Verse 6.3

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

सन्त्यज्य ग्राम्यमाहारं सर्वं चैव परिच्छदम् ।
पुत्रेषु भार्यां निक्षिप्य वनं गच्छेत् सहैव वा ॥ ३ ॥

santyajya grāmyamāhāraṃ sarvaṃ caiva paricchadam |
putreṣu bhāryāṃ nikṣipya vanaṃ gacchet sahaiva vā || 3 ||

Having given up cultivated food and all his belongings, he shall repair to the forest, either making over his wife to his sons, or along with her.—(3).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

From this time onward he shall not eat any food consisting of barley, paddy and the like;—this is what is meant by ‘hav - ing given up’. This is what has been described as ‘living on roots.’

‘Belonging’—Consisting of cows, houses, clothing, seats and beds, etc.

If the wife wishes it, then they should go away together; Otherwise he shall go alone. Others explain the text to mean that if the wife is still young he shall commit her to his sons, and if she is old, he is to take her with himself.

It is only when the wife is there that there can be any rule regarding her either being made over to the sons or going to the forest with her husband. If the wife has died, then also the man should retire to the forest, as declared by Āpastamba and others, in connection with the ‘Re-kindling of Fire.’

Only that man can be a Hermit whose senses are not too mobile; otherwise, he should take another wife; such is the established rule.—(3).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (on 3.46);—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 527), to the effect that the Hermit should live upon uncultivated food;—in Kālaviveka (p. 427) to the effect that sexual intercourse is possible for the Hermit also;—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 132);—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 68b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (3.26).—‘A hermit shall live in the forest subsisting on roots and fruits, practising austerities; he shall kindle the fire under the Śramaṇaka rules, he shall eat wildgrowing vegetables only.’

Baudhāyana (2.11.15).—‘A hermit shall live in the forest, subsisting on roots and fruits, practising austerities and bathing at morn, noon and eve, he shall kindle a fire according to the Śramaṇaka rule; he shall eat wild-growing vegetables and grains only; he shall worship gods, Pitṛs, elementals, men and sages; he shall receive hospitably men of all castes, except those intercourse with whom is forbidden; he may even use the flesh of animals killed by carnivorous beasts; he shall not step on ploughed land; and he shall not enter a village; he shall wear his hair in braids and dress in bark or skins; he shall not eat anything that has been hoarded more than a year.’

Āpastamba (2.21.18-21).—‘Now follow the rules regarding the hermit living in the woods;—only after completing studentship shall he go forth, remaining chaste. He shall keep one fire only, have no house, enjoy no pleasures, have no protector, observe silence, uttering speech on the occasion of the daily recitation of the Veda only.’

Viṣṇu (94.3).—‘Let him entrust the care of his wife to his sous, or let her accompany him.’

Yājñavalkya (3.45).—‘Wearing his beard and hair in braids, self-controlled, he shall maintain, with things obtained without ploughing, the fires, Pitṛs, gods, guests and dependants.’

Yama (Aparārka, p. 941).—‘Uncultivated grains, roots and fruits, Vrīhi corn,—having gathered these and other sacrificial food, he shall offer these at the great Five Great sacrifices.’

Vaśiṣṭha (9.4).—‘He shall gather wild-growing roots and fruits only.’

Arthaśāstra (p. 30).—‘For the hermit—celibacy, sleeping on the ground, wearing matted locks and skins, performing Agnihotra and Baths, worshipping gods, Pitṛs and guests and living on wild-growing things.’