Verse 3.24

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

चतुरो ब्राह्मणस्याद्यान् प्रशस्तान् कवयो विदुः ।
राक्षसं क्षत्रियस्यैकमासुरं वैश्यशूद्रयोः ॥ २४ ॥

caturo brāhmaṇasyādyān praśastān kavayo viduḥ |
rākṣasaṃ kṣatriyasyaikamāsuraṃ vaiśyaśūdrayoḥ || 24 ||

The wise ones have regarded the first four as commended for the Brāhmaṇa, the Rākṣasa alone for the Kṣatriya and the Āsura for the Vaiśva and the Śūdra.—(24).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The further recommendation of the ‘Brāhma’ and other three forms for the Brāhmaṇa, means that the ‘Āsura’ and the ‘Gāndharva’ are prohibited for him.

Similarly, for the Kṣatriya, it is the ‘Rākṣasa’ alone, not the ‘Āsura’ and the ‘Gāndharva.’

For the Vaiśya and the Śūdra, it is the ‘Āsura’ alone.

Among those that have been sanctioned (before) and prohibited now, there is to be option; so that one may have recourse to the optional forms only when those that have been sanctioned absolutely in all cases are not possible. If a man were to have recourse to those forms of marriage that have been sanctioned in one place and interdicted in another, without considering the possibility or otherwise of those that are absolutely sanctioned,—he would be committing a wrong, and his offspring would be defective;—this is what the law-giver has indicated under verse 23 above by the phrase, ‘the good and bad effects upon the offspring.’ But such an act would not nullify the marriage itself in the way in which the fact of the bride being the bridegroom’s ‘sapiṇḍa’ does.—(24)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘For the Vaiśyas and Śūdras are not particular about their wives’ (Baudhāyana, 1.20.14). Cf. the following passages for the different rules in this respect. Vaśiṣṭha 1.27-28 gives six equivalents to these eight; so Āpastamba (2.12.3), who admits three as good. Baudhāyana 1.20.10 gives eight and permits but four; so Viṣṇu (24.27). Gautama gives the eight, admits four, and says some admit six. “The Mahābhārata (1.73.8 ff.) ascribes descending virtue to each ‘according to Manu’, and mixing up the sense of verse 23 and verse 27, allows four for a Brāhmaṇa and six for a Kṣatriya.”—Hopkins.

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 487), as selecting out of the eight, those that are specially commended;—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 858), which adds that of the form specially commended for the Brāhmaṇa, two are still more important

Madanapārijāta (p. 159), adds the following note:—The Brāhma, Daiva, Ārṣa and Prājāpatya forms have been declared to be commended for the Brāhmaṇa; for the Kṣatriya, the Rākṣasa alone has been commended; and for the Vaiśya and Śūdra, the Āsura only. For the Brāhmaṇa the first four, ending with the Prājāpatya are the primary forms, and the Rākṣasa must be a secondary substitute for him, because it is lawful for the next lower caste, Kṣatriya. For the Kṣatriya, the Rākṣasa, is the primary form; and as according to the preceding verse, the Āsura, Gāndharva, Rākṣasa and Paiśāca are commended for him, the three, besides the Rākṣasa, must be regarded as secondary substitutes. According to others, however, the phrase ‘last four’ (of verse 23) stands for the four beginning with ‘Prājāpatya and according to this, the Rākṣasa being directly mentioned in the present verse as specially commended for the Kṣatriya, the secondary substitutes for him would be the Prājāpatya, the Gāndharva and the Āsura. For the Vaiśya and the Śūdra, the Āsura is the primary, and the Gāndharva and the Paiśāca,—or the Gāndharva and the Prājāpatya—secondary substitutes.

Smṛtitattva (II, p. 140) quotes this verse and explains that even though this text mentions among the ‘commended’ forms, the Āsura, where the bride’s father receives wealth from the bridegroom, yet it must be understood to sanction the payment of only so much of wealth as may be required for the decking of the bride.—It is quoted in Hemādri (Dana, p. 683);—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 100), which adds that for the Kṣatriya, the Rākṣasa is the principal form, and for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra, the Āsura.

Aparārka (p. 91) quotes this verse and adds that for the Brāhmaṇa, the Brāhma, Daiva, Ārṣa and Prājāpatya are commended; the Āsura and Gāndharva are neither commended nor forbidden;—for the Kṣatriya, the Rākṣasa alone is commended; the Āsura and the Gāndharva are neither commended nor forbidden;—for the Vaiśya and Śūdra, the Āsura alone is commended; the Gāndharva is neither commended nor forbidden;—the Paiśāca is forbidden for all castes.

It is quoted in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, pp. 190 and 231), which adds that though the first four are ‘commended,’ it does not mean that the next two are forbidden; all that is meant is that these two are not commended.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 3.23-24)

See Comparative notes for Verse 3.23.