Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra
by T. S. Syamkumar | 2017 | 59,416 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Concept of Papa and Punya鈥� of the study on Expiatory Rites in Sanskrit literature and ancient Indian religion and society, with special reference to Keralite Tantra. Further references to texts include those found in Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism as well as Dharmashastra literature. This study also investigates temple records and inscriptions of Kerala in order to demonstrate the connection between social life and expiatory rites and its evolution.
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3. The Concept of 笔腻辫补 and 笔耻峁噛补
The concept of 笔腻辫补 is the basis of all actions of expiations. The idea of 笔腻辫补 can be seen from the earlier period. The religious texts insist that human beings have to do righteous deeds in their life. Besides the visible effects (顿峁涐梗峁璦), some imperceptible effects (础诲峁涐梗峁璦) of these actions are also attributed in all religious texts. The positive and negative imperceptible outcomes of actions are termed as 笔耻峁噛补 and 笔腻辫补 respectively. 峁歵补 is the term used in 峁欢惫别诲补 to denote the concept of 笔耻峁噛补 or Dharma (righteous action).[1] The words like Durita, Droha, 础苍峁泃补, A峁僪as, Enas and Agha occur in 峁欢惫别诲补 in the sense of sin or 笔腻辫补.[2] 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 uses the word 笔腻辫补 in the sense of sin.[3] 础颈迟补谤别测补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 frequently used the word 笔腻辫补.[4] Nirukta lists Brahmahatya, Bhr奴峁嘺hatya, 厂耻谤腻辫腻苍补 and Steya as 笔腻辫补s.[5]
Manu describes two types of 笔腻辫补s: one, doing unknowingly and another, doing knowingly. According to him, the first one can be solved by learning Veda and the latter is to be resolved by performing expiatory rites:
补办腻尘补迟补岣� 办峁泃补峁� 辫腻辫补峁� ved膩bhy膩sena 艣udhyati |
k膩matastu 办峁泃补峁� moh膩tpr膩ya艣cittai岣� p峁泃hagvidhai岣� || [6]
In the later period, expiatory rites are prescribed for any kind of sins. While these concepts of 笔腻辫补 and 笔耻峁噛补 are closely related to Karma and Punarjanma concepts, the people are frightened in the name of atrocious hell and various diseases. The authors of 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, 厂奴迟谤补蝉 and 厂尘峁泃颈蝉 implicitly state that who do not experience the proper expiations, go down in to excruciating and atrocious hell.[7] For the emancipation from dreadful hell and diseases, people should be inspired to perform expiatory acts. It denotes the strong belief of Karma and Punarjanma in the social and domestic life of Indian people.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
See 峁欢惫别诲补, 1.23.22, 10.9.8, 10.10.4, 8.89.5, 2.27.14, 8.45.34, 2.28.5, 4.12. 4, 6.51.8, 6.74.3, 7.20-1, 1.97. 1-8, 2.29.5, 2.28.6, 3.32.14, 8.19.6, 10.36.3, 10.36.2, 8.60.5, 1.185.10, 8.82.7, 10.126.1, 8.67.21, 8.47.13, 10.164.3, 8.61.11, 10.108.6, 10.164.5, 1.129.11, 8.32.18, 8.94.3 & 8.19.26.
[5]:
Nirukta, 6.5.27. Also See, 峁欢惫别诲补, 10.5.6.
[7]:
驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补-蝉尘峁泃颈, 3.221., 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 4.5.21.