Verse 11.139

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

दानेन वधनिर्णेकं सर्पादीनामशक्नुवन् ।
एकैकशश्चरेत् कृच्छ्रं द्विजः पापापनुत्तये ॥ १३९ ॥

dānena vadhanirṇekaṃ sarpādīnāmaśaknuvan |
ekaikaśaścaret kṛcchraṃ dvijaḥ pāpāpanuttaye || 139 ||

If a twice-born person is unable to atone the sin of killing by means of gifts, he should perform the ‘Kṛcchra,’ for each act, for the purpose of removing his sin.—(139)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Atone’—expiate.

This verse shows that gifts constitute the principal atonement for sins.

‘For each act.’—This shows that what is here laid down is not to be regarded as cumulative.

The words beginning with ‘dvijaḥ’ (‘twice-born person’) are added for the purpose of filling up the metre.

In the absence of any specification, the term ‘Kṛcchra’ has been taken to stand for the ‘Prājāpatya’ penance.—(139)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Prāyaścittaviveka (pp. 30 and 50) which explains the meaning to be that, if the offender is not in a position to give the male cow or other things prescribed, be becomes absolved from the sin by performing the Kṛcchra penance.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Vaśiṣṭha (21.26).—‘The Kṛcchra penance of twelve days’ duration and a gift to the Brāhmaṇa are required for expiating the sin of killing each such animal as has bones.’

Yājñavalkya (3.275).—‘If one is unable to make the gifts necessary for the expiating of the sin of killing the elephant and such animals, he shall perform the Kṛcchra penance for each animal that one kills.’