Verse 11.203

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

वेदोदितानां नित्यानां कर्मणां समतिक्रमे ।
स्नातकव्रतलोपे च प्रायश्चित्तमभोजनम् ॥ २०३ ॥

vedoditānāṃ nityānāṃ karmaṇāṃ samatikrame |
snātakavratalope ca prāyaścittamabhojanam || 203 ||

For the neglect of the compulsory duties laid down by the Veda, and for the omission of the observances of the Accomplished Student,—the expiation is fasting.—(203)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The duties laid down in the Veda are—(a) the Śrauta sacrifices, Darśapūrṇamāsa and the rest and (b) the Smārta rites of the Twilight Prayers and the rest. These latter also are regarded as ‘laid down in the Veda,’ because Smṛtis have their source in the Veda.

‘The observances of the Accomplished Student’—e.g., ‘He shall not wear over-worn or dirty clothes’ and so forth.

If these are omitted, the offender should fast for one day.

In connection with the omission of the Śrauta rites, some sacrifices have been prescribed by way of expiation; and with these the ‘fasting’ here prescribed is to be combined.

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Smṛtitattva (p. 809):—in Nirṇayasindhu (pp. 84 and 345);—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 579);—in Madanapārijāta (p. 957), to the effect that in the ease of the omission of those Śrauta and Smāṛta rites for which, no specific expiation is prescribed, the fasting here laid down series as the expiation; and where a specific expiation has been prescribed, it has to be done along with this fasting;—in Aparārka (p. 1188), which explains ‘abhojanam’ as fasting, and adds the same note as the above;—in Parāśaramādhava (Prāyaścitta p. 443), which adds that this fasting has to he done along with the rites specifically prescribed;—in Mitākṣarā (3.242);—in Prāyaścittaviveka (pp. 286 and 368), which says that this refers to a single omission,—and explains ‘Snātaka’ as ‘house-holder’;—and in Saṃskāraratnamālā (p. 357), which says that this refers to cases of unintentional omission.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (54.29).—‘For omitting one of the compulsory acts enjoined in the revealed law, and for the breach of the rules laid down for the Accomplished Student, a fast is ordained as the atonement.’