Manava Dharmashastra 4.38

4.38

vatsabaṃdhanārthā rajjurvatsatantrī vatsapaṅktirvā, tāṃ na laṅghayennāpakrāmet | tathā ca gautamaḥ ( a0 9 sū0 52 ) "nopari vatsatantrīṃ gacchet" | svarūpaṃ śarīrasaṃsthānam | svagrahaṇānnātaparasya rūpaprekṣaṇaṃ na paryudasyate | iti dhāraṇā eṣa niścayaḥ śāstreṣu |

He shall not step over the rope to which a calf is tied; he shall not run when it is raining; he shall not look at his own figure in water; such is the established rule.—(38).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Vatsatantrī’ is the rope to which the calf is tethered; or, it may mean ‘a line of calves.’ This ‘he shall not step over’— not cross over. Says Gautama (9.52)—‘One shall not pass over the vatsatantrī.’

‘Figure’—shape of the body.

‘Own’— The addition of this implies that looking at the figure of other persons is not forbidden.

‘Such is the established rule,’—ordained in the scriptures—(38).

This verse is quoted in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 71), which explains ‘vatsatantrī’ as ‘the rope to which a calf is tied’, and quotes Haradatta to the effect that ‘vatsa’ here stands for the entire bovine species.

Comparative notes by various authors
Gautama (9.52).—‘He shall not go over the rope to which a calf is tied.’

Baudhāyana (2.2-36).—[Same as above.]

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (1.31.13).—[Same as above.]

Vaśiṣṭha (12.5).—‘He shall not cross over the rope to which the calf is tied, when it is spread out.’

Viṣṇu (71.23).—‘He shall not look at his own reflection in water, or in oil.’

Do. (63.42-43).—‘He shall not cross over the rope to which the calf is tied; he shall not run while it is raining.’ Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra (3.9.6).—He shall not bathe during the night; he shall not bathe naked; he shall not sleep naked; he shall not look at a naked woman, except......; he shall not run while it is raining.’

Pāraṣkara (2.7.8).—‘He shall not look at himself in water.’

Gobhila (3.5.11).—‘He shall not run while it is raining.’