स देवस्तु महादेवो नैतद् विज्ञाय बध्यते
But that god, the great Lord, is not bound by this, for he knows it not.
ज्ञानयोगरतः शान्तो महादेवपरायणः
Engaged in the yoga of knowledge, peaceful, wholly devoted to the great Lord—
पितामहेन विभुना मुनीनां पूर्वमीरितम्
This was formerly declared by the Lord, the grandsire, to the sages.
ज्ञानं स्वयंभुवा प्रोक्तं यतिधर्माश्रयं शिवम्
The knowledge proclaimed by the self-born, grounded in the dharma of ascetics, is auspicious.
प्रणिहितमनसो ये नित्यमेवाचरन्ति
Those who, with focused mind, always practice it—
हिताय सर्वविप्राणां दोषाणामपनुत्तये
For the welfare of all beings, and for the removal of faults—
दोषमाप्नोति पुरुषः प्रायश्चित्तं विशोधनम्
A person incurs fault, and expiation is the means of purification.
यद् ब्रूयुर्ब्राह्मणाः शान्ता विद्वांसस्तत्समाचरेत्
Whatever peaceful and learned Brahmins declare, that should be practiced.
स एव स्यात् परो धर्मो यमेको ऽपि व्यवस्यति
That alone is the highest dharma which even one person determines.
यद् ब्रूयुर्धर्मकामास्ते तज्ज्ञेयं धर्मसाधनम्
What those who desire dharma declare should be known as the means to dharma.
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नाः सप्तैते परिकीर्तिताः
Seven are enumerated as accomplished in Vedic study.
एकविंशतिसंख्याताः प्रयाश्चित्तं वदन्ति वै
Twenty-one are said to prescribe expiation.
महापातकिनस्त्वेते यश्चैतैः सह संवसेत्
These are great sinners, and whoever lives with them—
यानशय्यासनैर्नित्यं जानन् वै पतितो भवेत्
Knowing this, one who always shares their vehicle, bed, or seat becomes fallen.
कृत्वा सद्यः पतेज्ज्ञानात् सह भोजनमेव च
If one knowingly eats with them, one falls immediately.
संवत्सरेण पतति सहाध्ययनमेव च
By studying together with them, one falls within a year.
भैक्षमात्मविशुद्ध्यर्थं कृत्वा शवशिरोध्वजम्
For the sake of self-purification, one should beg alms, bearing a skull as a banner.
विनिन्दन् स्वयमात्मानं ब्राह्मणं तं च संस्मरन्
Condemning himself and remembering that Brahmin, he should do so.
विधूमे शनकैर्नित्यं व्यङ्गारे भुक्तवज्जने
One should always eat food without smoke, gradually, as if eating what has been cooked on embers.
वन्यमूलफलैर्वापि वर्तयेद् धैर्यमाक्षितः
Or, with steadfastness, one may subsist on roots and fruits from the forest.
पूर्णे तु द्वादशे वर्षे ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
But when twelve years are completed, the sin of killing a Brahmin is removed.
कामतो मरणाच्छुद्धिर्ज्ञेया नान्येन केनचित्
Purification is to be understood as coming only from voluntary death, and not by any other means.
ज्वलन्तं वा विशेदग्निं जलं वा प्रविशेत् स्वयम्
One may enter blazing fire or water by one's own will.
ब्रह्महत्यापनोदार्थमन्तरा वा मृतस्य तु
Or, for the removal of the sin of killing a Brahmin, if one dies in the interim, that also applies.
दत्त्वा चान्नं स दुर्भिक्षे ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
By giving food during a famine, he removes the sin of killing a Brahmin.
सर्वस्वं वा वेदविदे ब्राह्मणाय प्रदाय तु
Or, by giving all his possessions to a Brahmin who knows the Veda.
शुध्येत् त्रिषवणस्नानात् त्रिरात्रोपोषितो द्विजः
A twice-born who fasts for three nights and bathes at the three sandhyas becomes purified.
ब्रह्मचर्यादिभिर्युक्तो दृष्ट्वा रुद्रं विमुच्यते
Engaged in celibacy and similar practices, upon seeing Rudra, one is released.
स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य पितॄन् भक्त्या ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति
After bathing and worshipping the ancestors with devotion, one removes the sin of killing a Brahmin.
कपालं स्थापितं पूर्वं ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः
The skull, formerly placed by Brahma, the supreme lord—