Verse 5.130

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

ऊर्ध्वं नाभेर्यानि खानि तानि मेध्यानि सर्वशः ।
यान्यधस्तान्यमेध्यानि देहाच्चैव मलाश्च्युताः ॥ १३० ॥

ūrdhvaṃ nābheryāni khāni tāni medhyāni sarvaśaḥ |
yānyadhastānyamedhyāni dehāccaiva malāścyutāḥ || 130 ||

The cavities that are above the navel are all pure; those that are below it are impure; as, also are all excretions dropped fr om the body.—(130).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The term ‘kha’ stands for organ; hence the organs of action also become included; and thus taking the two feet, the plural number becomes justified in the phrase ‘those that are below it are impure.’

This explanation (by which the lower organs are all made impure) is not right; as it is contrary to what has gone in the first half. Therein it has been declared that the purity of those above the navel is of a higher grade and superior: and this could have a meaning only if the lower ones also were pure; for what is while cannot be called more black.

Further, the term ‘kha’ does not signify the organ, it only signifies the cavity or hole. It is for this reason that the organs have been spoken of as ‘saptaśirṣanyaḥ’, ‘having seven seats’ (the cavities of the two ears, two eyes, two nostrils and the mouth). There are two ‘cavities’ below the navel; but the plural number has been used on account of the male and female generative organs being regarded as distinct.

According to this, there would be no uncleanliness of the hand involved in touching the inside of the mouth;—but only if if does not come into contact with the phlegm or other things that may be there. So. that if the hand does become contaminated with some such defiling substance, the mouth shall not be touched by it—(130).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(Verse 132 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 50);—in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 103), which explains ‘khāni’ as ‘cavities’ and adds that (though there are only two cavities below the navel) the text uses the plural ‘tāni’ by regarding the male and female generative organs as distinct;—in Kṛtyasārasamuccaya (p. 85), which explains ‘khāni’ as ‘holes’, ‘medhyāni’ as ‘clean’, and ‘adhaḥ’ as ‘below the navel’;—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 842);—and in Śuddhikaumudī (p. 359), which explains ‘medhyāni’ as ‘touchable’, and ‘amedhyāni’ as ‘untouchable’ and ‘dehachyuta-mala’ as standing for the nails and other excrescences, which also are ‘untouchable’.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (3-51).—‘The cavities above the navel must bo considered pure; those below it are impure; so are all excretions from the body.’

Yājñavalkya (1.194).—‘Nor are excretions fallen from the human body pure.’

Baudhāyana (1.10.19).—‘A man’s body is pure above the navel; it is impure below the navel,—so declares the Veda.’