The Laws of Manu — SBE Vol. 25 (trans. Georg Bühler, 1886)

19. And to this effect many sacred texts are sung also in the Vedas, in order to (make) fully known the true disposition (of women); hear (now those texts which refer to) the expiation of their (sins).

20. ‘If my mother, going astray and unfaithful, conceived illicit desires, may my father keep that seed from me,’ that is the scriptural text.

18. The sacramental rites meant are the birth-ceremony and so
forth; see also above, II, 66. ‘Destitute of strength’ (Gov.), i.e.
‘of firmness, intelligence, bodily strength, &c.’ (Medh., Nand.).
The second half verse is closely allied to that quoted Baudh. IT,
3, 46, and, like the latter, probably a modification of a Vedic
passage.

20. The verse is a slightly altered Mantra which occurs in the

IX, 24. DUTIES OF HUSBAND AND WIFE. 33r

21. If a woman thinks in her heart of anything that would pain her husband, the (above-mentioned text) is declared (to be a means for) completely removing such infidelity.

22. Whatever be the qualities of the man with ‘ whom a woman is united according to the law, such qualities even she assumes, like a river (united) with ' the ocean.

23. Aksham4la, a woman of the lowest birth, being united to Vasishtna and SArangt, (being united) to Mandapala, became worthy of honour.

24. These and other females of low birth have

Sankhayana Grshya-sGtra ITI, 13, and in the Xaturmasya portion of the K4/haka recension of the Black Yagur-veda. According to the former work it is to be recited by an Anyatrakarama, ‘the son of a paramour.’ But the Ka/has prescribe its use by every sacrificer who offers a KAaturmfsya sacrifice. Medh., Gov., and Kull. probably allude to the custom of the latter school when they say that the Mantra must be recited by every sacrificer, and that its viniyoga or destination is to be repeated at the Katurmdsya and at the Anvashfakf-sraddha. Gov., Kull., Ragh., Nar., and Nand. explain retah, ‘seed,’ by matriragoripam skannam, and vrinktém, ‘may he keep away,’ either by bhagatdm (svikarotu, Nar., Nand.), ‘may he take for himself,’ or by sodhayatu, ‘may he purify’ (Gov., Kull., Ragh.). Medh. likewise knows the last explanation. But he gives also another, retak pituA sambandhi yad retaA sukram, and vrinktam, apanudatu, which comes nearer to that given above. Nidarsanam, ‘a scriptural text,’ means according to Medh., drish/anta#, ‘an example,’ and the other commentators explain it similarly.

22. I.e. as a river becomes salt after uniting with the ocean. It must be borne in mind that, according to the Indian poets, the rivers are the wives of the ocean.

23. Aksham4l4 or Arundhati was a KAnd4li (Gov., Ragh.), and became, as the Sruti states (Ragh.), with the permission of the Rishis, the wife of the sage Vasish/ha. The story of Mandapila is told in the Mahabhfrata I, 8335 seq. (Adhy. 229). Medh., Gov., and K, read Sagi instead of Sarangi or SArangi.

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attained eminence in this world by the respective good qualities of their husbands.

The story of Mandapila is told in the Mahabhfrata I, 8335 seq. (Adhy. 229). Medh., Gov., and K, read Sagi instead of Sarangi or SArangi.

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attained eminence in this world by the respective good qualities of their husbands.

25. Thus has been declared the ever pure popular usage (which regulates the relations) between husband and wife; hear (next) the laws concerning children which are the cause of happiness in this world and after death. <

26. Between wives (striya#) who (are destined) to bear children, who secure many blessings, who are worthy of worship and irradiate (their) dwellings, and between the goddesses of fortune (sriyah, who reside) in the houses (of men), there is no difference whatsoever.

27. The production of children, the nurture of those born, and the daily life of men, (of these matters) woman is visibly the cause.

28. Offspring, (the due performance of) religious rites, faithful service, highest conjugal happiness and heavenly bliss for the ancestors and oneself, depend on one’s wife alone.

29. She who, controlling her thoughts, speech, and acts, violates not her duty towards her lord, dwells with him (after death) in heaven, and in this world is called by the virtuous a faithful (wife, sadhvt).

