Verse 2.41

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

कार्ष्णरौरवबास्तानि चर्माणि ब्रह्मचारिणः ।
वसीरन्नानुपूर्व्येण शाणक्षौमाविकानि च ॥ ४१ ॥

kārṣṇarauravabāstāni carmāṇi brahmacāriṇaḥ |
vasīrannānupūrvyeṇa śāṇakṣaumāvikāni ca || 41 ||

Brahmacāris should wear the skin of the black (deer), of the Ruru deer and of the goat respectively; and also the cloth of hemp, flax and wool.’—(41)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Though the term ‘Kṛṣna,’ ‘black,’ is applied to everything that may be endowed with the quality of blackness,—as we find in the expressions ‘the black cow,’ ‘the black blanket,’ and so forth,—yet, in the present context, it is clearly recognised as standing for the ‘black deer’; firstly because of its occurring along with the ‘skin of the Ruru deer,’ and secondly because of the directions contained in other Smṛtis (which clearly mention the black deer).

‘Ruru’—is a particular species of the deer.

‘Basta’—is the goat.

In all the three words (‘kārṣṇa’—‘raurava’—‘vāsta’) the nominal affix (aṇ) denotes either formation or constitution (i.e., either ‘formed out of’ or ‘consisting of’).

‘Should wear’;—the Brāhmaṇa should cover his body with the skin of the black antelope, the Kṣatriya with the skin of the Ruru deer and the Vaiśya with the skin of the goat.

And also cloth made of śaṇa (hemp), kṣumā (flax), and ūrṇā (wool).

The particle ‘ca’ (‘and also’) has the cumulative force.

The cloth made of hemp and the rest are not to be used as upper garments; and the skins are to be used as upper garments; as such is the proper course. For Kaupīna (loin-slip) and wrapping, the cloth is to be used.

‘Respecting’ each of the three castes is not related to all the clothing that is mentioned; nor are they to be connected in the reverse order; in fact the first Brahmacārī is connected with the first skin and first cloth, the second with the second and so forth, as we have shown.

An objection is raised—“Even without the express mention (of the respective order), it would be understood through usage; for instance, such expressions as ‘shattered, scattered an d burnt by thunder, wind and fire’ are always understood to mean ‘shattered by thunder,’ ‘scattered by the wind’ and ‘burnt by fire’ (even though respectivity is not expressly mentioned).”

Answer.—This could be so understood if the three Brahma-charts bad been mentioned separately, and if the number (of Brahmacāris and the clothings) were the same. In the present instance, however, we have the single term ‘Brahmacāris,’ and the three Brahmacāris are not specifically named in any order. Further, the number of Brahmacāris is three, while that of the correlatives is six—three skins and three cloths. When however the text expressly mentions ‘respectivity,’ the order of the Brāhmacāris is deduced from that in which they are found to be spoken of in other texts. And after the ‘three Brahmacharis’ have been construed with the three skins, they are again repeated and construed with the cloths. And in.this manner the compatibility of numbers is maintained. It is primarily with reference to such cases that the revered Pāṇini has taken the trouble of laying down that ‘when an equal number of things are mentioned they are to be taken in their respective order.’ (1.3.10).—(41)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Ruru’—has been described by Rāghavānanda as ‘tiger.’

Medhātithi (p. 92,1. 11)—‘Smṛtyantara—This refers to Baudhāyana, Gṛhyasūtra, 2. 5. 16.

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p.„ 57) as laying down that the skin of the Kṛṣṇamṛga, Ruru and Chāga should be worn as the ‘upper garment,’ respectively, by the Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya and the Vaiśya,

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 446), where it is explained that the skins mentioned are to be used as the upper garment, and the hempen and other cloths as the lower garment

Madanapārijāta (p. 20) quotes the second half as prescribing the cloths to be used by the three castes respectively;—and the first half (on p. 22) as laying down the skins.

The second half is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskā ra, p. 411) and the first half also (p. 413).

The verse is quoted in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 36), which adds that the skins of the Black Antelope, the Ruru deer and the goat are to be used as the upper garment:—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 430);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 75).

Burnell is again inaccurate in saying that cotton and silk (with the well to do) are alone used now for outer garments.”

Medhātithi rightly remarks that the triplication cannot apply to the Kṣatriya’s girdle; as on triplication the bowstring would cease to be a ‘bowstring. Govindarāja agrees with him. So also Madanapārijāta (p. 20) and Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra; p. 432), Rāghavānanda explains that as the bow-string itself is a triplicated cord, no further triplication would be necessary.

The ‘Muñja’ grass, in Northern India called muṃja, is, as Burnell notes, the Saccarum Sara of the botanists.

Madanapārijāta (p. 20) explains that the Muñja has ‘tejanī’ as its other name; and a foot-note adds that it is what is called muragā.

