Verse 11.104

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

स्वयं वा शिष्णवृषणावुत्कृत्याधाय चाञ्जलौ ।
नैरृतीं दिशमातिष्ठेदा निपातादजिह्मगः ॥ १०४ ॥

svayaṃ vā śiṣṇavṛṣaṇāvutkṛtyādhāya cāñjalau |
nairṛtīṃ diśamātiṣṭhedā nipātādajihmagaḥ || 104 ||

Or, having cut off his penis and testicles, he shall take them in his joined hands and walk straight on towards the ‘region of evil spirits,’ until he falls down.—(104)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The ‘cutting off’ here mentioned is conducive to purification. The use of a cutting instrument is implied by the fact that every act needs the requisite implements; so that the weapon implied must be one that is fit to be used for the required cutting.

The South-west is the ‘region of evil spirits.’

‘Straight on,’—not deviating from the straight line; so that he may not seek to avoid wells or pits and such things; but in the case of walls and such obstacles, he should certainly go round them.—(104)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (3.259), which offers the following explanation:—He should himself cut off his testicles and the organ, take them in his hands and go away straight onwards towards the South-West, till his body falls off; it adds that the man should go towards the South-West backwards and with eyes bandaged.

It is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 836), which also adds that the man should go backwards and with eyes closed;—in Aparārka (p. 1083);—in Parāśaramādhava (Prāyaścitta, p. 253);—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Prāyaścitta, p. 11a);—and in Prāyaścittaviveka (p. 137), which says that the ‘cutting’ should be done with a razor as distinctly prescribed by Śaṅkha-Likhita.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 11.103-107)

See Comparative notes for Verse 11.103.