Verse 8.239

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

वृतिं तत्र प्रकुर्वीत यामुष्त्रो न विलोकयेत् ।
छिद्रं च वारयेत् सर्वं श्वसूकरमुखानुगम् ॥ २३९ ॥

vṛtiṃ tatra prakurvīta yāmuṣtro na vilokayet |
chidraṃ ca vārayet sarvaṃ śvasūkaramukhānugam || 239 ||

One should set up an enclosure there which the camel cannot see, and shut up every opening through which the head of a dog ok a boar could be thrust.—(239)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Enclosure’—is the name given to a fencing of thorns and twigs that is put up round fields and gardens for the preventing of the entrance of cattle; in some places this is called ‘parṇikā.’

The height of this enclosure should be such that the camel shall not look over it.

“Is the accusative ending in ‘yām,’ ‘which,’ used in the sense of the Instrumental?” Our answer is—no.

“How then would be the camel not see the enclosure?”

If it is very high, its other side being not visible, the enclosure is as good as not seen.

All the openings should also he closed,—such openings as can he entered by the head of the dog or the hog; i.e, the gaps that may be of the size of the head of these animals: the sense is that every effort should be made so that their head may not be thrust in.—(239)

After the enclosure has been set up—

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (2.162) as laying down the necessity of fencing fields and gardens; and Bālambhaṭṭī adds the following notes:—‘Tatra’, round the field,—the fence should be so high that even a tall animal like the camel should not be able to see the crops from the other side;—‘mukhānugam’, enabling the mouth of the dog or the hog lo reach the crops,—‘mukhonantam’ is another reading;—the meaning is as “follows:—One should build a fence, like a wall, round the field, which should be so high that the camel may not be able to see the crops; and if there are any holes there, large enough to enable the dog or the hog to thrust its mouth into it, then all these should be securely closed up: If we read ‘vā vārayet’, then the second half is to be taken as laying down another method of having the fence.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Nārada (11.41).—‘On that side of the field which faces the road, a fence shall ho made, over which a camel cannot look, nor horses or cattle jump, and which a hoar cannot break through.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Vivādaratnākara, p. 233).—‘Round a field situated on the road-side, an enclosure should he erected which the camel may not look over, nor may horses or boars be able to gain entrance.’