This verge is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 447);—also in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 432), which explains ‘trivṛt’ not as twisted three-fold, but as ‘going round the waist three times’;—in Nirṇayasindhu (p. 189);—in

Aparārka (p. 58); in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 70), which explains ‘trivṛt’ as threefold;—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 37), which quotes Medhātithi to the effect that since bowstrings are made sometimes of leather, the author has added the epithet ‘Maurvī’, ‘Murvā grass’; in Saṃskāraratnamālā (p. 192), which reproduces the above remark of Medhātithi, as also his further remark that the string is to be removed from the bow and then tied round the waist: it adds the following notes: the ‘Samā’, not uneven, thin in one place and thick in another; it should be of uniform thickness all through;—the three-fold twist applies to the hempen cord and not to the bow-string, which would cease to be a bowstring when so twisted;—it is quoted also in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 43 b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama-Dharmasūtra, 1.18.23.—‘Skins of the black deer, the spotted deer and the goat; cloths of hemp, flax, tree-bark and kuśa grass,—for all; also of cotton, pure white; according to some, also red-coloured, for the Brāhmaṇa, dyed in tree-bark, for the other two castes, dyed in mañjiṣṭhā and haridrā.’

Gautama (Aparārka, p. 58).—‘For all, the cotton cloth in its natural colour.’

Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra, 1.2.15.—‘The skins of the black deer, the spotted deer and the goat are the skins.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 1.2.39-41.—‘For clothing—hempen, flaxen and skin—some people advice the reddish-brown cloth.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 1.3.1-9.—‘For the Kṣatriya, dyed in Mañjiṣṭhā; for the Vaiśya, dyed in Haridrā; for the Brāhmaṇa, the skin of the white or black deer; for the Kṣatriya, the skin of the spotted deer; for the Vaiśya, the skin of the goat; the sheep-skin for all castes; as also the woolen cloth; if the student is desirous of Brāhmic glory, he should wear the skins alone; if desirous of Kṣattric glory, he should wear the cloths alone; if desirous of both kinds of glory, he should wear both.’

Vaśiṣṭha-Smṛti, 11.47.—‘For the Brāhmaṇa, the upper garment consists of the skin of the black deer; for the Kṣatriya, of the skin of the spotted deer; for the Vaiśya, of the skin of the cow or of the goat.’ [Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 413, reads for ‘Gavyam,’ ‘āvyam,’ which means ‘of sheep.’ ]

Vaśiṣṭha-Smṛti, 11.49.—‘For the Brāhmaṇa, the doth new and white; for the Kṣatriya, dyed in Mañjiṣṭhā; for the Vaiśya, dyed in Haridrā, or silken; for all, woven cloth, undyed; the new white cotton cloth, as also the hempen.’

Viṣṇu-Smṛti, 27.19-20.—‘The upper garment should he of cotton, hemp and wool; and the skins of the deer, the tiger and the goat.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra, 1.19.7.—‘The hoy should be adorned and having his head shaven according to family-custom, clothed in new cloth or in skin; the Brāhmaṇa in the skin of the black deer, the Kṣatriya in that of the spotted deer, and the Vaiśya in that of the goat.’ [The ‘ahata,’ ‘new,’ cloth has been thus defined by Pracetas:—‘slightly washed, fresh-white, with ends intact, never worn before’—Vira-Saṃskāra, p. 411.]

Āśvalāyana (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 411).—‘If they wear cloth, then the Brāhmaṇa should wear the reddish-brown, the Kṣatṭriya that dyed in Mañjiṣṭhā, and the Vaiśya that dyed in Haridrā.’

Pāraskara- Gṛhyasūtra, 2.5.16-19.—‘Cloths, hempen, flaxen and woolen; for the Brahmaṇa, the upper garment is the skin of the black deer; for the Kṣatriya, that of the spotted deer; and for the Vaiśya, either that of the cow or the goat; or that of the cow for all.’

Gobhila-Gṛhyaṣūtra, 2.10.7-8.—‘The cloths for these are flaxen, hempen, cotton, and woolen; and the skins, those of the black deer, the spotted deer and the goat.’

Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra, 2.10.10.—‘For the Brāhmaṇa the cloth should be of flax or of hemp; for the Kṣatriya of cotton; for the Vaiśya of wool.’

Śaṅkha (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 412).—‘The clothing to be worn should be always white, whether it consists of flax, or cotton, or grass, or skin, or tree-bark, or wool.’

Paiṭhīnasi (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 412).—‘The water-pot, the sacrificial thread and the reddish-brown cloth—these are common.’

Paiṭhīnasi (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskara, p. 413).—‘The skins of the Kṛṣṇa, the Ruru and the Pṛṣat deer.’

Hīraṇyakeśin (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 413).—‘For the Brāhmaṇa the skin of the black deer; for the Kṣatriya, that of the spotted deer; for the Vaiśya, that of the goat.’

Śaṅkha (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 413).—‘The upper garment should consist of the skins of the black deer, the spotted deer and the goat.’

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 413).—‘The Brāhmaṇa, the skin of the black deer; the Kṣatriya, that of the spotted deer; and the Vaiśya, the skin of the goat; or the skin of the spotted deer, for all.’

Yama (Aparārka, p. 58).—‘For all, the skin of the Rum, the hempen cloth and the woolen cloth, according to their circumstances, should form the lower garment.’

Bṛhaspati (Aparārka, p. 414).—‘The skin for the Brāhmaṇa is of the black deer; for the Kṣatriya, of the spotted deer; for the Vaiśya of the goat; and the cloths are hempen, flaxen and woolen.’

[The idea is that the lower garment should consist of cloth and the upper garment of skin.]

The size of the ‘skin’ to be worn has been prescribed by Śākala (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 414)—as ‘48 aṅgulas long and 4 aṅgulas broad.’