Verse 8.280

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

पाणिमुद्यम्य दण्डं वा पाणिच्छेदनमर्हति ।
पादेन प्रहरन् कोपात् पादच्छेदनमर्हति ॥ २८० ॥

pāṇimudyamya daṇḍaṃ vā pāṇicchedanamarhati |
pādena praharan kopāt pādacchedanamarhati || 280 ||

If he raises his hand or a stick, he should have his hand cut off; if he strikes in anger with the foot, his foot shall be cut off.—(280)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

If he raises his hand for the purpose of striking, then the hand should be cut off,—even though he may not actually strike.

‘Stick’ stands for anything that hurts in the same manner as the stick does. Hence if he strikes with the soft root of the lily and such things, the punishment shall be less severe.

‘If he strikes with the foot’;—here also raising is to be understood.

‘Threatening’ also is included herein.—(280)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vivādaratnākara (p, 268) in Parāśaramādhava (Vyavahāra, p. 288), which adds that, though in the case of other castes raising a weapon to strike one of a higher caste, the penalty is to be the ‘first amercement,’ yet for the Śūdra it has to be the cutting of the hand and other limbs.

This is quoted in Aparārka (p. 814);—in Mitākṣarā (2.215), to the effect that in the case of the Śūdra for merely raising a weapon, the hand is to be cut off;—in Vivādacintāmaṇi (Calcutta, p. 75);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Vyavahāra, 146b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 8.279-280)

See Comparative notes for Verse 8.279.