History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.293

v2.c24.s1.293

Further rules are laid down about showing courtesy to a person who is not a relative or who is not a teacher &c. Āp. Dh. S. I. 4. 14. 26-29 and Manu II. 127 lay down that one should, on meeting a brāhmaṇa, ask after his health with the word '*kuśala*,' a kṣatriya about his health using the word '*anāmaya*', a vaiśya by using the word kṣema (or anaṣṭa according to Āp.) and a śūdra by employing the word ārogya. Thus one who is older (according to the rule in Manu II. 134 cited above on p. 339) should be saluted, while one who is of the same age or younger should simply be asked '*kuśala*' &c. Gaut. V. 37-38 gives similar directions.⁸³¹ Manu (II. 129) enjoins that one should address a woman who is the wife of another man and who is not a blood relation as '*lady*' (*bhavatī*) or '*beloved sister*' and (Āp. Dh. S. I. 4. 14. 30) that one should not pass a learned brāhmaṇa without addressing him nor a woman whom he meets in a forest or other lonely place and Viṣṇu Dh. S. 32. 7 says that in such circumstances he must address her (in order to assure her) as '*sister*' (if she is of the same age as himself) or '*daughter*' (if she is younger) and '*mother*' (if she is older than himself).