there shall be) no communion (with a fallen mother) in acts performed for the acquisition of spiritual merit.

11. Enjoyments taken unrighteously he shall give up; he shall say, 'I and sin (do not dwell together).' Clothing himself with a garment reaching from the navel down to the knee, bathing daily, morn, noon, and evening, eating food which contains neither milk nor pungent condiments, nor salt, he shall not enter a house for twelve years.^[3]

12. After that he (may be) purified.

13. Then he may have intercourse with Aryans.

14. This penance may also be employed in the case of the other crimes which cause loss of caste (for which no penance has been ordained above).

15. But the violator of a Guru's bed shall enter a hollow iron image and, having caused a fire to be lit on both sides, he shall burn himself.^[4]

16. According to Hārita, this (last-mentioned penance must) not (be performed).

17. For he who takes his own or another's life becomes an Abhiśasta.

18. He (the violator of a Guru's bed) shall perform to his last breath (the penance) prescribed by that rule (Sūtra 11). He cannot be purified in this world. But (after death) his sin is taken away.

19. He who has unjustly forsaken his wife shall put on an ass's skin, with the hair turned outside, and beg in seven houses, saying, 'Give alms to him who forsook his wife.' That shall be his livelihood for six months.

20. But if a wife forsakes her husband, she shall perform the twelve-night Kṛcchra penance for as long a time.

21. He who has killed a Bhrūṇa (a man learned in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas and skilled in the performance of the rites) shall put on the skin of a dog or of an ass, with the hair turned outside, and take a human skull for his drinking-vessel,

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

28. The same rule Manu emphatically ascribes to himself, Manu VIII, 339, But see also VIII, 331.

[2]:

Haradatta remarks, that this Sūtra implicitly forbids to accept the heritage of an outcast.

[3]:

A similar but easier penance is prescribed, Manu XI, 19 4.

[4]:

'(This penance, which had been prescribed above, I, 9, 25, 1), is enjoined (once more), in order to show that it is not optional (as might be expected according to Sūtra 14).'--Haradatta.