Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra
by T. S. Syamkumar | 2017 | 59,416 words
This page relates ‘The Concept of Papa and Punya’ of the study on Expiatory Rites in Sanskrit literature and ancient Indian religion and society, with special reference to Keralite Tantra. Further references to texts include those found in Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism as well as Dharmashastra literature. This study also investigates temple records and inscriptions of Kerala in order to demonstrate the connection between social life and expiatory rites and its evolution.
3. The Concept of Pāpa and Puṇya
The concept of Pāpa is the basis of all actions of expiations. The idea of Pāpa can be seen from the earlier period. The religious texts insist that human beings have to do righteous deeds in their life. Besides the visible effects (Dṛṣṭa), some imperceptible effects (Adṛṣṭa) of these actions are also attributed in all religious texts. The positive and negative imperceptible outcomes of actions are termed as Puṇya and Pāpa respectively. Ṛta is the term used in Ṛgveda to denote the concept of Puṇya or Dharma (righteous action).[1] The words like Durita, Droha, Anṛta, Aṃhas, Enas and Agha occur in Ṛgveda in the sense of sin or Pāpa.[2] Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa uses the word Pāpa in the sense of sin.[3] Aitareyabrāhmaṇa frequently used the word Pāpa.[4] Nirukta lists Brahmahatya, Bhrūṇahatya, Surāpāna and Steya as Pāpas.[5]
Manu describes two types of Pāpas: one, doing unknowingly and another, doing knowingly. According to him, the first one can be solved by learning Veda and the latter is to be resolved by performing expiatory rites:
akāmataḥ kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ vedābhyāsena śudhyati |
kāmatastu kṛtaṃ mohātprāyaścittaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ || [6]
In the later period, expiatory rites are prescribed for any kind of sins. While these concepts of Pāpa and Puṇya are closely related to Karma and Punarjanma concepts, the people are frightened in the name of atrocious hell and various diseases. The authors of Brāhmaṇas, Sūtras and Smṛtis implicitly state that who do not experience the proper expiations, go down in to excruciating and atrocious hell.[7] For the emancipation from dreadful hell and diseases, people should be inspired to perform expiatory acts. It denotes the strong belief of Karma and Punarjanma in the social and domestic life of Indian people.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
See Ṛgveda, 1.23.22, 10.9.8, 10.10.4, 8.89.5, 2.27.14, 8.45.34, 2.28.5, 4.12. 4, 6.51.8, 6.74.3, 7.20-1, 1.97. 1-8, 2.29.5, 2.28.6, 3.32.14, 8.19.6, 10.36.3, 10.36.2, 8.60.5, 1.185.10, 8.82.7, 10.126.1, 8.67.21, 8.47.13, 10.164.3, 8.61.11, 10.108.6, 10.164.5, 1.129.11, 8.32.18, 8.94.3 & 8.19.26.
[5]:
Nirukta, 6.5.27. Also See, Ṛgveda, 10.5.6.
[7]:
Yājñavalkya-smṛti, 3.221., Viṣṇupurāṇa, 4.5.21.