One guilty of foeticide becomes cleansed if he dies of wounds received in
battle fought for the sake of kine and Brahmanas. He may also be cleansed
by casting his person on a blazing fire.[476] A drinker of alcoholic
liquors becomes cleansed by drinking hot alcohol. His body being burnt
with that hot drink, he is cleansed through death in the other
world.[477] A Brahmana stained by such a sin obtains regions of felicity
by such a course and not by any other. For violating the bed of a
preceptor, the wicked-souled and sinful wretch becomes cleansed by the
death that results from embracing a heated female figure of iron. Or,
cutting off his organ and testicles and bearing them in his hands, he
should go on in a straight course towards the south-west and then cast
off his life. Or, by meeting with death for the sake of benefiting a
Brahmana, he may wash off his sin. Or, after performing a horse-sacrifice
or a cow-sacrifice or an Agnishtoma, he may regain esteem both here and
hereafter. The slayer of a Brahmana should practise the vow of
Brahmacharya for twelve years and devoting himself to penances, wander,
holding in his hands the skull of the slain all the time and proclaiming
his sin unto all. He should even adopt such a course, devoted to penance
and leading the life of an ascetic. Even such is the expiation provided
for one who slays a woman quick with child, knowing her condition. The
man who knowingly slays such a woman incurs double the sin that follows
from Brahmanicide.
Pages:
1674
1675
1676
1677
1678
1679
1680
1681
1682
1683
1684
1685
1686
1687
1688
1689
1690
1691
1692
1693
1694
1695
1696
1697
1698