Verse 11.225

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

सावित्रीं च जपेन्नित्यं पवित्राणि च शक्तितः ।
सर्वेष्वेव व्रतेष्वेवं प्रायश्चित्तार्थमादृतः ॥ २२५ ॥

sāvitrīṃ ca japennityaṃ pavitrāṇi ca śaktitaḥ |
sarveṣveva vrateṣvevaṃ prāyaścittārthamādṛtaḥ || 225 ||

He shall constantly repeat the Sāvitrī, as also other purificatory texts, to the best of his ability. This shall be done with due care, in connection with all penances performed for the sake of expiation.—(225)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Sāvitrī’—i.e., the Gāyatrī verse, ‘tatsavituḥ, etc., etc.’ This text is everywhere spoken of as ‘Sāvitrī’ (sacred to Savitṛ, the Sun), on account of Savitṛ being its presiding deity.

‘Purificatory texts’—(l) The ‘Aghamarṣaṇa Hymn,’ (2) the ‘Pāvamānī Hymn’ and (3) the ‘Puruṣa-Sūkta’; as also the Sāman texts—‘Śukriyā,’ ‘Rauhiṇeya,’ ‘Adhyāyajana’ (?) and so forth.—In connection with the performance of all forms of Kṛcchra.

‘With due care’— intently.

‘This shall be done, etc.’ has been added only for the purpose of tilling up the metre; as it is well-known that it is only such a man that can be entitled to the performance of penances.—(225)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 1230), which notes that in all these penances, the capacity of the penitent is to be taken into consideration;—in Madanapārijāta (p. 748);—and in the Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Prāyaścitta 38a).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Vaśiṣṭha (28.46).—‘Let him sing Sāmans or mutter the Vyāhṛtis.’

Yājñavalkya (3.309).—‘The reciting of the following sacred texts is destructive of all sins:—The Śukriyā, the Āraṇyaka and the Gāyatrī; also the eleven Rudra-mantras.’