30. But for disloyalty to her husband a wife is censured among men, and (in her next life) she is born in the womb of a jackal and tormented by diseases, the punishment of her sin.

247. Instead of pratyaham, ‘the daily (life of men),’ Medh. and Nar. read pratyartham, ‘(the life of men) in all its details,’ and Gov. prityartham, ‘the friendly intercourse of men,’ because he who has no wife cannot entertain others (Gov., Kull., Ragh.). Medh. mentions also another reading, pratyardham.

29. Identical with V, 165.

30. Vas. XXI, 14; see also above, V, 164.

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31. Listen (now) to the following holy discussion, salutary to all men, which the virtuous (of the present day) and the ancient great sages have held concerning male offspring.

32. They (all) say that the male issue (of a woman) belongs to the lord, but with respect to the (meaning of the term) lord the revealed texts differ ; some call the begetter (of the child the lord), others declare (that it is) the owner of the soil.

33. By the sacred tradition the woman is declared to be the soil, the man is declared to be the seed; the production of all corporeal beings (takes place) through the union of the soil with the seed.

34. In some cases the seed is more distinguished, and in some the womb of the female; but when both are equal, the offspring is most highly esteemed.

35. On comparing the seed and the receptacle (of the seed), the seed is declared to be more important; for the offspring of all created beings is marked by the characteristics of the seed.

36. Whatever (kind of) seed is sown in a field, prepared in due season, (a plant) of that same kind,

35. On comparing the seed and the receptacle (of the seed), the seed is declared to be more important; for the offspring of all created beings is marked by the characteristics of the seed.

36. Whatever (kind of) seed is sown in a field, prepared in due season, (a plant) of that same kind,

32. Ap. II, 13, 6-7 ; Gaut. XVIII, 9-14; Vas. XVII, 6-9, 63-64. Thus Gov., Kull., Ragh., and Nand. But Medh., Nar., and K. (prima manu) read kartari instead of bhartari, and with this reading the verse has to be translated as follows: ‘ They (all) declare that a (lawfully begotten) son belongs to the husband, but with respect to the begetter (of a child on another’s wife) there is a conflict between the revealed texts; some declare the begetter (to be the owner of the son), others that (he belongs to the) owner of the soil.’

34. The commentators point out the cases of Vy4sa and Rishyasringa as instances of the truth of the first proposition, and of Dhritarfsh/ra and other Kshetragas as instances of the second. ‘ Equal,’ i. e. ‘belonging to the same owner and to the same class’ (Medh.).

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marked with the peculiar qualities of the seed, springs up in it.

37. This earth, indeed, is called the primeval womb of created beings; but the seed develops not in its development any properties of the womb.

38. In this world seeds of different kinds, sown at the proper time in the land, even in one field, come forth (each) according to its kind.

39. The rice (called) vrihi and (that called) sli, mudga-beans, sesamum, mAsha-beans, barley, leeks, and sugar-cane, (all) spring up according to their seed.

40. That one (plant) should be sown and another
be produced cannot happen ; whatever seed is sown,
(a plant of ) that kind even comes forth.

41. Never therefore must a prudent well-trained man, who knows the Veda and its Angas and desires long life, cohabit with another's wife.

42. With respect to this (matter), those acquainted with the past. recite some stanzas, sung by Vayu (the Wind, to show) that seed must not be sown by (any) man on that which belongs to another.

43. As the arrow, shot by (a hunter) who afterwards hits a wounded (deer) in the wound (made by

37. ‘Develops not any properties of the womb,’ i.e. ‘shows no properties such as being composed of earth’ (Medh., Gov., Kull.).

39. Vrihi, i.e. such rice as ripens in sixty days (shashk§4) ; sdli, i.e. ‘red rice, which ripens in the cold season’ (Gov., Nar.). Mudga, i.e. Phaseolus Mungo (mfg); mAsha, i.e. Phaseolus Radiatus.

41. Vigana, ‘the knowledge of the Angas’ (Kull), means according to Medh. and Nar., ‘ profane knowledge ;’ according to R4gh., ‘the tradition.’ Nand. inverts the order, and says, ‘ profane and sacred learning.’

43. Or, according to a second explanation offered by Medh., ‘ As the arrow of the hunter who hits a wounded deer is shot into the air (as it were) and becomes useless.’

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