Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c6.78

v1.c6.78

¹ This stock expression āpadi “in the time of misfortune” is thus explained, for instance, by the commentary on Manu, ix, 56: “When there is no male offspring.”—“More excellent” than the husband himself. Or: “From one that is most excellent.” Less likely: “A son is yearned for from a more excellent man as proxy in begetting.” Devara “proxy in begetting” would seem to be made sure by our passage alone, but is also found in the MBh. In Yājñav., i, 68, and Nārada, xii, 80, the word perhaps has this meaning likewise, if we take in the first passage vā—vā=“either—or”, which would be quite possible, and in Nārada, xii, 85 tathā as “also, likewise” (Jolly translates by “or”), and not “in this wise”.