Verse 11.67

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

ब्राह्मणस्य रुजः कृत्वा घ्रातिरघ्रेयमद्ययोः ।
जैह्म्यं च मैथुनं पुंसि जातिभ्रंशकरं स्मृतम् ॥ ६७ ॥

brāhmaṇasya rujaḥ kṛtvā ghrātiraghreyamadyayoḥ |
jaihmyaṃ ca maithunaṃ puṃsi jātibhraṃśakaraṃ smṛtam || 67 ||

Causing pain to a Brāhmaṇa,—smelling at things that should not be smelt, or at wine,—cheating—and sexual intercourse with a man,—all this is declared to lead to loss of caste.—(66)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Causing pain.’—Inflicting physical suffering with a stick or with the hand.

“What is it that should not be smelt? There is no prohibition of the smelling of anything, as there is of eating.

Nor does it follow that what should not he eaten is also what should not be smelt. Because butter and other things got together for sacrificial performance are what should not he eaten,—and yet these are not held to be what should not be smelt.” Our answer to this is as follows.—Such things as garlic, onion, human excreta and the like, on account of their foul smell, cause pain to the olfactory organ; and it is these things that are meant; and since ‘wine’ is also mentioned in this context, those tilings also are meant to be included the eating whereof has been forbidden. But rotten wood and such things are not meant

‘Cheating’—dishonesty; an unclean heart; saying one thing, doing another and thinking of a third.—(67)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (3.242);—in Madanapārijāta (p. 924);—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Prāyascitta 30a);—and in Prāyaścittaviveka (p. 42 and 464), which explains ‘rujaḥ kṛtyā’ as ‘causing pain,’—‘aghreya’ as garlic and the like,—‘jaihmyam’ as dishonest dealings with friends,—‘Maithunam puṃsi,’ as ‘vulgarity.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (38.1-6).—‘Causing pain to a Brāhmaṇa, smelling at things that should not he smelt, or at wine, dishonest dealing,—sexual intercourse with cattle, or with a man, or unnatural connection with a woman,—these are crimes leading to loss of caste.’

Baudhāyana (2.2.1-8, 12).—‘The following offences cause loss of caste: sea-voyage, stealing a Brāhmaṇa’s property or a deposit, giving false evidence regarding land, trading with merchandise of any description, serving Śūdras, begetting a son on a Śūdra woman, and thereby becoming her son. The following: minor offences cause loss of caste—intercourse with females who should not be approached, etc., etc. (sec under 58-66).’