Verse 4.35 [Personal Cleanliness]

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

कॢप्तकेशनखश्मश्रुर्दान्तः शुक्लाम्बरः शुचिः ।
स्वाध्याये चैव युक्तः स्यान्नित्यमात्महितेषु च ॥ ३५ ॥

kḷptakeśanakhaśmaśrurdāntaḥ śuklāmbaraḥ śuciḥ |
svādhyāye caiva yuktaḥ syānnityamātmahiteṣu ca || 35 ||

Keeping his hair, nails and beard clipped, subdued, wearing white clothes, pure,—he shall always remain engaged in Vedic study, also in what may be conducive to his welfare.—(35)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Clipping.’—This clipping, or ‘shaving of the lips’—is necessary. By this the man becomes ‘pure,’ as the text says. If a man wear long hair, bathing becomes a difficult process, and the man is likely to be lazy on that account: and would thus remain ‘impure.’ If, however, even though wearing long hair, he is careful about his bath, then the wearing of hair would not be objectionable.

‘Subdued’—free from haughtiness.

‘Pure’— in all matters; and also purified by the right use of such means of cleanliness as clay, water, mouth-rinsing, and so forth.

He should be always engaged in the study of the Veda. Though this has been already said before, yet it is repeated again and again, in order to show its great importance.

‘What is conducive to his welfare.;’—i.e., the avoiding of illness by remedies, and also by guarding against indigestion, untimely meals, heavy and hot food, and so forth.—(35).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Smṛtitattva (II, p. 249) as laying down ‘shaving of the head’ for those who have taken the Final Bath;—and in Smṛtisāroddhāra (p. 224).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (9.4-7).—‘He shall not wear cloth that is loudly coloured, or that has been worn by another; nor garlands or shoes; in the event of incapacity, he may wear washed clothes; he should never grow his beard, without cause.’

Gautama (69).—‘He shall teach those that are disciplined,—himself disciplined in cleanliness, and ever alert in regard to the Veda.’

Yājñavalkya (1.131).—‘Wearing white clothes, with hair, beard and nails clipped,—he shall not eat in the presence of his wife, nor with only one cloth, nor standing.’

Āpastamba (1.30.10-12).—‘In his clothing, he shall avoid all colouring; also what is naturally black. He shall wear only such cloth as may not be obtrusive.’