Manava Dharmashastra 4.60

4.60

adhārmikāḥ pātakopapātakino yatra bāhulyena vasanti sa grāmastatsambandhāt adhārmika ityucyate | tatra na vaset | grāmagrahaṇaṃ nivāsadeśopalakṣaṇārtham | tena nagare'pi pratiṣedhaḥ | vyādhibahulo'nūpo deśaḥ | vyādhibahule jāṅgaladeśe na vaset | yatra daivadoṣādrogādhayaḥ pravṛttāstaṃ deśaṃ tyajet | ekaḥ asahāyo nādhvānaṃ prapadyeta |

He shall not dwell long in an unrighteous village, nor in one abounding in sickness. Alone, he shall not undertake a journey; nor shall he reside for long on a mountain.—(60)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The village, inhabited by many such persons as have committed sins of varying grades of seriousness, is, by reason of their presence, called ‘unrighteous.’ In such a village he shall not dwell. The term ‘village’ stands for human dwelling-places; hence the prohibition applies to cities also.

A marshy country abounds in sickness; in such a country, and in a desert, which also abounds in sickness, he shall not dwell. He shall also leave a country where by chance some epidemic might begin to rage.

‘Alone’—without a companion—‘he shall not undertake a journey.’—(60)

Comparative notes by various authors
(verses 4.60-61)
Viṣṇu (63.2).—‘He shall not go on a journey, alone.’

Do. (72.64-68).—‘He shall not live in the kingdom of a Śūdra; nor in a place crowded with unrighteous people; he shall not live in a place where there is no physician; nor in a place frequented (by low castes); he shall not dwell for long on a mountain.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (16-22).—‘The dwelling of the Brāhmaṇa should be in a place where there is abundance of fuel and water, and where moving about is dependent upon himself.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (32.18).—‘He shall not attend on Śūdras; nor shall he dwell in places controlled by Śūdras.’

Baudhāyana (2.3.51).—‘The righteous man should try to live in a village where there is abundance of fuel and water, of fodder, sacrificial fuel, kuśa-grass and garlands, which is inhabited by wealthy persons, where idle men do not abound, where cultured people abound, and which cannot be entered by robbers.’