Verse 5.117

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

अद्भिस्तु प्रोक्षणं शौचं बहूनां धान्यवाससाम् ।
प्रक्षालनेन त्वल्पानामद्भिः शौचं विधीयते ॥ ११७ ॥

adbhistu prokṣaṇaṃ śaucaṃ bahūnāṃ dhānyavāsasām |
prakṣālanena tvalpānāmadbhiḥ śaucaṃ vidhīyate || 117 ||

Of grains and cloth, in large quantities, there is sprinkling with water; and in small quantities, their purification has been ordained to be secured by means of washing with water.—(117).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Grains are declared as to be regarded to be ‘in large quantities’ when they are more than one ‘droṇa’ in weight (about thirty-two seers). Others hold that they are to be regarded as ‘much’ in relation to particular men and to particular time and place; e.g., for one who is in a poor condition, even a ‘kudava’ (a quarter seer) may be ‘much’; similarly under certain conditions, grain is regarded as ‘much’, only when there is a large accumulation. Says Baudhāyana (Dharmasūtra 1.5.47)—‘One shall employ the method of purification after having duly considered the place, time, the man himself, the substance, the use to which ft is going to be put, its origin and condition.’

Some people would apply the same rule to cloth also.

Though things have been declared to be ‘many’ when they are three and more, yet, since the text has used the plural number in the term ‘alpānām’, ‘those in s mall quantities’, we take it that upto (and including three), they are to be regarded as of ‘small quantity’.

‘With water’ (in the second time)—This is purely illustra tive; hence the doth is to be washed with that liquid which may be able to remove the contamination that has defiled it. This has been already explained before. The term ‘sprinkling’ has been used for the purpose of emphasising the use of water, the sense being that‘the sprinkling is to be done with water only.’ It is on account of this difference that the term ‘with water’ has been used twice.

If even by washing the stain in the cloth does not go, then that much of it should be cut off, or the whole should be cut off,—as laid down by Gautama (1-33).—(117).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(Verse 118 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (on 1.184), which adds that when a lager portion of the heap is defiled, then the whole lot should be washed; while if a smaller portion only is defiled, then that small quantity should be washed;—in Madanapārijāta (p. 453), which adds that what is indicated by ‘bahūnām’ ‘large quantities’, is that quantity which is more than what can be carried by one man;—in Parāśaramādhava (Prāyaścitta, p. 136);—in Smṛtitattva (II, p. 297);—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 805);—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Śrāddha, p. 166);—in Śuddhikaumudī (p. 310);—and in Smṛtisāroddhāra, (p. 248), which notes that ‘bahutva’, ‘largeness of quantity’, is to be determined by the consideration of what can be carried by one or more men.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Parāśara (7.28-29).—(Same as Manu.)

Gautama (1.29).—(See under 15.)

Baudhāyana (1.8.42).—‘Cotton cloth is cleansed by earth.’

Baudhāyana—(1.13.11).—‘Clothes defiled by urine, ordure, blood, semen and the like shall be cleansed with earth, water and the like.’

Baudhāyana (1.14.11, 12).—‘If unhusked rice has been defiled, it must he washed and dried;—hut a large quantity should he sprinkled with water.’

Vaśiṣṭha (3.49).—‘...cloth made of yarns should be washed.’

Viṣṇu (23.13, 14, 18).—‘A large quantity of anything is cleansed by sprinkling water;—so also grain, skins, ropes, woven cloth, things made of bamboo, thread, cotton and clothes—when there are large quantities of them; when in small quantities these are cleansed by washing.’

Yājñavalkya (1.184).—(See under 116.)