Manava Dharmashastra 3.19
Manubhāṣya 3.19
- Language
- Sanskrit
3.19
arthavādo'yam |
vṛṣalyāḥ pheno vṛṣalīpheno vaktrāsavaḥ, sa pīto yena | palāṇḍubhakṣitādivatparanipātaḥ | pāṭhāntaram- 'vṛṣalīpītaphenasya' | pītaḥ pheno yasyeti vigrahaḥ vṛṣalyā pītaphenaḥ | 'tṛtīyeti' (pā0 sū0 2 |
prakaraṇācca vivāhapratiṣedhaśeṣo'yaṃ na pṛthagvākyam, tattve hi cumbanādivarjaṃ saṃyogadharmo bahumataḥ syāt | tasmādgacchañchūdrīṃ cumbanādiparivarjanena na kiṃcicchāstrārthamanulaṃghate | tasyāṃ caiva prasūtasya ṛtau tu gacchata ityarthaḥ | niṣkṛtiḥ śuddhirnāsti iti nindātiśayo'yam |
There is ho expiation for him who has drunk the moisture of the mouth of a Śūdra woman, who has been tainted by her breath, and who has begotten children on her.—(19).
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
This is an exaggerated exhortation.
‘Vṛṣalīphena’ is the moisture of her mouth; he by whom this has been drunk is ‘vṛṣalīphenapīta;’—the past participial adjective ‘pīta’ being put last by the analogy of such compounds as ‘palāṇḍubhakṣita,’ and so forth.
If we adopt the other reading ‘vṛṣalīpītaphenasya,’ then the compound ‘pītaphenaḥ’ is to be expounded as ‘pītaḥ pheno yasya;’ and this, with the term ‘vṛṣalī’ taken as an Instrumental Tatpuruṣa,—according to Pāṇini 2. 1. 30. (the sense being ‘the moisture of whose mouth has been drunk by a Śūdra woman’). Or, ‘pītaphena,’ expounded as above, might be taken as forming a Genetive Tatpuruṣa with ‘vṛṣalī.’
The meaning is the same in all cases. When the husband and wife lie together, the touching of their lips, etc., are inevitable. Hence, what the word of the text indicates is sexual intercourse, by mentioning something that is concomitant with it.
From the context it is clear that this verse is supplementary to the foregoing prohibition, and it is not an independent assertion. If it were an independent assertion, we should have the prohibition of kissing only, and the other forms of intercourse would become sanctioned; so that, by having intercourse with a Śūdra woman, only if one avoids kissing, he would not be transgressing any scriptural injunction.
‘Who has begotten children on her’—i.e., who has had intercourse with her during her ‘courses.’
‘Expiation’—purification there is none. This indicates a high degree of deprecation.—(19).
This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 495) along with the preceding four verses;—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 75), where ‘phenapītasya’ is explained as ‘pītamukhāsavasya’, ‘he who has drunk wine from the mouth.’
Comparative notes by various authors
(verses 3.13-19)
See Comparative notes for Verse 3.13.
Translations (1)
- Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi — Ganganatha Jha 1920, English
Linked texts (1)
- Mānava Dharmaśāstra — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit