om sin. If a person who has once taken alcohol drinks (as
expiation) hot liquor, he sanctifies himself both here and hereafter. By
falling from the summit of a mountain or entering a blazing fire, or by
going on an everlasting journey after renouncing the world, one is freed
from all sins. By performing the sacrifice laid down by Vrihaspati, a
Brahmana who drinks alcoholic liquors may succeed in attaining to the
region of Brahman. This has been said by Brahman himself. If a person,
after having drunk alcoholic liquor, becomes humble and makes a gift of
land, and abstains from it ever afterwards, he becomes sanctified and
cleansed. The person that has violated his preceptor's bed, should lie
down on a sheet of iron having heated it, and having cut off the emblem
of his sex should leave the world for a life in the woods, with eyes
always turned upwards. By casting off one's body, one becomes cleansed of
all his evil acts. Women, by leading a regulated life for one year,
become cleansed of all their sins. The person who observes a very rigid
vow, or gives away the whole of his wealth, or perishes in a battle
fought for the sake of his preceptor, becomes cleansed of all his sins.
One who uses falsehood before one's preceptor or acts in opposition to
him, becomes cleansed of that sin by doing something agreeable to one's
preceptor. One who has fallen off from the vow (of Brahmacharya), may
become cleansed of that sin by wearing the hide of a cow for six months
and observing the penances laid down in the case of the slaughter of a
Brahmana. One who has been guilty of adultery, or of theft, may become
cleansed by observing rigid vows for a year. When one steals another's
property, one should, by every means in his power, return to that other
property of the value of what has been stolen. One may then be cleansed
of the sin (of theft). The younger brother who has married before the
marriage of the elder brother, as also the elder brother whose younger
brother has married before him, becomes cleansed by observing a rigid
vow, with collected soul, for twelve nights. The younger brother,
however, should wed again for rescuing his deceased ancestors. Upon such
second wedding, the first wife becomes cleansed and her husband himself
would not incur sin by taking her. Men conversant with the scriptures
declare that women may be cleansed of even the greatest sins by observing
the vow of chaturmasya, all the while living upon scanty and cl