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Line 1: − SECTION I PATAKA, PRAYAŚCITTA AND KARMAVIPAKA (Sins, expiations and the residual consequences of sins).+ − CHAPTER I − The Article on sin in Hasting's Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethios (vo! 11) will clearly show how the idea of sin varies from religion to religion, from age to age and from country to country. We are concerned here with the growth and development of the doctrine of sin in India from Vedic times to the medieval digests and commentaries on Dharmasastra − − 1 In these days many people, both in the East and the West, ques. tion the very existence of sin As Barbour puts it in his 'Sin and the new Paychology' (p 19) "The feeling & garding wide acceptance that there is no such thing as 811 in the Christian Beqse. Evil may encompass & man's life and bring disaster to his personality, but it is not so it is psychic evil that can be explained by psychic causes and perhaps cured by psychological therapy Many say nothing is right and nothing is wrong Every thing is the result of complexes' It has resulted in an easy tolerance of an Sir Oliver Lodge in his article on Christian Doctrine in the Hibbert Journal for 1903-4 at p +66 says 'The lagher man of today is not worrying about bus suos at all, still less about their punishments His mission, if he is good for anything, is to be up and doing and in so far as he acts wrongly or unwisely he expects to suffer' The followers of Carvāks who was the prince of Atheists in ancient India used to say 'man should live among pleasures as long as life lasts, he should feed himself sumptuously (lit, should drink ghee) even by borrowing money from others There is no coming again to the world after the body is reduced to asbes by çremation! + + − History of Dharmaśāstra − [Vol The Rgveda is full of fervent and heart-felt expressions of the sense of sin and betrays intense desire on the part of the sages of old to be free from it The idea of sin in the Raveds is bound up with the conception of rta. The conception of rta cannot be discussed here in detail But & brief statement is absolutely necessary in order to be able to convey what the Vedic doctrine of sin was − + − + + + + +
pg 1 of 40
Sin (pataka) is a word that belongs to the terminology of religion rather than to that of Ethics. In these days many people, both in the East and the West, question the very existence of sin. In a general way it may be said that it is an act which is regarded as a wilful rebellion against or disobedience of some law supposed to be laid down by God or Revelation; it is opposition to the will of God manifested in an authoritative work or at least failure to abide by the regulations contained therein.
Sin (PATAKA) is a word that belongs to the terminology of religion rather than to that of Ethics 1 It is very difficult to define sin. In a general way it may be said that it is an act which is regarded as a wilful rebellion against or disobedience of some law supposed to be laid down by God or Revelation; it is opposition to the will of God manifested in an authoritative work or at least failure to abide by the regulations contained therein.
== Sin as per Rgveda ==
The Rgveda is full of fervent and heart-felt expressions of the sense of sin. The idea of sin in the Rgveda is bound up with the conception of rta.
Rta had a threefold aspect it means 'the course of nature or the regular and general order in the cosmos'; with reference to sacrifioe it means 'the correct and ordered way of the cult of the Gods', and thirdly, it also means the 'moral conduct of man'. A few passages to illustrate these three aspects of rta may be cited here Rg. IV 23 8-10 are 3 three verses in which the word rta occurs no less than twelve times and which broathe the all-pervading influence of rta throughout the universe 'Plontiful waters (or riches or gifts) belong to rta, the thought (or laudation) of rta destroys crooked acts (sins), the brilliant and rousing hymn of praise to rta pierces the benumbed ears of man The props of rta are firm, its (physical) manifestations are many and lovely for the sake of the body (1 o man) Through rta they (people) desire food The cows (sun's rays) entered rta by rta He who wins over rta soquires it For the sake of rta (heaven) and earth are wide and deep, the two highest cows (1 o Heaven and Earth) yield milk (desires or towards) tor the sake of rta' Some other passages aro. "The Sindhus (rivers) follow the rta of Varuda' (rtam sındhavo Varunasys yanti, Rg. II 28 4), similarly Rg I 105 12 (rtamarganti sindhavah), The wheel of rta (i e the year) revolves round the
