Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 237

THE FIVE DEADLY
SINS
197
several others, are supposed to be pre-eminently suitable
In a word, one everywhere comes across
for ablutions.
places consecrated by superstition, where the greatest
sinners can, with the most perfect ease, extinguish in
a limpid and accommodating stream the burning fires of
remorse by which they may be troubled.
To recite mantrams to exercise the happy privilege of
looking at the great ones of the earth, especially gurus
these
to think of Vishnu and the other principal deities
A Brahmin
are all most efficacious in purifying the soul.
who happened to go three times round a temple of Siva
merely in pursuit of a dog that he was beating to death,
obtained the remission of all his sins, and also the special
favour of being transported immediately to Kailasa \
Admittance into Vaikuntha 2 was once granted to a great
sinner simply for having pronounced, even in blasphemy,
All this
the name of Narayana and the name of Vishnu.
is vouched for in the sacred Hindu books.
There are, however, some sins so heinous, according to
Hindu ideas, that they cannot be expiated by any of the
means before mentioned. These unpardonable sins are five
;
;
:
in
number
:
Brahmahattya, the murder of a Brahmin.
1.
2. Sisuhattya, the destruction of an unborn child, i.e.
wilfully causing an abortion.
3. Surapana, to drink toddy, the juice of the palm-tree.
4. Swarna-Sneya, to steal gold.
5. Guru-talpa-gamana, to have sexual intercourse with
the wife of one's guru or of one's spiritual or temporal
superior.
Some add a sixth, which consists in holding communica-
tion with any one guilty of any of these five sins, commonly
These fearful crimes
called pancha-patakas, the five crimes.
cannot be wiped out in the lifetime of the offenders by any
of the usual means employed for the purification of the
soul.
Those who are guilty of them expiate them after
death, by one or more transmigrations of the soul into
some
vile animal, or by the torments of Naraka, i.e. hell.
Besides the sins committed during his present existence,
from which a Brahmin must be constantly purifying him-
-
The paradise of Vishnu.
The paradise of .Siva.
1