Verse 4.102

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

कर्णश्रवेऽनिले रात्रौ दिवा पांसुसमूहने ।
एतौ वर्षास्वनध्यायावध्यायज्ञाः प्रचक्षते ॥ १०२ ॥

karṇaśrave'nile rātrau divā pāṃsusamūhane |
etau varṣāsvanadhyāyāvadhyāyajñāḥ pracakṣate || 102 ||

(a) At night, when air is audible by the ear, and (b) in the day when there is dust-whorl,—these two occasions during the rains are declared by those versed in the rules of teaching to be unfit for study.—(102)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

When the wind blows with force, a sound is heard, which is produced by the impact of another (contrary) wind; this is what is called the ‘air audible by the ear.’ That which is heard by the ears is called ‘audible by the ear;’ the compound being between the instrument (ear) and the noun formed by a verbal affix. The term ‘ear’ is added for the purpose of indicating a particular condition, because hearing is always by means of ears. The meaning is that ‘when the sound of wind is heard, study should not be carried on.’

‘Dust-whorl’—that which brings together dust; ‘pāṃsu’ meaning dust; this is mentioned only as indicative of the wind that produces it (i.e., the dust-storm). The meaning is that ‘after it has rained, whenever such a wind blows, that time shall be regarded as unfit for study.’

‘Versed in the rules of teaching,’—who are conversant with the rules regulating the practice of teaching.—(102)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 194).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (16.5-6).—‘One shall not study during the day if there is dust-raising wind;—also during the day if there is audible wind.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (1.11.8).—‘When there is noisy wind, or wind blowing straws on the ground, or when there is rain sufficient to flow along on the ground.’

Baudhāyana (1.11, 23).—‘When the wind blows carrying rotting smell, or when there is fog, or when there are sounds of dancing, singing, weeping, or Sāma-chant,—then during the time that these last (it is unfit for study).’

Viṣṇu (30.7).—‘Not when fierce wind is blowing.’

Yājñavalkya (l 6.150).—‘When there is dust-storm, when the quarters are fiery, during the twilights, during fogs, and when there is danger.’