Manava Dharmashastra 6

6.1

gṛhopalakṣita āśramo gṛhāśramaḥ | 'gṛhāḥ' dārāḥ | tatra sthitvā tamanuṣṭhāya vane vasediti vidhiḥ | sthitveti ktvāpratyayena paurvakālyaṃ gārhasthyasya vanavāsāddarśayati | krameṇāśramaḥ kartavyaḥ | kṛtagārhasthyo vanavāse'dhikriyate | samuccayapakṣamabhittyaitaduktam | anyathā'viplutabrahmacaryādapi vanavāso vidyata ityetadapi vakṣyate | vijitendriyaḥ pakkakaṣāyaḥ cīṇarāga ityarthaḥ | evaṃ vidhivat-yathāvaditipadāni vṛttapūraṇāni | tāni prāktatra tatra vyākhyātāni | etāvadvidhīyate | gārhasthyaṃ kṛtvā vanavāsa āśrayitavyaḥ |

The twice-born accomplished student, having, in the afore- said manner, lived, according to law, the life of the householder, should dwell in the forest, in the proper manner, self-controlled and with his organs under subjection—(1).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The term ‘gṛhāśrama’ means that ‘āśrama’, life-stage which is characterised by the ‘gṛha’, house,—i.e., the presence of the wife.

Having ‘lived’ there,—i.e., having duly fulfilled the duties of that stage of life—he should dwell in, the forest. This is the injunction here set forth.

The affix in ‘sthitvā’, ‘having lived’, indicates the priority of the Householder’s life to that of the Hermit; and the meaning is that one should proceed from, stage to stage in the right order; it is only one who has lived the Householder’s life that is entitled to the forest-life of the Hermit.

What is said here is in accordance with the view that a man should pass through each and all the four stages. There is however the other view that from the life of the purely celebate student also one can proceed at once to the forest-life; as is going to be described later on.

‘With his organs under subjection ’—with his impurities washed off, his passions calmed down.

The phrases ‘according to law’ and ‘in the proper manner’ have been added only for the purpose of filling up the metre; as we have already explained in several places.

All that is meant to be enjoined here is that ‘having completed the Householder’s life, he shall betake himself to the life in the forest.’—(1).

6.2

yaduktaṃ tyaktaviṣayopabhogagandho'dhikriyata iti tadeva darśayati | valī tvakśaithilyam | palitaṃ keśapāṇḍuryam | apatyasyāpatyaṃ putrasya putra ityāhuḥ | satyapi duhiturapatye dauhitre putrasyāpi kanyāyāṃ jātāyāṃ naivaṃ vidhimicchanti śiṣṭāḥ | anye tu śiraḥpālityaṃ pautrotpattiṃ ca vayoviśeṣalakṣaṇārthamāhuḥ | yasya kathaṃcitpālityaṃ na bhavetso'pi vārdhakye vanaṃ samāśrayet | yathaiva 'jātaputraḥ kṛṣṇakeśastu' ādhāne'dhikriyate, evaṃ jātapautraḥ palitaśirāḥ | tatrāpi putrajanma kṛṣṇakeśatā ca vayoviśeṣopalakṣaṇārthameva | 'nātiśīghraṃ nāticiram' ityarthasyopalakṣaṇatve tu pramāṇaṃ vaktavyam |

When the householder notices his wrinkles and greyness, and sees his child’s child,—then he should r etire to the forest,—(2).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
It has been said before that the person who is entitled to the life of the Hermit is only one who has abandoned all longing for the objects of sense: and this is what the author is explaining now.

‘Wrinkles’—Looseness of skin.

‘Greyness’—the whiteness of the hair.

‘Child’s child.’—They explain this to mean ‘son’s son And cultured people have held that this rule does not apply if the man has only a son born to his daughter, or a daughter born to his son.

Others however have taken the ‘greyness of hair’ and ‘birth of the grandchild’ only as indicative of old age. So that even if an old man’s hairs may not, for some reason, become grey, he should, at the approach of old age, retire to the forest. Just as the person who has got a son and has his hairs still block is entitled to the ‘kindling of fire so is the man who has got a grandson and has his head turned grey entitled to the Hermit’s life. And in the former case also ‘the birth of the son’ end ‘blackness of hair’ are only indicative of a certain age.

Some people have taken the text to mean that ‘one should retire into the forest neither too early nor too late in life.’ But in is necessary to find out an authority for this.—(2).

6.3

brohiyavamayamanaṃ tataḥ prabhṛti nāśrīyādityetat ‘saṃtyajyeti’ ucyate | taduktaṃ ‘mūlāśītyādi’ | paricchadaḥ gavāśvavastrāsanaśayyādiḥ | yadi bhāryāyā icchā tadā sahagamanam, anyathā ekākinaḥ | anye tu taruṇīṃ nikṣipya vṛddhayā saheti varṇayanti | satyāṃ bhāryāyāmayaṃ vidhiḥ, putreṣu nikṣepaḥ vanagamanaṃ vā | asatyāmapi mṛtāyāṃ vanavāsa āpastambādibhiḥ smaryate “punarādhāna” ityatra | yasyendriyacāpalyaṃ nāsti sa vānaprasthaḥ | itaraḥ punardārānparigṛhṇīyāditi vyavasthā |

Having given up cultivated food and all his belongings, he shall repair to the forest, either making over his wife to his sons, or along with her.—(3).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
From this time onward he shall not eat any food consisting of barley, paddy and the like;—this is what is meant by ‘hav - ing given up’. This is what has been described as ‘living on roots.’

‘Belonging’—Consisting of cows, houses, clothing, seats and beds, etc.

If the wife wishes it, then they should go away together; Otherwise he shall go alone. Others explain the text to mean that if the wife is still young he shall commit her to his sons, and if she is old, he is to take her with himself.

It is only when the wife is there that there can be any rule regarding her either being made over to the sons or going to the forest with her husband. If the wife has died, then also the man should retire to the forest, as declared by Āpastamba and others, in connection with the ‘Re-kindling of Fire.’

Only that man can be a Hermit whose senses are not too mobile; otherwise, he should take another wife; such is the established rule.—(3).

6.4

agnaya evāgnihotraśabdenoktāḥ | śrautānagnīntsamādāya gṛhītvā gṛhyaṃ ca agnihotraparicchadaṃ suksruvādi | grāmyasya paricchadasya tyāgavidhānādagnisaṃbaddhasya pratiprasavo'yam |

Taking with him the Sacred Fire, as also all the ritualistic appurtenances of the Fire, the man shall go forth from the village to the forest and live there, with his senses under control.—(4).

6.5

etāneva ye gṛhasthasya vihitāḥ | nirvapedanutiṣṭhet | vidhipūrvakamityanuvādaḥ ślokapūraṇārthaḥ |

These same ‘Great Sacrifices’ he should offer, according to rule, with various kinds of pure food fit for hermits, or with herbs, roots and fruits.—(5).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘These same’—those that have been prescribed for the Householder;—‘he should offer’—perform.

‘According to rule’;—this is a reiteration, for the purpose of filling up the metre.—(5).

6.6

carma raurugādīnām | cīraṃ vastrakhaṇḍam | sāyaṃ divasāvasānasamayaḥ | prage prāhnaḥ prathamodaye | evaṃ sāyaṃ snānavidhānādrātrau bhojanamasyāhuḥ, bhukte snānapratiṣedhāt | tadayuktamityanye | yataḥ snātakavrata’mataḥ snānamācaret bhuktve’ti | mahābhārate tu puruṣamātradharmatayā smaryate | traikālikamapyasya snānaṃ bhaviṣyati vaikalpikam | jaṭāśmaśrulomanakhāni na kartayet |

He should wear either skin or a bit of cloth; he shall bathe in the evening, as also in the meaning; he shall always wear matted locks, as also beard, hair on his body and nails.—(6)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
Skin—of the bull, the deer and other such animals.

