[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Polity, Pleasure & Law](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti) › [Law and Social-Religious Duty](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma) › [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu) › [Manubhashya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi) › 3.262 # Manava Dharmashastra 3.262 Manubhāṣya 3.262 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [3.262](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.262) kālaśākaṃ viśiṣṭaśākaṃ prasiddham | kṛṣṇo vāstuukabhede vā | mahāśalkāḥ śalyakā ucyante | anye tu matsyān saśalkānāhuḥ | khaḍgo gaṇḍakaḥ | lohaḥ kṛṣṇaśchāgaḥ, sarvaṃraktaśca | tathā purāṇam "kṛṣṇaśchāgastathā rakta ānantyāyaiva kalpate" | lohaśabdo varṇalakṣaṇayā tadvarṇayukte chāge vartate | ayaḥkṛṣṇaṃ, tāmraṃ lohitaṃ, ubhayatrāpi lohaśabdaḥ prayujyate | yadyapi caiṣa varṇo meṣādiṣvapi saṃbhavati tathāpi smṛtyantaraprasiddhyā chāga eva gṛhyata iti vyācakṣate | anye tu śakunirlohapṛṣṭhaḥ nāmaikadeśena, devadatto datta itivat, pratipādyata ityāhuḥ | samācāraścobhayatrāpyanveṣyaḥ | madhu mākṣikam | sarvatrātra prītyatiśayotpattirvivakṣitā, na tu yathāśruta eva kālaḥ | tathāhi dvādaśavarṣāṇyakaraṇaṃ syāt | tatra virudhyeta "pitryamā nidhanātkāryamiti" | > The lawful wife, devoted to her husband and intent upon the worshipping of the Pitṛs, should, if desirous of a son, eat in the proper manner, the middlemost ball.—(262) > > Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya): > The modes of disposal mentioned above apply to the first and the last balls; but the middlemost of the balls the lawful wife, desiring a son, should eat; i.e., the wife who has not been married merely for the sake of pleasure. > > ‘Devoted to her husband;’—one who makes it her vow that—‘I shall serve my husband alone, even in my mind I shall never entertain even a thought of faithlessness to him.’ > > ‘Intent upon’—with full faith in—‘the worshipping’—the śrāddha and other rites—‘of the Pitṛs.’ That is, she betakes herself with great care to the performance of these. > > ‘Should eat in the proper manner—i.e., fully observing the rules regarding the rinsing of the mouth and sipping of.water etc., etc.—(262) > > “There are many such magical ceremonies in the Sāmavidhāna and the Ṛgvidhāna”.—Burnell. > > This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 759) without any comment;—in Aparārka (p. 550);—in Śrāddhakriyākaumudī (p. 215);—and in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 563). > > Comparative notes by various authors > (verses 3.262-263) > Viṣṇudharmottara (Parāśaramādhava, p. 760).—‘At Tīrthas the halls shall he thrown into the water.’ > > Gobhila (4.3.27).—‘The wife, desiring a son, should eat the middlemost ball, pronouncing the mantra—ādhatta pitaro garbhan.’ > > Laghu-Āśvalāyana (83.23).—‘One who desires a son should make his wife eat the middlemost hall, with the mantra ādhatta, etc., whereupon she hears a male child.’ > > Bṛhaspati (Caturvargacintāmaṇi-Śrāddba, p. 1506).—\[Reproduces Manu, 262 and 263.) > > Devala (Do.).—‘From among the balls, the wife desiring a son shall eat the middlemost; and through the favour of the Pitṛs, she obtains a son endowed with all good qualities.’ > > Vāyupurāṇa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 758).—‘Desiring progeny, he shall give the middle hall to his wife.’ > > Bṛhaspati (Do., p. 759).—‘If the wife happen to be elsewhere, or ill or with child, the hall may be eaten by an old bull or a goat.’ > > Āpastamba (Do.)—‘If the wife is elsewhere,...the ball should be thrown into the sky.’ > > Devala (Do.).—‘The rites being completed, the ball may be eaten by the Brāhmaṇa or the fire, the goat or the bull; or it may be thrown into water.’ > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi - [Previous: 3.261](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.261) - [Next: 3.263](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.263) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3) ## Translations (1) - [Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi~en-jha.3.262) — Ganganatha Jha 1920, English ## Linked texts (1) - [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu.3.262) — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.262](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.262) · Pramāṇa