Verse 3.71

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

पञ्चैतान् यो महाऽयज्ञान्न हापयति शक्तितः ।
स गृहेऽपि वसन्नित्यं सूनादोषैर्न लिप्यते ॥ ७१ ॥

pañcaitān yo mahā'yajñānna hāpayati śaktitaḥ |
sa gṛhe'pi vasannityaṃ sūnādoṣairna lipyate || 71 ||

He who omits not these sacrifices, to the best of his capacity, on any day, does not become tainted by the sin of the ‘slaughter-house,’ even though living in the house.—(71)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The necessity of performing the ‘sacrifices’ every day is what is enjoined here; the rest is all mere reiteration.

The meaning is that these sacrifices should be performed, even though in an imperfect manner,—to the best of one’s ability; this also follows from the compulsory character of the acts; hence the text has added the phrase ‘to the best of his capacity;’—the ‘tasi’ affix being added to the term ‘śakti,’ which is included in the ‘ādyādī’ group.

‘Hāpayati’—This has the sense of the simple root (‘hā,’ to abandon), no significance being meant to be attached to the causal affix. Or, the word may be etymologically explained as derived from the nona ‘hā’ (omission)—formed by the root ‘hā’ with the ‘kvip’ affix; ‘hāpayati’ being explained as ‘hām apayati’ ‘brings about omission;’ āp + kvip, and then the nominal root formed by the addition of the affix ‘nich.’ The meaning, in any case, is ‘omits not.’

Living in his own house—where the ‘slaughter-houses’ cannot be avoided—he does not become tainted with the sin resulting from them. This is said in praise of the sacrifices.—(71)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 392);—and in Smṛtitattva (p. 533).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 3.71-72)

Viṣṇu (9.26).—[After reproducing Manu 72]—‘Attending upon the three Purposes, constant giving of food, worship of the Gods and the Bāhmaṇas, studying of the, Veda, satisfying the Pitṛs,—by doing all these, the householder reaches the position of Indra.’

Śruti (Aparārka, p. 140).—‘He who eats alone is wholly sinful.’

Yājñavalkya (1. 105).—‘The couple should eat what is left after the feeding of children, young girls, old persons, the pregnant woman, the sick and the maidens, as also the guests and dependants.’