‘Cīra’—a bit of cloth.

‘Evening’—end of the day.

‘Morning’—opening of the day.

This rule regarding bathing in the evening implies that the man is to eat at night only; because Bathing after meals is forbidden.

This view, some say, is not right; because among the observances of the Accomplished Student, it is said that ‘after taking his food he shall bathe’ (which shows that bathing after meals is not entirely forbidden), in fact this bathing after meals is declared in the Mahābhārata as to be done by each and every person.

It is open to the Hermit to bathe thrice during the day—this being a matter of option.

‘Matted locks, beard, hairs on the body and nails’;—all this he shall not have cut.—(6)

6.7

munyannairityuktam | tāni ca nīvārādīni vandāni dhānyāni tathā śākādīni vanyānyeva | annaśabde bāhulyena dhānyavikāre bhaktasaktupiṣṭādau prayujyate | tataḥ śākādīnāṃ satyapi munyannatve pṛthagupādānam | munayastāpasāsteṣāmannāni munyannāni | agnau pākadharmānpañcamahāyajñāṃścirvapet | yadā kālapakkaphalāśī tadā na nirvapedityāśaṅkāyāmāha | yadbhakṣaḥ syāt | yadeva bhakṣayettadeva piṣṭādi yathāsāmarthyaṃ dadyāt | baliṃ anagnihotraṃ indrāyendrapuruṣetyādi yadvihitam | agnau tvasminpakṣe homo nāsti | tadayuktam | baliśabdasya cejyāmātravacanatvādagnāvagnau ca tulyametat | athāpyayaṃ pakṣaḥ syādyadeva bhakṣayettadeva, agnāveva, pakvenāgnau homaḥ kartavyastathāpi tāvanmātraprayojanaṃ śākādi pacyati, svayaṃ kālapakvaṃ bhokṣyate | sarvathā kālapakkāśino'pyasti vaiśvadevo'gnāveva | abādibhirbhūtūdro'yam | adbhirmūlaphalaiḥ bhikṣayā ca nīvārādinā'rcayedāśramāgataṃ pāntham |

What he eats, cut of that he should make the offerings and give alms, according to his capacity; and those who come to his hermitage he should honour with water, roots and fruits and alms—(7).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
It has been said that ‘food fit for hermits’ should be used; this consists of wild grains, such as Nīvāra and the rest, and of wild-growing herbs, etc. The term ‘anna’, ‘food’, is generally used in the sense of some preparation of grains,— such as rice, fried flour, cake and so forth; and it is for this reason that, though herbs, &c., also are ‘food fit for hermits’, they have been mentioned separately. ‘Hermits’ are ascetics, and their food is called ‘food fit for hermits.’ And what is meant (by verse 5) is that the man should perform the Five Sacrifices, which are duties related to cooking on the household fire. This might give rise to the notion that when the man lives upon ripe season-fruits (and does not cook his food) he should not offer the said sacrifices: it is with a view to preclude such a notion that the Text adds—‘what he eats’; the meaning is that whatever, in the shape of flour, &.c., be eats, that he should offer to the best of his capacity.

‘Offerings’— apart for the Agnihotra-libations; those that are laid down as to be made.to ‘Indra’ ‘Indrapuruṣa’ and so forth.

In this view, there are no offerings poured into the fire,—they say.

But this is not right; as the term ‘bali’, ‘offering’, is a generic name for all kinds of oblations; and hence it stands equally for those offered into the fire, and those not offered Into the fire.

If the right view to hike were this that(one shall offer only what he eats;—and that also into the file only,—and that offerings into the fire must consist of cooked food then the hermit would cook just that much herb, &c. as would be needed for the offerings, and he himself would cat the ripe fruits of the season. Even for one who lives upon season-fruits, it is necessary to offer the Vaiśvadeva oblations into fire.

The compound in the second line is a copulative one, formed of ‘ap’, ‘water’, and the rest; the meaning being that ‘the traveller that happens to come to his hermitage he shall honour with water, roots, fruits and alms—consisting of Nīvāra and other grains’.—(7).

6.8

āśramabuddhyā svādhyāyādīnāṃ nivṛttimāśaṅkamāna āśramāntaratvāṃdasyānnivṛttyarthamāha | nityayuktaḥ | na yathā gārhasthye | tatra hi gṛhaceṣṭārthā api vyāpārāḥ santi, teṣvanuṣṭhoyamāneṣu nāsti svādhyāyaḥ | dāntaḥ| damayuktaḥ madavarjitaḥ | maitraḥ mitrakarmapradhānaḥ priyahitabhāṣī | sannihitasya cittānukūlanaparaḥ sa samāhitaḥ | nāsambaddhaṃ nāpākarakṣikaṃ bahu parādhīno'pi brūyāt | dātā apāṃ mūlabhikṣāyāṃ ca | anādātā pathyauṣadhārthamāśramāntarādāgataṃ na yāceta | sarvabhūtānukampakaḥ | anukampā kāruṇyam | satyapi kāruṇikatve na parārthamanyaṃ yāceta |

He should be always engaged in Vedic study, meek, conciliatory, quiet, ever liberal, not accepting any gifts, and compassionate towards all living beings.—(8).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
This being a distinct stage of life, people might think that such duties as Vedic Study and the like, which pertain to other life-stages, should have to be omitted now; hence with a view to show that they do not cease, the Text has added—‘always engaged’; and not as in the Householder’s stage, during which, the man being busy with his household work, their performance leaves no time for Vedic study and such duties.

‘Meek’—endowed with humility; free from haughtiness.

‘Conciliatory’—abounding in the friendly spirit; always saying what is agreeable and wholesome; ever ready to conciliate his neighbour.

‘Quiet.’—Even when urged by others, he should not speak much of what may be irrelevant.

‘Ever liberal’—in making gifts of water, fruits and roots and alms.

‘Not accepting any gifts’—He should not beg anything for his medication or diet and such needs, from a person belonging to another stage of life and coming to see him.

‘Compassionate towards all living beings’—‘Compassion’ is pity. But even though he be compassionate, he should not, for the sake of any person, beg anything from another person.—(8).

