Yama Smriti is an important book containing the code of conduct to be followed by a Hindu person. The laws apply to each of the four castes specified by the
Vedas. This ancient text, written by a renowned sage named Yama, is still referred today for various rituals and ceremonies.
This small sized text contains a detailed description of the various types of penance and their related principles. There are some chapters dedicated to the impurities brought about by attending a funeral and touching the corpse. There are chapters related to the sins and the manner in which the repentance can be observed. There is a section describing the ingredients that go into the preparation of the Panchagavya, a concoction believed to eliminate the aftereffects of a sin.
Some of the methods described in this text are still followed by people eager to wash away their sins. The manuscript is also referred while performing the rites to pacify the souls of a deceased person.
