132 - Expiation for touching Dead Body

Varäha said:

1. ''O blessed one, he who touches a dead body without bathing after a sexual intercourse, remains drinking semen for fourteen thousand years”.

2. Hearing this from Lord Näräyana, Earth was very sorry, and she asked him:

Earth said:

3. What do you say, O lord! This is a sad and disgustful thing. How can a man be drinking semen?

4. Thiš saddens me a lot.

Varäha said:

“O goddess, know this secret.

5. This is indicative of transgression, such as of man having sexual perversion in women.

6. The man who does so reaps the result of his offence.

7. There is no atonement for a deliberate offence. But I shall tell you about the atonement for the offences committed through faults of the mind.

8. Householders who are my devotees, should live on barley meal for three days, oil cake for three days and air alone for one day.

9. They then become free from sins. Those who do this in the prescribed manner are not stained by sin.

10. Thus, have I told you about the atonement for one who comes to me after a sexual intercourse.

11-12. If one goes to the cremation ground disregarding the rules I have laid down, he as well as his father and grandfather become jackals and eat the dead bodies”.

13. Hearing these words of Lord Hari, Earth asked again for the good of the world.

Earth said:

14. How can there be sin for those who have surrendered themselves to you? How can it be removed even if there is any?

Varäha said:

15. O fair one, know from me what you seek to know. I shall tell you this which removes sins.

16. Remaining on food once a day for seven days, then completely fasting for three days, and then taking Þañchagavya removes sins.

  17. I have now told you about the rules for touching the dead body. It is better that the Bhägavatas avoid this altogether.

18. He who performs expiation in the manner suggested above, gets himself freed from all sins.

19-20. He who touches me after touching a woman in her monthly course out of lust, remains (in hell) drinking menstrual blood for one thousand years.

21. He is then born as a blind, penniless and stupid person and never realises that he is in hell.

Earth said:

22-23. Please tell me how people devoted to you can attain moksha even if they happen to commit some offence, and how they can get purification for the purpose.

Varäha said:

24. The person devoted to me, if he happens to touch a woman in her monthly course, shall perform penance for three days by sleeping in the open.

25. My devotee gets purified, in this manner and all sins of offence disappear from him.

26. I have thus told you about the purification after touching a woman in her courses.

27. He who enters my temple after touching a dead body, enters the womb (again and again) for thousands of years.

28. Then for ten thousand years he remains a Chändäla, then as a blind man for seven thousand years and as a frog for hundred years.

29. As a bee for three years, as a beetle for eleven years, as a snake for seven years and as a chameleon for another seven.

30. As an elephant for hundred years, as a camel for thirtytwo years, a cat for nine years and a monkey for fifteen years.

31. Thus, by causing offence by oneself, much sorrow is brought upon.

32. Hearing these words of Lord Hari, Earth asked with sorrow:

Earth said:

33. Why do you say, O Lord, such words which are horrifying to all men?

34. Tell me about the expiation for the devotee who fails in his conduct so as to enable him to cross the barriers.

35. Hearing these words of Earth, Janärdana, the lord of the worlds, replied to her for the sake of righteous order in the world.

Varäha said:

36. My devotee who touches a dead body, shall remain taking food only once a day for fifteen days.

37. After doing like this, Pañchagavya should be taken in.

38. Thus, have I told you about the expiåtiön to be done after touching a dead body.

39. He who performs expiation in this manner, gets cleansed of all sins and reaches my world.