6.9

'vitāno' vihārastatra bhavaṃ vaitānikam | tretāgniviṣayaṃ karma śrautam | tajjuhuyātkuryāt | 'agnihotra'śabdo yavāgvādā homasādhane dravye vartate, na karmanāmadheyam | tataśca tajjuhuyādāhavanīye'gnihotrādibhirjuhotītyartha upapannaḥ prathamapakṣe'gnihotraśabdo juhotinā'bhinnārthaḥ | "nanu ca 'putreṣu bhāryāṃ nikṣipyeti' pakṣāntaramuktam | tatra kathaṃ tayā vinā śrauteṣvadhikāraḥ ?" 'proṣitasya yatheti cet | yathā proṣite| vā yajamānaḥ saṃvidhānāddūrastho'pyadhikriyate saṃvidhāne, evaṃ bhavati kartā; tadrūpeṇvapi vanaṃ pratiṣṭhamānamanujñāsyati, na sahādhikāro virotsyata' iti | tadapi vārtam | daivānmānuṣādvā pratibalātkathañcitpravāsopapatteḥ yuktamīdṛśamanuṣṭhānaṃ, na svecchayā | satyāṃ śaktau bahūni cāṅgāni parilupyeran | darśapaurṇamāsayoḥ "vedo'si vittirasi" ityādi patnīṃ vācayedityuktam, taddhīyeta| athocyeta - 'sahaprasthānapakṣe vidhirayaṃ bhaviṣyatīti' etadapi na | viśeṣasyāśrutatvāt | nikṣepapakṣe cāgnīnāṃ pratipattyantaramanāmnātam | kiñca sahatvapakṣe'pīdaṃ virudhyate | "vāsantaśāradairmedhyairmuntyannaiḥ svayamāhṛtaiḥ | puroḍāśāṃścarūṃścaiva vidhivannirvapetpṛthak ||" iti (ślo0 11) | āraṇyani munyannāni nīvārādīnyabhipretāni | grāmyasya paricchadasya tyāgavidhānāt | vrīhyādibhiśca vede puroḍāśā vihitāste ca grāmyāḥ | na ca smṛtiśrutiṣu utpannanyāyena vrīhiśāstravidhinyāyena vā kenacinmedhyenāraṇyenānnena prayogaḥ parisamāpyeta nikṣepe | te ca bhāryayā durūpapādāḥ | kathaṃ yāvajjīvaśrutau satyāmagnīnāṃ tyāgo bhāryāyā vā | tasmādāśramāntaravidhānaṃ vaitānikānāṃ ca karmaṇāmanuṣṭhānaṃ na saṃvadet | kartavyo'tra yatnaḥ | kecidāhuḥ | vaitānikaśabdaḥ smārteṣveva karmasu stutyā prayuktaḥ | na ca smārteṣu vrīhyādi niyamaśāstramasti | tatra hyāmnāyate ( rāmāyaṇe ayodhyākāṇḍe ) - "yadannaḥ puruṣo rājaṃstadannāstasya devatāḥ" iti | ataśca munyannairanuṣṭhānamaviruddhaṃ bhavet vrīhyādiśāstravirodhaḥ parihṛtaḥ syāt | "sahādhikārastatrāpi vidyate | tasya kaḥ parihāraḥ | ubhayoḥ smārtatvādasyāmavasthāyāṃ bādhiṣyate|" yattu śrautavacanaṃ "patnyā saha yahavyamiti" tacchrauteṣveva | athavā naivāyaṃ vidhirgṛhyāgneḥ | kiṃ tarhi 'śrāvaṇekenāgnimādhāyeti' gautamena paṭhitam, ihāpi vakṣyati "vaikhānasamate sthita" iti ( 6 | 21) | tasmācchāstravihitāni karmāntarāṇyevaitāni | darśapūrṇamāsādayastu śabdāḥ bhaktyā tatra prayuktāḥ | atastatra tadādhānamabhāryasyaiva | gārhasthyopāttānāṃ pratipattiruktā “agnīnātmani vaitānāniti” ( 6 | 25 ) | yattu yāvajjīvaśrutau satyāṃ kathamagnīnāṃ tyāga iti—etaccāsurāśramyānukramaṇaprakaraṇe nirūpayiṣyate | anye punarāhuḥ | homo grāmyānāmannānāṃ pratiṣiddhaḥ, na tu devatārtha upayogaḥ | nanu ca “yajamānapañcamā iḍāṃ bhakṣayantīti” tatrāpi vidyate bhakṣaḥ | satyam | sa tu śāstrīyo na laukikaḥ| laukikasya ca pratiṣedhaḥ ‘saṃtyajyeti’ | grāmapraveśaśca tasya tadartho na viruddhayate | tathā vakṣyati “grāmādāhṛtya vā'śnīyāditi” ( 6 | 28 ) | tadetadasat | ‘munyannairiti’ vidhānāt | tadevaṃ śrāvagrikenāgnimādhāyetyādi sarvamupapannam | tathāhi “agnihotraṃ samādāyeti” paṭhyate (6|4), na tu saṃtyajyeti | samāropaṇamapi mumūrṣostamatapaso vakṣyate prathamapravāse | na ca turāyaṇādiśabdānāṃ śrāvaṇikāgniviṣayatve kathaṃcidupapattiḥ | mṛtabhāryasya tadādhānaṃ vācanikaṃ bhaviṣyati | yadā vā brahmacaryādeva vanavāsamicchettadā śrāvaṇikādhānam | tasmādāhitāgneḥ sahāgni vanaprasthānaṃ sabhāryasya | tatra ca yathāvidhi vrīhyādinā śrautakarmānuṣṭhānam | vrīhyādīnāmapi munyannatā kathaṃcidupapādyā | vrīhiyavāvapi pavitram | bhāryānikṣepaśvānāhitāgneḥ kathaṃcitsmārte'gnau gatiḥ | ubhayoḥ smārtattvāt | yasya ca dve bhārye jāte ekayā cāgnayo nītāstasya dvitīyāṃ bhāryāṃ nikṣipediti vacanam| askandayan | skandanaṃ vidhyatikramaḥ, yathāvihitamanuṣṭhānasyāsaṃpādanam | etacca pādapūraṇam | yogata ityetadapi | yogata askandayan yuktyā'vināśayan | yuktirvidhireva |

He shall offer, according to rule, the sacrificial oblations, taking case not to omit the ‘Darśa’ and the ‘Paurnamāsa’ sacrifice.—(9)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Vitāna’, is vihāra, sacrifice; what pertains to it is ‘sacrificial’, ‘vaitānikam’; i.e., the rites pertaining to the Three Fires this he shall ‘offer’, perform.

The term ‘agnihotra’ primarily denotes the wild barley and other substances that are employed in sacrificial oblations; and it is not the name of a particular rite; it is in this sense that we have the term used as the object of the verb ‘shall offer’; and we get at the meaning that ‘he shall offer, by means of the Agnihotra and other rites, the oblations into the Āhavanīya Fire;’—it is in this way that the use of the verb ‘juhuyāt’, ‘shall offer’ becomes justified. In this explanation the word ‘agnihotra’ becomes synonymous with the denotation of the root ‘hu’, ‘to offer into the fire.’

Objection—“The text has just prescribed the optional alternative of committing his wife to his sons; in this case how can the man, in the absence of his wife, be entitled to the performance of śrauta rites? It might be said that ‘the man would be entitled to them in the same way as the man away from home is entitled; just as the man who is away from home, though at a distance from the Fires, is regarded as the performer of the rituals by reason of his having made arrangements for the offerings to be made by a proper substitute, in the same manner, in the case in question, when the man is starting for the forest, his wife shall permit him to carry on the rituals; and in this manner the joint character of the title would not be disturbed.’ But this cannot be right. The procedure of employing a substitute is permissible only in cases where the man is forced by human or divine agencies to go away from home, and not when he goes out of his own accord. Because in such a procedure, many of the details would become omitted, even though the man would be perfectly capable to accomplish them (if he himself remained at home); e.g. in connection with the Darśa-Paurnamāsa sacrifices it is laid down that the sacrificer shall make his wife repeat the mantra ‘vedo-si vittirasi, &c.’; and this would be omitted (during the sacrificer’s absence).

“It might be said that the rule laid down in the present verse may be taken as pertaining to the case where the householder is retiring to the forest along with his wife (and not when he is going alone, leaving her in charge of his sons). But this also is not possible; because we do not find any such restrictive specification. Further in connection with the contigency of leaving the wife behind, the scriptures have prescribed another method of disposing of the Fires (in the shape of the direction that they should be committed to the charge of the wife.)

