Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c6.116

v1.c6.116

A third passage where a list of the various sons is found is i, 74.99. Here according to the commentary—and the learned men of Europe follow it—five classes are named. But, so far as I can see, this view is hardly a possible one. The most obvious translation would be: “ Manu has made known the five sons born from a man’s own wife, (then) the acquired, the bought, the reared, the ‘ made ’ (kṛita) sons, that is, the (four) that have come into being in other women.” The labdha could then include in himself the datta and the svayaṃdatta of Manu, whereby naturally I do not mean to say that we are to give weight to the constant appeal to the famous law-giver. The “ reared ” one might then perhaps be the apaviddha. Also the five by the man’s own wife offer a difficulty. But as