Verse 4.167

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

अयुध्यमानस्योत्पाद्य ब्राह्मणस्यासृगङ्गतः ।
दुःखं सुमहदाप्नोति प्रेत्याप्राज्ञतया नरः ॥ १६७ ॥

ayudhyamānasyotpādya brāhmaṇasyāsṛgaṅgataḥ |
duḥkhaṃ sumahadāpnoti pretyāprājñatayā naraḥ || 167 ||

The man, who, through folly, causes blood to flow from the body or a Brāhmaṇa who is not fighting, undergoes, after death, very great suffrring.—(167)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Asṛk’ is blood;—he who causes this to How from the body of the Brāhmaṇa, by the stroke of the sword or such other weapons,—‘even the Brāhmaṇa is not fighting—and not when he is actually taking part in lawful battle, like Droṇācārya.

‘Very great, suffering’—in the form of hell.

‘After death,’—i.e., in another birth.

‘Through folly,’—This is a needless reiteration; the wise man, knowing the scriptures, can never do such a thing.—(167).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 223);—and in Mitākṣarā (on 1.155), to the effect that no one should be struck who has given no cause of offence.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 4.167-168)

Gautama (21.22).—‘On fetching blood, for as many years as there may be dust-particles wetted with the blood (he shall be unfit for heaven).’

Baudhāyana (1.1.6.8).—‘Having struck the Brāhmaṇa unintentionally, one becomes defiled under the law; for this unintentional striking, the sages have prescribed expiations; there is no expiation for intentional striking. On threatening the Brāhmaṇa, one should perform the Kṛcchra; on striking him, the A tikṛcchra; on spilling his blood, the Kṛccra as well as the Cāndrāyaṇa.’