“Then again, even if the rule wore taken as pertaining to cases where the wife accompanies the husband, the following direction (contained in verse 11) would not be relevant—‘With pure grains, fit for hermits, which grow in spring and in autumn, and which he has himself collected, he shall prepare the cakes and the boiled messes, according to law’;—the grains meant here are the wild ones, Nīvāra and the like, because he has been directed to relinquish all his village-belongings; and yet in the Veda cakes are laid down as to be made of Vrīhi and other grains, which are cultivated. Nor could the rite be completed by using any other pure grain, either in accordance with the maxim that ‘whatever is produced may be used’ (‘Utpannanyāya’), or in accordance with the law of options (Vrīhi-nyāya). Because any such grains it would be difficult for the wife to obtain. Lastly, the performance of the Agnihotra being a life-long duty, how can there be any relinquishing of that rite, or of the wife? From all this it is clear that the rule regarding the entering into the next stage of life is not compatible with the performance of the Sacrificial Acts.”

On this point a special effort has to be made (for reconciling the apparent discrepancy).

(A) Some people say that the term ‘sacrificial’ in the text has been used, by way of praise, for the smārta (not śrauta) rites; and in connection with the smārta rites there are no such scriptural restrictions as that cakes should be made of the Vrīhi and other cultivated grains only. In fact in connection with these rites it has been declared that—The deities of a man partake of the same food as the man himself’ (Vālmiki-Rāmāyaṇa Ajodhyā kāṇḍa). So that there would be nothing wrong if the Hermit performed these rites with ‘grains fit for the hermit.’ Even if this were incompatible with the injunctions regarding the use of Vrīhi and other cultivated grains, this incompatibility could be easily explained away.

“But even in this case there would be the law relating to the joint right of the husband and wife to the performance, which would be infringed by the man doing it when separated from his wife.”

Well, as regards the Vedic declaration—‘One shall offer sacrifices, when accompanied by his wife.’—this can pertain to śrauta rites only so that the said difficulty does not arise in connection with the smārta rites.]

(B) Another explanation is that the rule laid down in the present verse does not refer to the Householder’s Fire at all; it refers to what has been prescribed by Gautama (3.27) regarding ‘the kindling of fire in the month of Śrāvaṇa.’ In the present treatise also, the author is going to add the phrase ‘following the methods of the hermit’ (Verse 21). From all this it is clear that the rites referred to here are those that have been prescribed in the scriptures, as entirely apart from the rites relating to the Agnihotra, &c. And the terms ‘Darśa’ and ‘Paurṇamāsa’ too have been used only figuratively. Thus the said kindling of the Fire by the Hermit is to be done by him, without his wife. As regards the household Fires of the Agnihotra, the method of disposing of them is laid down (in verse 25 below) in the words—‘Having reposited the sacrificial fires in himself, &c. &c.’

As regards the contention based upon the life-long character of tbs Agnihotra- rite, that the abandoning of the Fires cannot be right,—we shall deal with this when we are considering the question of the sequence among the four life stages.

(C) Others again explain as follows:—What has been forbidden for the Hermit is the act of offering oblations of cultivated grains, and not that of employing these for the sake of the Deities.

“But the sacrificer has got to eat of what is offered to the gods, according to the law that the four priests, with the sacrificer as the fifth, partake of the sacrificial cake.”

True; but that eating is one that is prescribed by the scriptures, and not the ordinary one; and what has been forbidden under verse is the ordinary eating. And for purposes of the scriptural act, even if the man were to go into the village, there would he nothing wrong in this; in fact it is going to be declared below (verse 28) that—‘he may eat the food after having obtained it from the village.’

This however is not right; because of the express injunction that he is to make use of only such grains as are‘fit for hermits.’

Thus we find that the whole explanation regarding the text referring to the fire kindled during the month of Śrāvaṇa (explanation B above), and all that follows is not acceptable.

Further, verse 4 has spoken of the man‘taking with himself the sacred fire’,—and not leaving it behind. As for its being committed to another person, it is going to be laid down that it is to be done either by the man who is going to die, or who is going out for the first time. Then again, the Turayāṇa and other rites that are prescribed (in verse 10) for the Hermit (and which are all Śrauta rites to be performed in the Śrauta Fire of the Agnihotra) cannot be explained, if the present verse refers to the fresh Smārta fire kindled in Śrāvana. In fact, this latter Fire-kindling could be done only by one whose wife has died,—such being the implication of the actual words laying it down. Or, it may be done in a case where the man retires to the forest immediately after Studentship-

From all this it follows that when an Agnihotrin retires to the forest, he shall do so along with the Fire, and accompanied by his wife.

In the forest, the rites are to be performed ‘according to law’, with Vrīhi and other grains; and these grains (though belonging to the cultivated category) may somehow or other be brought under the category (if ‘grains fit for hermits.’ Specialty as Vrīhi and Yava (which are cultivated grains) are (quite sacred.

6.10

darśeśceṣṭiśca āgrayaṇaṃ ceti samāhāradvandvaḥ | cāturmāsyaturāyaṇadākṣāyaṇāḥ śrautakarmaviśeṣavacanāḥ | nityā eva turāyaṇādayaḥ keṣāṃcit |

He shall perform the Darśeṣṭi and the Āgrayaṇa; as also the Cāturmāsya sacrifices, and the Turāyaṇa and Dākṣāyaṇa in due order.—(10).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Darśeṣṭyāgrayaṇam is a copulative compound consisting of the two terms ‘darśeṣṭi’ and ‘āgrayaṇā’. ‘Caturmāsya’, ‘Turāyaṇa’ and ‘Dākṣayaṇa’ are the names of particular śrauta rites.

According to some people the performance of the Turāyaṇa and the rest is obligatory—(10).

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 941), which explains ‘ṛkṣeṣṭi’ as the Nakṣatreṣṭi, the sacrifice to the lunar mansions,—and the Uttarāyaṇa and Dakṣiṇāyana as the two six-monthly sacrifices pertaining to the two solstices;—and in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 528).

6.11

yadā munyannairiti na pūrveṇa saṃbadhyate, tadā nāsti codyaṃ “vaitānikāni kathaṃ vrīhyādicoditāni kriyeran” | atra carupuroḍāśā vaikhānasaśāstroktā eva veditavyāḥ | vasante jāyante pacyante vā vāsantāni | evaṃ śāradairmaidhyairityanuvādaḥ | svayaṃmāhṛtaiḥ | pratigrahādīni vṛttikarmāṇi niṣidhyante | smārtānāmuktānāṃ karmaṇāmanuṣṭhānārthaṃ punarhṛtyādināpahastam |

With the pure grains fit for hermits, which grow in spring and in autumn, and which he has himself gathered, he shall severally prepare cakes and boiled messes, according to law—(11).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
If the phrase ‘grains fit for hermits’ is not connected with what has gone before, then there is no room for the objection—“how can the sacrificial offerings be made, which are laid down as to consist of Vrīhi and other cultivated grains?”

The ‘boiled mess’ and ‘cake’ meant here are those that have been prescribed by the rules laid down for Hermits.

‘Vāsanta’—those that grow, or ripen, during spring; similarly ‘śārada’.

‘Sacred’—this is a mere re-iteration.

‘Which he has himself gathered’.—This forbids such means of livelihood as receiving gifts and the like. For the due fullilment of the aforesaid s mārta rites, grains have to be gathered by wandering hither and thither.

‘According to law’, ‘severally’.—Both these terms are added for filling up the metre.—(11).

