Verse 4.77

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

अचक्षुर्विषयं दुर्गं न प्रपद्येत कर्हि चित् ।
न विण्मूत्रमुदीक्षेत न बाहुभ्यां नदीं तरेत् ॥ ७७ ॥

acakṣurviṣayaṃ durgaṃ na prapadyeta karhi cit |
na viṇmūtramudīkṣeta na bāhubhyāṃ nadīṃ taret || 77 ||

He shall never approach a place difficult of access, which is not within range of his vision; he shall not look at urine or excreta; nor shall he cross a river with his arms—(77)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Difficult of access.’— Mountains and such places as can be got at with difficulty; as also a forest dense with trees, shrubs and creepers.

‘He shall not approach.’—He shall not pass over, shall not go to.

‘Which is not within the range of his vision;’—because there is danger of snakes and robbers, etc., lying hidden there. The ‘Eye’ includes also the other sources of knowledge, such as the Scriptures, for Instance.

‘Urine and excreta’—‘Looking at’—these mean examining their colour, etc. This extends over a long time; and hence should not be done. There is no harm in seeing it once by the way.

Swimming a river is forbidden for a man in the normal state; and not when there is danger apprehended from wolves and other animals.—(77)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

The last foot of this verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 183).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (9.33).—‘Blowing the fire with the mouth...... crossing the river with arms, climbing difficult places........., these he shall avoid.’

Baudhāyana (2.3.46).—‘He shall not cross the river with his arms.’

Vaśiṣṭha (12.43).—[Do.]

Viṣṇu (63.46).—‘Nor with his arms (shall he cross rivers).’

Yājñavalkya (1.135).—‘He shall not look at his urine or excreta; nor anything unclean.........’

Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra (3.9.7).—‘He shall not climb a tree; he shall not descend into a well; he shall not cross a river with his arms; he shall not expose himself to danger.’

Pāraskara (1.7.6).—‘Looking into a water-reservoir, climbing trees, fruit-gathering, crossing over difficult places......, these he shall not do.’