Rta had a threefold aspect it means 'the course of nature or the regular and general order in the cosmos'; with reference to sacrifioe it means 'the correct and ordered way of the cult of the Gods', and thirdly, it also means the 'moral conduct of man'. A few passages to illustrate these three aspects of rta may be cited here Rg. IV 23 8-10 are 3 three verses in which the word rta occurs no less than twelve times and which broathe the all-pervading influence of rta throughout the universe 'Plontiful waters (or riches or gifts) belong to rta, the thought (or laudation) of rta destroys crooked acts (sins), the brilliant and rousing hymn of praise to rta pierces the benumbed ears of man The props of rta are firm, its (physical) manifestations are many and lovely for the sake of the body (1 o man) Through rta they (people) desire food The cows (sun's rays) entered rta by rta He who wins over rta soquires it For the sake of rta (heaven) and earth are wide and deep, the two highest cows (1 o Heaven and Earth) yield milk (desires or towards) tor the sake of rta' Some other passages aro. "The Sindhus (rivers) follow the rta of Varuda' (rtam sındhavo Varunasys yanti, Rg. II 28 4), similarly Rg I 105 12 (rtamarganti sindhavah), The wheel of rta (i e the year) revolves round the
2. For the conception of rta and the idea of sun in the Rgveda the following works may be consulted 'The religion of the Veda' by M. Bloomfield (pp 12, 125). Religion and philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads' by Prol A, B Keith (pp. 35, 83-85 &c.). "The Vedic idea of sia" by Dr. Henry Lefever (1935) One regrets to observe that Bloomfield's work is marred here and there by a certain levity of thought and expression out of hceptog with the seriousness of the subject
2. For the conception of rta and the idea of sun in the Rgveda the following works may be consulted 'The religion of the Veda' by M. Bloomfield (pp 12, 125). Religion and philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads' by Prol A, B Keith (pp. 35, 83-85 &c.). "The Vedic idea of sia" by Dr. Henry Lefever (1935) One regrets to observe that Bloomfield's work is marred here and there by a certain levity of thought and expression out of hceptog with the seriousness of the subject
|| तस्य हि शरुध सन्ति पूर्वीतस्य धीति जिनानि इन्ति। मनस्य श्लैाको पधिरा ततर्द फण मधान शुचमान आपोः । तस्य हा धरुणानि सन्ति पुरूाण घमा पापे पपूर्षि। मतेन वीर्षमपणन्त पक्ष मतेने गावे असमाविवेश ॥ अतं येमान ऋतमिहनतष शास्त्रपा
|| तस्य हि शरुध सन्ति पूर्वीतस्य धीति जिनानि इन्ति। मनस्य श्लैाको पधिरा ततर्द फण मधान शुचमान आपोः । तस्य हा धरुणानि सन्ति पुरूाण घमा पापे पपूर्षि। मतेन वीर्षमपणन्त पक्ष मतेने गावे असमाविवेश ॥ अतं येमान ऋतमिहनतष शास्त्रपा weg har yeft ge mit war U Can IV 23 8-10 These are rather obscure verses The Nurulta X 41 understands rta to mean water and explains X 23-8 as 'FIEY IT a traer a ser f ra w
weg har yeft ge mit war U Can IV 23 8-10 These are rather obscure verses The Nurulta X 41 understands rta to mean water and explains X 23-8 as 'FIEY IT a traer a ser f ra w
तृष्णा । पधिर पञ्चमेच । कण बोधयन् दीप्यमानये आप अपनस्य मनुष्यस्य उपोतिषी मा उदकरय पा ।।।
तृष्णा । पधिर पञ्चमेच । कण बोधयन् दीप्यमानये आप अपनस्य मनुष्यस्य उपोतिषी मा उदकरय पा ।।।
== Discussion ==
The Article on sin in Hasting's Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (vol 11) will clearly show how the idea of sin varies from religion to religion, from age to age and from country to country. We are concerned here with the growth and development of the doctrine of sin in India from Vedic times to the medieval digests and commentaries on Dharmasastra.
The followers of Carvāka who was the prince of Atheists in ancient India used to say 'man should live among pleasures as long as life lasts, he should feed himself sumptuously (lit. should drink ghee) even by borrowing money from others. There is no coming again into the world after the body is reduced to ashes by cremation'.