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (on 3.46), which notes that even though the ‘munyanna’ is by nature pure, yet the text has added the epithet ‘medhya’ with a view to indicate that the grains should be fit for being offered at a sacrifice;—and in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 528), which explains ‘munyanna’ as ‘uncultivated grains,’ and ‘medhya’ as ‘fit for being offered at sacrifices.’

Comparative notes by various authors
Āpastamba (2.22.17-18).—‘He shall offer the burnt oblations, sustain his life... Rice must be used for those sacrifices for which cakes mixed with meat are offered by the Householder.’

Yājñavalkya (3.48).—‘The rites prescribed in the Smṛti and in the Śruti, as also all acts, he shall perform with oils extracted from fruits.’

6.12

parvasu yaddevatābhyo dattaṃ tacchiṣṭameva bhakṣayenna śākamūlaphalādi | śeṣamātmani yuñjīta ātmanimittamupayojayeta, ātmārthaṃ śarīrasthityarthamityarthaḥ | svayaṃ kṛtaṃ ca lavaṇaṃ na saindhavādi niṣeveta |

Having offered to the gods that most pure offering consisting of wild-growing things, he shall take to himself the remnant, as also the salt prepared by himself—(12).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
He should eat only what remains after the offerings to the gods have been made on the New and Full moon days,—and not any herbs, roots, fruits and the rest.—‘He shall take to himself the remnant’ shall use it for his own purposes, i.e., for the sustaining of his body.

He should eat only such salt as is ‘prepared by himself’ and not rock-salt &c.—(12).

‘Lavaṇam svayam kṛtam’—‘Collected from saltmarshes’ (Kullūka);—‘collected from salt or alkaline elements of trees and the like’ (Nārāyaṇa).

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (on 3.46), which explains that the salt is to be collected from salt-marshes.

6.13

sthalajāni udakajāni adyāt | tathā puṣpamūlaphalāni ca |

He should eat the vegetables that grow on land and in water; also flowers, roots and fruits, the productions of pure trees; as well as oils produced from fruits.—(13).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
He should eat those growing on land and in water; as also flowers, roots and fruits.—(13).

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 942);—and the second half in Mitākṣarā (on 3.49) to the effect that clarified butter and such ‘oils’ should not be used.

Comparative notes by various authors
Gautama (3.26).—‘The hermit shall live in the forest, subsisting on roots and fruits, practising austerities.’ Baudhāyana (2.11.15).—(See under 3.)

Āpastamba (2.22.2).—‘Then he shall wander about, sustaining his life by roots, fruits, leaves and grass.’

Do. (2.23.2).—‘Afterwards he shall wander about sustaining his life with roots, fruits, leaves and grass which he collects. Finally, he shall content himself with what has become detached spontaneously. Then he shall live on water, then on air, and then on Ākāśa. Each succeeding mode of subsistence procures greater rewards’

Vaśiṣṭha (9.4).—‘He shall only gather wild-growing fruits and roots.’

Viṣṇu (95.7-12).—‘He may eat flowers; he may eat fruits; he may eat vegetables; he may eat leaves; he may eat roots; or he may eat barley once a fortnight.’

Yājñavalkya (3.49).—‘He shall eat what ripens in its own time; and all rites prescribed by Śruti and Smṛti, he shall perform with oils extracted from fruits.’

6.14

bhaumāni kavakāni | kavakaśabdaḥ prāgvyākhyātaḥ chatrākaśabdaparyāyaḥ (5|16) | tāni ca kavakāni bhūmau jāyante vṛkṣakoṭarādāvapi | ato viśeṣaṇārthaṃ bhaumagrahaṇam | "samācāravirodho gṛhasthadharmeṣu cāviśeṣeṇa kavakānāṃ pratiṣedhaḥ | vānaprasthasya ca niyamātiśayo yuktaḥ” | tasmādbhaumānīti svataṃtrapadam | tatra gojihvikā nāma kaścitpadārtho vanecarāṇāṃ prasiddhastadviṣayaṃ boddhavyam | na tu yatkiṃcidbhuvijātamātrasya | kavakānāṃ pratiṣiddhatvātpunaḥpratiṣedho bhūstṛṇādīnāṃ tatsamaprāyaścittārthaḥ | bhūstṛṇaśigrukaśabdau śākaviśeṣavacanau bāhīkeṣu prasiddhau |

He shall avoid honey, meat, cabbages, mushrooms, the fragrant grass, the pot-herb and the ‘Śleṣmātaka (Śleśmātaka?)’ fruits.—(14).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Bhaumāni Kavakāni’.—The term ‘kavaka’ has already been explained (under 5.5) as a synonym of ‘chatraka’ (mushrooms). These mushrooms grow on the ground, as also in the hollow of trees and other places. Hence the specification ‘land-grown’.

This however would appear to be contrary to usage; specially as among the duties of the Householder, all kinds of mushroom have been forbidden, and for the Hermit, the discipline, if anything, should be stricter.

For this reason the term ‘bhaumāni’ should be taken separately by itself; and it should be understood us standing for the ‘gojihvikā’ (cabbage), which is well-known among foresters,—and not for anything grown on the land.

Mushrooms having been already forbidden before, their repented prohibition in the present text is for the purpose of indicating that the eating of the fragrant grass and other things involves the same Expiatory Rite as that of mushrooms.

‘Bhustṛṇa’ (fragrant grass) and ‘shigruka’ (pot-herb) are the names of particular kinds of herbs well known among cultivators—(14).

‘Bhaumāni kavakāni’—Medhātithi prefers to take the two separately—‘bhaumāni’ being ‘the vegetable known among foresters’ as ‘gojihvikā’ and ‘kavakāni’ as ‘mushrooms’;—Govindarāja, Kullūka and Nārāyaṇa take the two together ‘mushrooms growing on the ground.’

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 942);—and in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 529), which explains ‘Kavakāni’ as ‘mushrooms.’

6.15

'ṣaṇmāsanicaya'—'samānicaya'pakṣayorāśvayuje tyāgaḥ | "nanu munyannaṃ tāvadeva saṃceyaṃ yatkarmaparyāptam | tanna naivādhikamasti | kasya tyāgaḥ ?” ucyate | na śakyā tulā grahītumarjanakāle | ato yatkiṃcidavaśiṣṭamasti tasyāśvayuje tyāgaḥ | jīrṇāni caiva vāsāṃsi | ajīrṇānāṃ nāsti tyāgaḥ |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
This throwing away of the food during the month of Āśvina is applicable to cases where the man is either one who lays by provision for six months or for one who does it for a year.

“As a rule hermits’ food should be collected only in such quantities as may be actually needed for the rites to be performed; so that there can be no surplus; under the circumstances, what would be there to be thrown away?”

The answer to this is as follows At the time that the man is gathering food he cannot always keep a weighing balance in his hand; hence it is quite possible that some small quantities may be left over; and it is these that have to be thrown away during the month of Āśvina.

‘Worn out clothes’.—There is no throwing away of such clothes as are not worn out.—(15).

