Verse 4.121

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

न विवादे न कलहे न सेनायां न सङ्गरे ।
न भुक्तमात्रे नाजीर्णे न वमित्वा न शुक्तके ॥ १२१ ॥

na vivāde na kalahe na senāyāṃ na saṅgare |
na bhuktamātre nājīrṇe na vamitvā na śuktake || 121 ||

Non during an al tercation, ok during a fight; nor in the midst of an army, nor during a battle, nor when he has just eaten, nor during indigestion, nor after vomiting, nor when there is eructation.—(121)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Altercation’—a quarrel, with mutual recrimination.

‘Fight’—in which the parties concerned strike each other with sticks and such other weapons.

‘Army’—consisting of Elephants, Horses and Infantry.

‘Battle’—the actual affray.

Study is forbidden for one in the midst of an army, even though it be not actually engaged in battle.

‘When he has just eaten;’—i.e, ‘so long as his hands are still wet’—as mentioned in another Smṛti-text.

‘Indigestion;’—what has been eaten on the previous day, if it still remains in the stomach, is called ‘undigested.’

‘Vomiting’—is well known.

‘Eructation even when there is no indigestion, if there is ‘eructation,’ that same day, or the next day.—(121).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Vivāde-kalahe’—‘Verbal altercation—actual fight’ (Medhātithi and Kullūka);—‘dispute on legal matters—altercation’ (Nārāyaṇa).

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 535);—in Nirṇayasindhu (p. 194);—in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 162), which explains ‘bhuktamātre’ as ‘so long as one’s hands are wet’;—in Hemādri (Kāla, p. 773), which has the same explanation;—in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 772),—and in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 56), which explains ‘muktake’ (which is its reading for ‘śuktake’, or ‘sūtake’) as ‘mukhodgāre’, ‘where there is eructation, or belching.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (16.20, 34).—‘When there is eructation; or when there is some disturbance, or tire-alarm, or completion of the Veda, or vomiting;—......it will be unfit for study for one day and night.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (1.10.22, 25, 26).—‘On vomit-ting, till he goes to sleep; when there is eructation; also after meals at night.’

Vaśiṣṭha (13.8).—‘Running, etc.... in an army, after meals while hands are still wet...... or vomitting, and when there is indigestion;—it will be unfit for study till it lasts.’

Viṣṇu (30.11, 19-21).—‘Not when there is clash of weapons; nor when one has vomitted; nor when he feels disgusted; nor when he is suffering from indigestion.’

Yājñavalkya (1.149).—‘After meals, till the hands are wet, or in water, or at midnight, or when there are high winds.’

Pāraskara (2.11.4).—‘After meals while hands are still wet......’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (1.11.8).—‘When the wind blows loudly, or when grass is being blown on the ground, or when it is raining, or when water is flowing on the ground.’

Viṣṇu (30.7).—‘When frightful wind is blowing.’

Yājñavalkya (1.149).—‘......During high winds.’

Pāraskara (2.11.1).—‘When there are high winds,—and on moonless days—it is a complete holiday.’

Gobhila (3.3.28).—‘It will he unfit for study during the time that there is sound of dancing or of musical instruments or of weeping or of high winds.’

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 536).—‘When the man sees a guest arrive, he shall not proceed with his study; but he may go on, on being permitted by him.’