Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c8.36

v1.c8.36

² But perhaps more likely so: “the blind ones, evil-livers, among men (persons) very foolish ones, who delight themselves with intercourse with a base womb,” which then of course might be meant for sodomy; according to xii, 228.45 rather for intercourse with women of low standing. Cp. xii, 227.14, and as to viyoni also xii, 296.11; xiii, 104.133; 106.72; K, xiii, 53.1 f. For: maithunam puruṣeshu compare: maithunam pumsi in Manu, xi, 68. According to this passage and Viṣṇu, xxxviii, 5 by homosexual perversion the man loses his caste; while Manu, xi, 175, Viṣṇu, liii, 4, prescribe bathing in the clothes as the atonement. Lesbian love between girls is punished with a heavy money fine and ten strokes of the whip (çiphā); the married woman who thus stains a maid shall be at once shaved bald, have two fingers cut off, and be led on an ass through the place. Manu, viii, 369 f.