6.16

āraṇyasyāpi phālakṛṣṭasya pratiṣedhaḥ | grāmajātānyaphālakṛṣṭānyapi “saṃtyajya grāmyamāhāram” ityanena pratiṣedhaḥ puṣpaphalānāṃ kriyate nopayogaḥ | ājyādyarthaṃ devatābhyarcanādau puṣpaphalānāṃ niṣedhaḥ |
ārto'pi anyāsaṃbhave'pyavaśyakartavyatvāddevatādyarcanasya pratinidhirūce'pi nopādeyamityarthaḥ | apiśabdo bhinnakrame draṣṭavyaḥ—‘puṣpāṇyapi nopādeyāni kiṃ punardhānyāni’ |

6.17

agninā pakvaṃ śākaudanādi, tadaśanaṃ yasya so'gnipakvāśanaḥ | ‘kāle svayameva yatpakvaṃ tadeva bhuñjīta vārkṣaṃ phalam |
athavā dhānyānāmeva nīvārādīnāṃ niṣpiṣyedaṃ bhakṣaṇam | aśmabhiḥ pāṣāṇaiḥ kuṭṭayitvā piṣṭarūpaṃ kṛtvā bhuñjīta | yadvā yaddatūpapannaṃ vṛntakādibhirbahistuṣakapāṭakaṃ tadaśmabhirapanīya kavāṭamantaḥphalaṃ bhakṣayet |
dantā ulūkhalaṃ asya dantolūkhalikaḥ| dantaistuṣakavāṭamapanīya bhakṣayet | aśvatyapi saṃskāre sa na kartavyaḥ | yadi vā pūrvavadaśanaviśeṣopalakṣaṇam—‘tādṛśamaśnīyādyadasya dantā eva ulūkhalakāryamavaghātaṃ saṃpādayanti’ |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘One living on food cooked by fire’.—One whose food consists of vegetables and rice &c. cooked by fire.

Or he may rat only such fruits of trees as ripen themselves in their season.

Or his food may consist of flour obtained by grinding nīvāra and other grains. That is, he should grind these grains, and having thus turned them into dough, eat. it.

Or this phrase may mean that those nuts that ripen in their own season, and which have a kernel beneath a hard crust,—the outer crust of these should be broken with stone and the inner kernel eaten.

‘Dantolūkhalikaḥ’.—One who has his teeth for the mortar. That is the outer crust of nuts may be removed with the teeth. This however ought not to be done even though the nut may have been cleaned.

Or the phrase may be taken as qualifying the eating; the sense being that—‘he shall eat in such a way that his teeth may serve the purposes of the mortar, in the thumping and removing of chaff’.—(17).

6.18

yatpūrvamaśanamuktaṃ tadaikāhikabhojanaparyāptamevārjayat | māsopayogī vā sañcayo māsaparyāptaḥ sañcayo ‘māsasañcayaḥ’ | so'syāstīti ṭhan kartavyaḥ | yadi vā māsasañcayaka iti bahuvrīhisamāso'tra kartavyaḥ, ‘māsaparyāptaḥ sañcayo'syeti’ | evamuttarayorapi |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The food that has been described above, he should obtain day after day, just enough to serve for the day.

The man who has a collection that lasts for one month. The form is obtained by the adding of the affix ‘ṭhan’. Or the reading may be ‘māsasañcayakaḥ’ and the word explained as a Bahuvrīhi compound: ‘he whose collection is sufficient for a month’.

Similarly with the last two expressions.—(18).

6.19

dvirbhojanasya puruṣārthatayā vihitatvādanyatarasminkāle nivṛttirvidhīyate | yathā yathā vayo'tikrāmati tathā tathā bhojanakālaṃ jahyāt | caturthamapyaṣṭamādhikatayā''śrayet | trīṇyahorātrāṇyatītya caturthe'hani sāyaṃ bhuñjāno'ṣṭamakāliko bhavati| bhojanasya prakṛtatvāttadviṣayaścaturthakālasambandhaḥ pratīyate|

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
Two meals having been prescribed for the man’s ordinary purposes, the present text lays down the dropping of one of these meals for the Hermit. The sense is that as age goes on advancing, the man should go on dropping the mealtimes one by one. The ‘fourth’ meal-time is to be computed in the same manner us the ‘eighth’: Three days having elapsed, if one eats in the evening of the fourth day, he comes to be regarded as eating ‘every eighth time’. The act of eating being the subject-matter of the context, the ‘fourth’ (or ‘eighth’) time has to be taken as referring to that act.—(19).

6.20

pakṣāntau pūrṇamāsyamāvāsye | atra śṛtāṃ yavāgūmaśnīyāt | sakṛditi sāyaṃ prātarvā |

6.21

kālapakvaiḥ | panasādīnāṃ agninā'pi pākaḥ kriyate tanniṣedhārtham | tadagnipakvaṃ gṛhasthasyāniṣiddham | vaikhānasaṃ nāma śāstram, yatra vānaprasthasya dharmā vihitāḥ teṣāṃ mate sthitaḥ| anyāmapi tacchāstroktāṃ caryāṃ śikṣeta |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Ripened in their own season’.—The jack-fruit and some other fruits are ripened (artificially) by means of fire also; and it is with a view to exclude these that this epithet has been added. But fruits ripened by means of fire are not forbidden for the Householder.

‘Vaikhānasa’ is the name of a treatise where the duties of the Hermit are prescribed;—keeping firm on these rules;—i.e. he should seek to learn also the other details of life prescribed in that treatise.—(21).

6.22

viparivartanaṃ kevalāyāṃ bhūmāvekena pārśvena niṣadya punaḥ pārśvāntareṇāvasthānam | āhāravihārakālau varjayitvā evaṃ varteta, nopaviśenna ca kramet | na śayyāyāṃ nāsane na bhittau niṣīdedityarthaḥ | prapadaiḥ pādāgrairvā tiṣṭhet | sthānāsanābhyāṃ ca dine | rātrau tu kevalasthaṇḍilaśāyitāṃ vakṣyati | savaneṣu prātarmadhyandināparāhṇeṣu upayannapa iti ca | asambhave nayādīnāmuddhṛtodakenāpi snānaṃ darśayati (6|26) |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Rolling about’— Lying down on the ground on one side for sometime and then turning over on the other side. He shall pass his time thus rolling about, except during meal-time and the time during which he has to move about, he shall neither sit down nor walk about, nor sit on a bed, or a seat, or a parapet.

‘On tip-toe’—‘prapadaiḥ’.—‘He shall stand’.

‘By standing and sitting’.—During the day; as for the night, it is going to be declared that the man should sleep on the bare ground.

‘At the savanas.’—i.e., in the morning, at midday and in the evening; —‘going to water’.—This indicates that where a river or some such reservoir of water is not available, one may perform his bath even with water pulled out (of a well).—(22).

6.23

pañcabhirātmānaṃ tāpayet | catasṛṣu dikṣu agnīnsannidhāpya madhye tiṣṭhedupariṣṭādādityatāpaṃ seveta | prāvṛṣyabhrāṇyevāvakāśa āśrayaḥ, yasmindeśe devo varṣati taṃ pradeśamāśrayedvarṣanivāraṇārthaṃ chatravastrādi na gṛhṇīyāt | hemante | śītopalakṣaṇārtham | etena śiśire'pyeṣa eva vidhiḥ ārdravāsastvam | kramaśaḥ krameṇa |

6.24

upasparśanaṃ snānam | anyadapi ūrdhvabāhādi māsopavāsadvādaśarātrādi tapaḥ | ugrataraṃ prakṛṣṭataraṃ śarīrapīḍājananaṃ kurvan śoṣayeccharīram |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Upasparśana’—means bathing.

‘Austerities’— such as holding up the arms permanently, fasting during the whole month, or for twelve days, and so forth.

‘Harsher’—what is calculated to cause greater suffering to the body.

He shall ‘emaciate’,—make to dry up,—his body (24).

