Verse 2.62

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

हृद्गाभिः पूयते विप्रः कण्ठगाभिस्तु भूमिपः ।
वैश्योऽद्भिः प्राशिताभिस्तु शूद्रः स्पृष्टाभिरन्ततः ॥ ६२ ॥

hṛdgābhiḥ pūyate vipraḥ kaṇṭhagābhistu bhūmipaḥ |
vaiśyo'dbhiḥ prāśitābhistu śūdraḥ spṛṣṭābhirantataḥ || 62 ||

The Brāhmaṇa is purified by the water reaching the heart; the Kṣatriya by that reaching the throat; the Vaiśya by water that is just sipped, and the Śūdra by what is touched with the end.—(62)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Reaching the heart’—that which reaches down to the regions of the heart; the word being derived from the root ‘gam’ with the ‘ḍa’ affix, according to Pāṇini, 6. 2.101; the term ‘hṛdaya’ being changed into ‘hṛd’ according to Pāṇini’s Sūtra, 6.3.50.

‘Is purified’—Reaches sanctity; that is, gets rid of impurity. The water (reaching the heart) would, in quantity, be just a little less than a handful.

‘The Kṣatriya by that reaching the throat’—i.e., by that which reaches only down to the throat. The term ‘bhūmipaḥ’ in the text stands for the Kṣatriya; as the ‘lordship of land’ is laid down for the Kṣatriya only; and hence this well-known function (of ruling the land) indicates here the Kṣatriya caste. If actual ‘lordship’ of the land were meant, then what is laid down here would have been prescribed among the ‘duties of tho king.’

‘The Vaiśya by the water that is just sipped,’—i.e., which is just taken into the mouth; even without reaching the throat, the water thus sipped serves to purify the Vaiśya.

‘The Śūdra by what is touched with the end;’—‘anṭataḥ’ stands for ‘antena’; the ‘tasil’ affix having the force of the instrumental, according to the Vārtika on Pāṇini, 5. 4. 44. The term ‘end’ (anta) means proximity; e.g., the phrase ‘udakānta’ means ‘near water’. It also means a part; e.g., in such expressions as ‘vastrānta,’ ‘vasanānta’ and the like. With both these significations the term ‘end’ (being a relative term) stands in need of a correlative; whenever it is used, one always wants to know—‘near what ’ or ‘part of what.’ Now in the present case, the water-sipping has been laid down for the other castes as to he done with certain parts of the hand and the lips and the tongue; and it is the ‘end’ of these that is meant. It cannot mean mere ‘proxi mity’; because the ‘water-sipping’ prescribed cannot he accomplished by mere proximity. Then again, the ‘touch’ (of the water with the tongue and lips) would involve sipping (which has been laid down for the Vaiśya); for one is sure to feel the taste of that which is touched with the tongue and lips. Hence the conclusion appears to he that the quantity of water sufficient for the Śūdra is just a little less in quantity than that for the Vaiśya; e.g., while for the Vaiśya the water should touch the root of the tongue, for the Śūdra it should touch only its tip.

Water being a fluid substance, its going beyond the limits prescribed would be unavoidable; hence all that is meant is that if the water sipped fails to reach the prescribed limits, it fails to purify the man.

The description of the ‘receptacles’ (parts of the hand) refers to the right hand; as it is this hand that should be used in all washings; specially as it has been laid down that men should perform (religious) acts with the right hand. It is for this reason that we reiterate this fact in the present connection.—(62)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 221);—in Smṛtitattva (p. 335), which points out that for the Śūdra, there is no ācamana, as the verse stops short at the Vaiśya; so in the place of ācamana, the Śūdra should wash his hands and feet;—this is clear from a text of the Brahmapurāṇa;—and in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 74), where it is explained that ‘antataḥ’ means inside of the mouth; and hence what is meant is that there should be no drinking of the water, which should only touch the inner part of the mouth;—such being the opinion of Kalpataru. It is curious that Kalpataru, as quoted in Vīramitrodaya, has quoted Manu 5.13 9, where ‘antataḥ’ does not occur at all, and missed the present verse, which, as Vīramitrodaya rightly remarks, is the text that really supports the explanation provided by Kalpataru. Vīramitrodaya notes Medhātithi’s explanation with approval on p. 75.

This verse is quoted in Kṛtyasārasamuccaya (p. 46);—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 985), which adds the following notes:—‘Hṛdgābhiḥ,’ reaching the regions of the heart,—‘Pūyate’ acquires purity;—‘Kaṇthayābhiḥ,’ just touching the throat only,—‘bhūmipoḥ,’ the Kṣatriya;—‘prāśitāḥhiḥ’, just taken into the mouth, and not reaching the throat,—‘antataḥ,’ the affix ‘tasi’ has the force of the Instrumental,—the term ‘anta’ meaning near requires a correlative, that to which nearness is meant,—so that the meaning is that the Śūdra is purified by water reaching that point which is in close proximity to that which the water should reach for purifying the Vaiśya;—and as the tongue is the point for the Vaiśya, for the Śūdra it must be the teeth; though the water that reaches the teeth must touch the tongue also, yet all that is meant is that the quantity for the Śūdra should be just a little less than that for the Vaiśya.

It is quoted also in Saṃskāraratnamālā (p. 221).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra, 1. 5. 17.—‘The Brāhmaṇa becomes pure by water reaching the heart, the Kṣatriya by its reaching the throat and the Vaiśya by water actually drunk off; the woman and the Śūdra by merely touching it.’

Viṣṇu-Smṛti, 62. 9.—‘The three twice-born castes become pure by water reaching the heart, the throat and the palate respectively, the woman and the Śūdra by touching it once.’

Gautama Dharmasūtra, 1.37.—‘He should thrice or four times sip water reaching the heart.’

Vaśiṣṭha-Smṛti, 3.33-34.—‘The Brāhmaṇa is purified by bubble-free and foamless water reaching his heart; the Kṣatriya by it reaching the throat, the Vaiśya by water actually drunk; the woman and the Śūdra by merely touching it.’

Yājñavalkya, 1.21.—[The same words as Viṣṇu, above.]

Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra, 1.2.29.—‘He should sip water reaching the heart.’

Brahmapurāṇa (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 74).—‘The woman and the Śūdra are purified by the washing of the hands and lips.’

Uśanas (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 75).—‘That quantity of water is to be taken as reaching the heart in which a bean sinks; this quantity, less by its fourth part is taken as reaching the throat’, less by half, as reaching the palate; and less by three-fourths, as reaching the teeth.’

Pracetas—(See above.)