3.3. Expiatory Rites in Tantraprāyaścitta

The authorship of Tantraprāyaścitta is doubtful. E.V. Raman Namputiri opines that the author of this work is Toḻānūr Nārāyaṇa. According to him, Nārayaṇa is also the author of Toḻānūranuṣṭāna or Anuṣṭānasamuccaya. Besides, E.V. fixes the date of Narāyaṇa as the same as Melpattūr Narāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa and has claimed that Narāyaṇa is a disciple of Kṛṣṇa, the author of Tantrasamuccaya-Vivaraṇa.^[1] This treatise, in many places, mentions the earlier works like Vivaraṇa, Samuccaya, Vimarśini, Pāśupata, Saṃhitā and Hāriṇī.^[2] In the introductory verses, the author praises the temple deity in Muktigeha.^[3]

Subjects included in Tantraprāyaścitta are Prāyaścittasthānanimittāni,^[4] Kṣālanavidhi, Arcanāvidhi, Samādhiśuddhi, Kumbhasaṃprokṣaṇa of Viṣṇu and Śiva, Prāyaścittavidhi of Skanda temple, Śāntihoma, Coraśānti, Utsavaprāyaścitta and Jīrṇoddhāravidhi. The pre-Tantrasamuccaya manuals narrate the expiations synoptically. But Tantraprāyaścitta describes expiations in a detailed way with minute ritual procedures. Moreover it is fully devoted to Tantric expiations related to temple rituals. The causes of impurities are described very detail in this manual. The impurities affected to the temple are birth and death in temple premises, falling of blood, urine, flush, semen etc. in temple premises, presence of a dead body in temple, entry of Pulkasa, Pātakī, Aśaucī, Pāṣaṇḍiṃs, Rajaka, Mlecchas, Varṇabāhyas, Puṣpikā, Sūtikā, Caṇḍāla, entry of some animals and birds etc., presence of worm, termite soil and mushroom in sanctum sanctorum, thunderbolt affected in temple parts, earth quake etc.^[5] The list of impurities and name of untouchables are seen increased in Tantraprāyaścitta Because cast based social conditions might have attained more powerful position in that period. The practice of untouchability attests that temple centered cast system and priest hood achieve extra influential role in the period of Tantraprāyaścitta And it cause to leads the role of expiations as a most essential driving force.

Most of the expiatory rites mentioned in this ritual manual are almost the same as that of the earlier Tantric ritual manuals of Kerala. The impurities affected in temples elucidated in Tantraprāyaścitta are also the same as in Tantrasamuccaya and the early manuals of Kerala. This text also recommends expiations like Sthalaśuddhi, Puṇyāha, Navaka, Pañcaka, Pañcagavya, and Śāntihoma for the removal of impurities affected to idols and sanctum sanctorum. Some variations and additions can be perceived in this work. It describes Utsavaprāyaścitta in a meticulous way.