6.25

vitāne bhavā vaitānāḥ śrautāḥ | tānsamāropayedbhasmapānādividhānena | ātmani samāropaṇavidhiśca śravaṇākādavagantavyaḥ | cirakālaṃ yadā tapaścaritaṃ bhavati, samastyavasthāṃ vayaḥ prāptaṃ, tadā vānaprastha eva san'anagniraniketaḥ' parṇakuṭīṃ nivāsārthāṃ jahyāt | kva tarhyāsīta | upariṣṭādvakṣyati “vṛkṣamūlaniketana” iti ( 6 | 26 ) | 'muniḥ' 'syāditi' saṃbadhyate | tenāyamartha ukto bhavati--vāṅniyamaṃ kuryāditi | maunavratadhārī niyatavāgucyate loke | mūlaphalāśanaḥ | anyānnanivṛttyarthametat | nīvārādīnyāraṇyānyapi nāśnīyāt |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Vaitāna’—Śrauta.

These fires he shall reposit within himself, by swallowing their ashes and perfoming such other rites as have been laid down in connection with it. The exact procedure of this repositting should be learnt from the Śravanaka (?).

When austerities have been performed for a long time, and the man has reached seventy years of age, then, still remaining a hermit, he shall be ‘without fires and without a house’; i.e., he shall give up his thatched dwelling-house.

“Where then should be live?”

He shall dwell ‘at the roots of trees’,—as is going to be said in the next verse.

‘He shall be a silent hermit’.—The construction is ‘muniḥ syāt’, ‘he shall be a muni’; which means that he shall keep his speech under control; the man who has his speech under control is called ‘a keeper of the vow of silence’.

‘Living upon roots and fruits’.— This serves to exclude all other kinds of food; he shall not eat even Nīvarā and the other wild grains.—(25).

6.26

sukhaprayojaneṣu vastuṣu prayatnaṃ na kuryāt | ātapapīḍitaḥ chāyāṃ nopasarpet | śītārdito nāgniṃ samindhīta | yadi tu daivopapāditādityatāpādinā śītādiduḥkhanivṛttirbhavatītyatraiva duḥkhāpanodaḥ kriyate, na niṣidhyate | varṣādikālādanyatraitadvidhīyate | tatra pratipannasya dharmasya vidhānāt | athavā vyādhitastasyauṣadhaprayatno nivāryate | vyādhinivṛttirapi 'sukhaṃ' ucyate | atastannivṛttyarthaṃ yatnaṃ na kuryāt | dharāśayaḥ kevalaistṛṇairācchādite sthaṇḍile śayīta | śaraṇeṣvāśrayeṣu gṛhavṛkṣamūlādiṣu mamakāramātmīyābhiniveśaṃ na kuryāt | vṛkṣamūlāni niketanaṃ gṛhasthānīyaṃ kuryāt | tadasambhave śilātalaguhādayo'pi vihitāḥ |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
He shall make no effort to obtain things that give pleasure; e.g., troubled by heat, he shall not move into the shade, and troubled by cold, he shall not kindle fire. If, however, his sufferings are removed by such natural causes as the falling of the sun’s rays and the like,—this is not forbidden. This rule refers to seasons other than the rains; because special rules have been prescribed with special reference to this latter Reason.

Or, the text may be taken as prohibiting the use of medicines by the hermit if he happen to fall ill,—being cured of disease also being a kind of ‘pleasure;’ hence he shall not make any effort to secure this pleasure.

‘Sleeping on the ground’;—i.e., he shall sleep on the ground, covered only with grass.

‘Shelter’— dwelling-places, such as houses, tree-roots and so forth;—for these he shall not care; he shall not have any hankering after the possession of these.

He shall make the roots of trees his dwelling. In the event of their being not available, stone-slabs, mountain-caves and such places have also been ordained for him.—(26).

6.27

pañcamyarthe saptamī | tāpasebhyaḥ phalamūlāsambhave bhaikṣamāharet | gṛhamedhibhyo gṛhasthebhyo vā vanavāsibhyaḥ | yātrikaṃ yāvatā sauhityaṃ bhavati |
asambhave tu

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The Locative ending in ‘tāpaseṣu’ &c. has the sense of the Ablative; meaning ‘from hermits’—‘he shall receive alms’,—in the event of his being unable to obtain fruits and roots;—‘or from such householders as live in the forests’.

‘Enough for subsistence’;—what is just sufficient to satisfy his hunger.—(27).

In the absence of such alms.—

6.28

grāsagrahaṇātra mūlaphalabhikṣaiva, grāmyānnāśanamanyāsambhave'nenānujñātam | gṛhītvā puṭenaiva pāṇinā bhājanarahitena | śakalena śarāvādyekadeśakhaṇḍena |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The use of the term ‘morsel’ implies that the alms are not to consist of fruits and roots only. In fact the present text permits the use of cultivated grains, in the absence of wild ones.

Receiving the alms either ‘in the hollowed hand’—without a dish—or in a piece of broken earthenware, dish, &c.—(28).

6.29

etā dīkṣā niyamānanyāṃścāntarjalasthānacakṣurnimīlanādikaṃ seveta | śrutīraupaniṣadīḥ rahasyādhikārapaṭhitāni vedavākyāni adhīyīta cintayedbhāvayecca 'ātmasaṃsiddhaye' | brahmaprāptyarthaṃ vā upāsanā uktāḥ | vividhā ityanuvādaḥ |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
These ‘restraints’—observances and ‘others’—such as standing in water, keeping the eyes closed and so forth.

‘Vedic texts contained in the Upaniṣads.’—He shall study the texts contained in the esoteric sections of the Veda, and think of them and ponder over them;‘in order to attain the Self’.

Or this may refer to the several forms of worship that have been laid down for attaining Brahman.

‘Several’—this is a mere re-iteration.—(29).

6.30

aviśeṣeṇoktā anyāśca seveta | śākyapāśupatādidīkṣādisevanamapi prāptaṃ tanniṣedhati | ṛṣibhirmahābhārate saṃtapyamānāthaiḥ sevitā varṇyante | brāhmaṇaiśca gṛhasthairyāḥ sevitāḥ | yaduktam "uttareṣāṃ caitadavirodhīti" (gautamīye 3|8)| vidyā ātmaikatvavijñānam, tacchrutisevanena vṛddhiṃ nayet dṛḍhīkuryāt | śarīrasya ca śuddhaye āhāraniyamadīkṣāḥ seveta |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
It has just been stated in general terms that ‘he shall attend to others’; this might be taken to imply the propriety of practising the restraints and observances laid down in the ‘Śākya’, the‘Pāśupata’ and other heterodox scriptures. Hence the present verse is added for the purpose precluding these.

‘By sages.’—The Mahābhārata describes several restraints and observances practised by the ancient sages.

Those attended to by ‘Brāhmaṇa-householders’;—as has been declared under Gautama (3.9)—This refers to those coming later, also, because there is no incompatibility in this.’

‘Knowledge’—the realising of the unity of the Self; this one should ‘advance’—confirm, strengthen—by the study of the Veda.

‘For the purification of the body’—he should attend to the restraints relating to the regulation of food—(30).

6.31

prācyā udīcyāśca diśorantarālamaparājitā dik lokeṣvaiśānītyucyate | diśamāsthāya | cetasi vidhāya 'eṣā mayā gantavyeti' tatastāmeva vrajet |
ajihmagaḥ akuṭilagāmī | śvabhranadīsrotāṃsi na pariharet |
ā nipātāccharīrasya yukto vāryanilāśanaḥ | prācyā udīcyāśca gamanavidhirayam | yāvanna patati tāvadvāyubhakṣo'mbubhakṣaśca syāt | yuktaḥ yogaśāstrairātmānaṃ yuktvā |
tadetanmahāprasthānamucyate |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The ‘Aparājitā’ is the name of the North-Easterly direction, known among the people as ‘Aiśānī’;—‘Having fixed upon’ this direction—as “this is the direction towards which I shall go’,—he should proceed towards it.

