Verse 8.356

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

परस्त्रियं योऽभिवदेत् तीर्थेऽरण्ये वनेऽपि वा ।
नदीनां वाऽपि सम्भेदे स सङ्ग्रहणमाप्नुयात् ॥ ३५६ ॥

parastriyaṃ yo'bhivadet tīrthe'raṇye vane'pi vā |
nadīnāṃ vā'pi sambhede sa saṅgrahaṇamāpnuyāt || 356 ||

He who converses with ‘another’s woman’ at a watering place, or in a wilderness, or in a forest, or at the confluence of rivers,—incurs the guilt of ‘adultery.’—(356)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Though ‘the wife of another man’ has been already mentioned as forming the subject-matter of this suction, the verse contains the term ‘another’s woman,’ with a view to indicate that the prohibition does not apply to one’s own mother or sister or preceptor’s wife or other relations; for though these also are included within the category of ‘the wife of another person,’ yet they are not called ‘another’s woman.’

‘Tīrtha,’ ‘watering place,’ is that place where people go for the purpose of fetching water from rivers, tanks and other reservoirs. Such a place is generally deserted; as none except one desiring water goes near the place; and as a rule it is places like this that are appointed rendezvous for lovers’ meetings,—the understanding being ‘come to such and such a place, where I shall come without being suspected of anything wrong; as people will think that I have been waiting here for getting water or for the purpose of performing my ablutions, etc., while if I were to go to another place, people would suspect why I was waiting there.’ It is for this reason that conversation at watering-places has been forbidden.

‘In a wilderness’—a deserted spot outside the village; or one that is surrounded by hedges, thickets, trees and creepers.

‘Forest’—cluster of trees.

‘Confluence of rivers’—the place where they meet. This also is a place that is generally appointed rendezvous for lovers.

‘He incurs the guilt of adultery’;—‘adultery’ consists in making love to other people’s wives.

For this reason, the punishment in this case shall be the same as in that of ‘adultery.’ This is what is meant.

This prohibition is applicable also to one who has not been previously accused, as also to one who converses on business.

What Āpastamba has declared that—‘One should not pass over a woman without accosting her,’— refers to places where other people are present; and to one of open accosting in the proper form,—such as ‘O sister, I salute thee’ and what is meant is that such salutation should be offered without delay.—(356)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vyavahāra-Bālambhaṭṭī (p. 1002);—and in Vivādacintāmaṇi (p. 173), to the effect that, even though not suspected, if one converses with a woman in secluded places, he is guilty of an offence.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Nārada (12.63).—‘When a woman and a man have meetings at the confluence of two rivers, at a bathing place, in a garden, or in a park,—this also is called Adultery.’