The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes Making Gift of Papapinda which is chapter 270 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the two hundred seventieth chapter of the Tirtha-mahatmya of the Nagara-khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 270 - Making Gift of Pāpapiṇḍa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Ānarta said:

1-2. If a man commits a sin out of foolishness, inadvertence, lustfulness or lethargy but does not expiate, O excellent Brāhmaṇa, then what could be a meritorious rite to destroy his sin and also help him attain salvation. Do tell me this, if you are pleased with me, O holy Sir.

3. O great sage, tell me the procedure for offering Pāpapiṇḍa if one who offers it is greedy or deluded. I also intend to offer the same very soon.

Bhartṛyajña said:

4. One should offer a gold replica of one’s own body weighing twenty-five Palas.

5. The image (replica) should be made in the later half (i.e, dark half) of the month. It should be bathed duly. After erecting the Maṇḍapa etc., the devotee takes his bath and wears washed clothes. He remains clean.

6. The man who has committed the sins should adore elements constituting the body e.g. Pṛthivī etc. as his own form. He is liberated from the sin committed by those respective things (i.e. Pṛthivī etc.)

7. O king, the devotee should adore the Piṇḍa with the names of the twenty-four Tattvas (constituents) beginning with Pṛthivī (Earth). [1]

8. “Om, obeisance to Pṛthvī. Om, obeisance to Ap. Om, obeisance to Tejas. Om, obeisance to Vāyu. Om, obeisance to Ākāśa. Om, obeisance to Ghrāṇa (nose). Om, obeisance to Jīhvā (tongue). Om, obeisance to Cakṣus (eye). Om, obeisance to Tvak (skin). Om, obeisance to Śrotra (ear). Om, obeisance to Gandha (odour). Om, obeisance to Rasa (taste). Om, obeisance to Rūpa (colour). Om, obeisance to Sparśa (touch). Om, obeisance to Śabda (sound). Om, obeisance to Vāk (speech). Om, obeisance to Pāṇis (hands). Om, obeisance to Pādas (feet). Om, obeisance to Pāyu (anus). Om, obeisance to Upastha (the organ of generation). Om, obeisance to Manas (mind). Om obeisance to Buddhi (intellect). Om, obeisance to Citta (thinking faculty). Om, obeisance to Ahaṃkāra (ego). Om, obeisance to the Kṣetrātman (individual soul). Om, obeisance to Paramātman (the Supreme Soul).”

The incense is offered with the Mantra dhūrasi etc. The lamp is offered with the Mantra agnirjyoti etc. Thereafter one offers garments with the Mantras yuvā suvāsa etc.

9. Then a Brāhmaṇa is invited. He should be one who has mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. His feet should be washed and he should be offered garments.

10-11. His body should be adorned with bracelets, arm-lets, rings and other ornaments. Then the image is to be brought. It should be offered to the Brāhmaṇa with this Mantra:

12. “O Brāhmaṇa, this, my own body in the form of gold (image), is given to you. Whatever sin was committed by me formerly may he yours now entirely.” This is the Mantra for the Dāna.

13. Then, O king, the Brāhmaṇa accepting the Dāna should utter this Mantra:

14. “Whatever sin has been committed by you earlier has been taken over by me in the form of this image. So you are rid of sins.” This is the Mantra for Pratigraha.

15-16. After making the gift in accordance with the injunctions, the devotee bids farewell to the Brāhmaṇa. After doing thus, O king, and after offering the monetary gift, if the Brāhmaṇa is satisfied, he takes away the sin. If that is concluded, O great king, there shall appear evidence of riddance of the sin instantly.

Ì7-18. The body becomes light. There is increase in brilliance. At night he sees persons with contented minds in dream. He sees men and women clad in white garlands and unguents He sees white cows and ballocks and horses and various kinds of Tīrthas.

19. Thus, everything regarding the Dāna of Pāpapiṇḍa has been narrated to you entirely. O great king, even if this is listened to one is rid of sins

20. In other holy places also the great gift of Pāpapiṇḍa shall dispel sins, O king.

21. But the sin dispelled shall be only what is committed in the course of a single birth by one’s own body. But the rite performed in Kapāleśvara Deva shall dispel the sins thousand times over.

22. The vedi and Maṇḍapa are to be erected as before. But the Homa is to be performed only through (Japa of) Gāyatrī, O king.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Tattvas mentioned in v 8 are mainly the 24 Tattvas enumerated by Sāṅkhyas plus the supreme soul, God or Brahman which the Sāṅkhya-Kārīkā [Kārikā?] does not recognize.

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