‘Moving straight on’—not swerving from his path, not seeking to avoid even rivers and streams. This is a rule laying down the going towards the North-East.

‘Intent, living upon water and air, till the falling off of the body.’—That is, until the body falls off, he shall live upon air and on water.

‘Intent’,—having concentrated himself by the rules of Yoga.

This refers to the ‘Grand Journey’ (towards certain death).—(31).

6.32

pūrvoktāni tapāṃsi mahāprasthānaṃ cānantaroktaṃ maharṣicaryā | āsāmanyatamayā nadīpraveśena bhṛguprapatanenāgnipraveśenāhāranivṛttyā vā śarīraṃ tyajet |
asya phalaṃ vītaśokabhayasya brahmalokaprāptiḥ | narakādiduḥkhānubhavaḥ 'śokaḥ' | 'bhayaṃ' narakaṃ gamiṣyāmīti | tadasya vyeti | avyavadhānenaiva, nārcirādikrameṇa, brahmalokaṃ prāpnoti |
iha sthānaviśeṣo 'brahmalokaḥ', svargādapi niratiśayastatra mahīyate pūjyamāna āste | na tu brahmaṇaḥ svārājyaṃ prāpnoti, lokagrahaṇāt | caturthe hyāśrame mokṣaṃ vakṣyati | na kevalakarmakṛto mokṣa ityāhuḥ |
nanu cāsyāpyuktaṃ "vividhāścaupaniṣadīrātmasaṃsiddhaye śrutīriti" | ātmasaṃsiddhiśca ātmopāsanatayā tadbhāvāpattiḥ | na hyanyaḥ saṃsiddhiśabdasyārtha upapadyate | aupaniṣadīṣu śrutiṣu tadbhāvyaṃ yogināmātmānaṃ "brahmasaṃstho'mṛtatvametīti" ca | 'atha sāyujyaṃ gacchatītyādi' |
athocyate—"anyā api tapaḥsiddhayaḥ śrūyante | 'sa yadi pitṛlokakāmo bhavati' ityādi saṃkalpitārthopapāditā sārṣṭiṃtā sālokyaṃ ca puruṣasya bhaviṣyati | na punarmokṣa iti" | tadayuktaṃ viśeṣābhāvāt | yathaiva parimitaphalāsūpāsanāsvadhikriyate evamamṛtatvaprāptāvapi | na kvacicchrūyate parivrājakenaivopāsanānyadvaitaviṣayāṇi kartavyāni |
'nanu ca "trayo dharmaskandhāḥ" ityupakramya "yajño'dhyayanaṃ dānam" ityanena gṛhasthadharmā uktāḥ | tapa evetyanena vānaprasthaḥ | brahmacāryācāryakulavāsītyanena naiṣṭhikaḥ | brahmasaṃstha ityanena parivrājakaḥ | eteṣāṃ trayāṇāṃ puṇyalokā uktāḥ | pāriśeṣyādetadvyatiriktasyāmṛtatvam' |
naivam | brahmaṇi saṃtiṣṭhate prayatate tatparasya brahmasaṃsthasya yaugikatvādasya śabdasya | 'nanu ca yadi sarveṣāmadhikārastadaitāvadeva vaktavyaṃ brahmasaṃstho'mṛtatvametoti' | naivam | āśramāṇāṃ svavidhivākyāvagataṃ phalaṃ saṃpattayiṣvaḥ puṇyalokā bhavantīti brahmasaṃsthasya tadāśramāvasthitasyaivāmṛtatvamapunarāvṛttilakṣaṇaṃ vidhīyate |
"nanu cādvaitarūpaṃ brahma tyātmavidaḥ | sa ca nivṛttakarmākhyaḥ | āśramāśca pravṛttamārgākhyāḥ kriyākārakaphalabhedānuṣṭhānātmakāḥ | tatrādvaitātmavijñāne samānabhedāśrayāṇi ca gṛhasthādyagnihotrakarmādīnīti parasparavirodhaḥ |"
atrocyate | samānametat pārivrājye'pi yamaniyamānāmiṣṭatvātte ca bhedāśrayāḥ | athāpyucyeta 'karmasaṃnyāsino nivṛttimārgāvasthāyino naiva kecicchāstrārthavidhayaḥ santi' |
nāyaṃ śāstrārthaḥ | ahaṃkāramamakāratyāga eva saṃnyāso vakṣyate, nāśeṣaśāstrārthatyāgaḥ | tasyāpi kṣudhādyupahatasya bhikṣādau pravartamānasyāstyeva kriyākāraka sambandhaḥ | tatra laukike dṛṣṭārthabhede pravartamānasya advaitātmavijñānabhāvanamaviruddham | śāstrīye tvagnihotrādau virodhāditi ko yuktakāryaṃ vadet |
athocyate- "kṣudhādyupahatasyāpyadvaitatyāgo virodhinā bhojanena tāvatkāla eva | yathā'ndhatamasi calitasya gacchataḥ kaṇṭakapradeśe pādanyāsaḥ savitari punarudite labdhaprakāśasya punarnyāyyamevādhvanyasyākaṇṭake'vasthānam | tathā kṣudhādyupaghāte vicchinnātmavijñānasya cakṣurmālokasthānīyāyāṃ kṣunnivṛttau punardṛḍhasaṃskāravaśādadvaita evāvasthānamiti |"
tattāpase'pyaviruddham | gṛhasthasyāpi putradārāditadupāsanamaviruddham | "bahuvyāpāratastu bhedasātmyatāṃ gatasya kuto'dvaitasaṃskārotpattiḥ" | uktaṃ ca gṛhasthadharmeṣu "ekākī cintayediti" (a0 4 ślo0 258) | tathā "putre sarvaṃ samāsajyeti" (a0 4 ślo0 257) |
"nanu ca 'tasmāduha na purāyuṣaḥ svaḥkāmī preyāt' iti śrutiḥ | tatra kuto vānaprasthasya śarīratyāgaḥ | na hi sā śrutirvānaprasthādanyatrānayā smṛtyā viṣaya upasthāpayituṃ śakyate | balīyasī hi śrutiḥ | sā ca smṛtyanurodhena na saṃkocamarhati" |
ucyate--jarasā viśīryetyāniṣṭasaṃdarśanādinā vā vidite pratyāsanne mṛtyau mumūrṣato na śrutivirodhaḥ | evaṃ hi tatra śrūyate "na purāyuṣa" iti | avasthāviśeṣe hyanabhiprete maraṇe etāvaddevāvakṣyat "na svaḥkāmī preyāditi" | ariṣṭopadeśaścopaniṣatsvevamarthavānbhavati | yasya tvetannimittaṃ maraṇaṃ nāsti |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The austerities spoken of above and the ‘Grand Journey’ just spoken of constitute ‘the methods adopted by the Great Sages.’ By ‘one of these’—by drowning in a river, by falling from a precipice, by burning one self by fire, by starving one’self to death—one should discard his body.

The result of this is that ‘with sorrow and fear departed’ he reaches the regions of Brahman. ‘Sorrow’ consists in the experiencing of the sufferings of hell, etc.,—‘Fear’—of going to hell. Both these disappear for the man; and directly—not having to pass through the several stages of Light, etc.—he goes to the region of Brahman.