Verse 2.211

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

अभ्यञ्जनं स्नापनं च गात्रोत्सादनमेव च ।
गुरुपत्न्या न कार्याणि केशानां च प्रसाधनम् ॥ २११ ॥

abhyañjanaṃ snāpanaṃ ca gātrotsādanameva ca |
gurupatnyā na kāryāṇi keśānāṃ ca prasādhanam || 211 ||

Annointing, assisting at bath, shampooing of limbs and dressing of the hair should not be done for the teacher’s wife.—(211)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Annointing’—rubbing of the head and body with oil, butter, and such things.

‘Shampooing’—rubbing—‘of limbs this includes the washing of feet also.

What is prohibited here is every service that involves the touching of the body; and the reason for this the author is going to explain below (in 213).

‘Dressing of the hair’;—arranging the, hair into various shapes, and adorning the frontal hair with Kuṅkuma, Sindūra and other things. This has been mentioned only by way of illustration; hence the adorning of the body also with sandal-paint, etc., becomes interdicted.—(211)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 301.) quotes this verse as laying down exceptions to the general rule regarding the clasping of the feet and the rendering of other services to the Teacher’s wife.

It is quoted in Vidhānapārijāta (p. 495);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 402);—also on p. 493.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Baudhāyana (1. 2. 38).—(See above.)

Gautama (2. 39).—‘There should be no eating of the leavings, bathing, hair-dressing, feet-washing, shampooing and feet-clasping.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (1. 7. 57).—(See above.)

Viṣṇu (32. 6).—‘For the teacher’s wives one should not do shampooing, applying of collyrium, dressing of hair, or touching the feet and such like acts.’