Verse 6.41

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

अगारादभिनिष्क्रान्तः पवित्रोपचितो मुनिः ।
समुपोढेषु कामेषु निरपेक्षः परिव्रजेत् ॥ ४१ ॥

agārādabhiniṣkrāntaḥ pavitropacito muniḥ |
samupoḍheṣu kāmeṣu nirapekṣaḥ parivrajet || 41 ||

Having departed from his house, fully equipped with the sacred things, he shall go forth, silent and wholly indifferent towards pleasures that may be presented to him.—(41.)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Sacred things’—the muttering of sacred texts, kuśa-grass, water-pot and deer-skin; —‘Equipped’— supplied—with these. Or ‘pavitra’ may be taken as standing for the purifying penances.

^‘Muni’,—^‘silenty,’— speaking little.

‘Presented’—offered by some person;—‘pleasures’— pleasure-giving objects, such as nice food and the like, which may come to him by chance,—or the sounds of music &c.,—or sons end other relations. When these happen to be presented before him, he should be^‘indifferent’ to them; i.e., he shall not look upon them for long with loving eyes, shall not listen to them, or shall not sit with them.—(41).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Pavitropacitaḥ’—‘Equipped with the purificatory recitation of sacred texts, and also with such purificatory things as kuśa, water-pot and staff; or equipped with purificatory penances’;—‘provided with such means of purification as the staff, the water-pot and so forth’ (Govindarāja, Kullūka and Nandana);—‘made eminent during life as a Householder by such purificatory acts as austerities, Vedic recitals and so forth’ (Nārāyaṇa);—‘possessed of a rich store of sanctifying knowledge taught in the Upaniṣads.’

‘Muniḥ’—‘Wholly silent’ (Govindarāja and Kullūka);—‘intent on meditation’ (Nārāyaṇa).

‘Samupoḍheṣu’—‘Offered to him’ (Medhātithi, Govindarāja and Kullūka);—‘collected in his house’ (Nandana);—‘fully enjoyed by him’ (Nārāyaṇa).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (3,16).—‘Abandoning all desire.’

Baudhāyana (2.11.16).—‘The Renunciate shall leave his relations, and, not attended by any one, nor possessing any property, depart from his house, according to rule.’

Vaśiṣṭha (10.12, 28).—‘He should frequently change his residence. He should not enjoy any object of sensual gratification.’

Yājñavalkya (3.57).—‘Devoted to the welfare of all living beings, he shall go forth alone.’

Arthaśāstra (p. 30).—‘For the Renunciate—keeping senses under control, desisting from activities, having no possessions, abandoning of attachment, alms-begging in several places, living in the forest, internal and external purity.’