One may acquire
useful knowledge from even a person of low pursuits, with devotion and
reverence. One may take up gold, without any scruple, from even an
unclean place. A woman that is the ornament of her sex may be taken (for
wife) from even a vile race. Amrita, if extracted from poison, may be
quaffed; women, jewels and other valuables, and water, can never,
according to the scriptures, be impure or unclean. For the benefit of
Brahmanas and kine, and on occasions of transfusion of castes, even a
Vaisya may take up weapons for his own safety. Drinking alcoholic
liquors, killing a Brahmana, and the violation of the preceptor's bed,
are sins that, if committed consciously, have no expiation. The only
expiation laid down for them is death. The same may be said of stealing
gold and the theft of a Brahmana's property. By drinking alcoholic
liquors, by having congress with one with whom congress is prohibited, by
mingling with a fallen person, and (a person of any of the other three
orders) by having congress with a Brahmani, one becomes inevitably
fallen. By mixing with a fallen person for one whole year in such matters
as officiation in sacrifices and teaching sexual congress, one becomes
fallen. One, however, does not become so by mixing with a fallen person
in such matters as riding on the same vehicle, sitting on the same seat,
and eating in the same line. Excluding the five grave sins that have been
mentioned above, all other sins have expiations, provided for them.
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