Verse 3.38

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

दैवौढाजः सुतश्चैव सप्त सप्त परावरान् ।
आर्षौढाजः सुतस्त्रींस्त्रीन् षट् षट् कायौढजः सुतः ॥ ३८ ॥

daivauḍhājaḥ sutaścaiva sapta sapta parāvarān |
ārṣauḍhājaḥ sutastrīṃstrīn ṣaṭ ṣaṭ kāyauḍhajaḥ sutaḥ || 38 ||

The son born of the wife married by the Daiva form (absolves from sin) seven ancestors and seven des cendants; the son born of the wife married by the Ārṣa form three of each; and the son born of the wife married by the Prājāpatya form six of each.—(38)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The girl wedded by the Daiva form of marriage is called ‘the wife married by the Daiva form:’ and the son born of her.

[In the term ‘Kāya’] ‘ka’ stands for Prajāpati; and that marriage of which he is the presiding deity is ‘Kāya.’ In reality, marriage is a sacramental rite consisting in the ‘taking’ (of the girl’s hand), and there is no connection with any deity; still Prajāpati is called its ‘deity’ only figuratively. Though it is true that there are offerings made to Prajāpati during the marriage-rites, yet, since such offerings are common to all the preceding forms of marriage also, -they cannot form the ground for the name ‘Prājāpatya’ being given to any particular form. Further, such an explanation (of the name being based upon the presiding deity) would not be available at all in the case of the names ‘Āsura’ and the rest: as at no marriage-rite are any offerings made to the Āsura and others.

The short vowel in ‘ḍha,’ in the term ‘Kāyoḍhaja,’ is in accordance with Pāṇini 6. 3.63 (where much latitude is allowed in the case of the final vowels of feminine endings).

“In the Text it is found that the marriage-form with inferior results has been mentioned after that with superior results; so that the ‘Ārṣa’ should have been mentioned after the ‘Prājāpatya’ (in verse 25).”

There is a special reason why the ‘Prājāpatya though with superior results, has been mentioned last. In verse 25 above, it has been declared that ‘of the five three are lawful, etc., etc.,’ when the ‘Prājāpatya’ is meant to be included (among those permitted for the Kṣatriya); while if the ‘Ārṣa’ were mentioned after the ‘Prājāpatya’ (on the ground of the inferior results of the former), then it would be the ‘Ārṣa’ that would become included (among those sanctioned for the ‘Kṣatriya’).—(38)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 487);—the first half is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 863), where the term ‘daivoḍhāja’ is explained as ‘one born of a wife married in the Daiva form’; and it is added that the phrase ‘ātmānañca’ of the preceding verse has to be construed here also;—in Hemādri (Dāna, p. 683);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 228), which explains ‘Kāya’ as the Prājāpatya.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (4.29-32).—‘Three generations are purified by the Ārṣa, ten by the Daiva, and ten by the Prājāpatya.’

Viṣṇu (24.30-32).—‘The son of the wife married in the Daiva form purifies fourteen generations; that of one married in the Ārṣa form, seven; that of one married in the Prājāpatya form, four.’

Yājñavalkya (1.59-60).—‘The son born of the first (i.e., Daiva) form of marriage purifies fourteen generations, and that born of the second, Ārṣa form, six; that born of the Prājāpatya purifies six generations, along with oneself.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra (16.1).—‘The Daiva purifies ten past and ten future generations on both sides; the Prājāpatya purifies eight past and eight future generations on both sides; the Ārṣa purifies seven past and seven future generations on both sides.’

Shannaka (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, pp. 863 and 864).—‘The son born of a girl married by the Daiva form purifies ten past and ten future generations on the father’s and on the mother’s side. The son born of the girl married by the Ārṣa form purifies seven past and seven future generations on the father’s and on the mother’s side. The son born of the girl married by the Prājāpatya form purifies eight past and eight future generations on both sides.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 865).—‘The Prājāpatya-born purifies seven generations below and seven above, and also oneself; the Ārṣa-born, five; and the Daiva-born, three.’