Verse 11.155

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

शुष्काणि भुक्त्वा मांसानि भौमानि कवकानि च ।
अज्ञातं चैव सूनास्थमेतदेव व्रतं चरेत् ॥ १५५ ॥

śuṣkāṇi bhuktvā māṃsāni bhaumāni kavakāni ca |
ajñātaṃ caiva sūnāsthametadeva vrataṃ caret || 155 ||

If one eats dried meat, mushrooms growing on the ground, or unrecognised meat lying in the slaughter-house—he shall perform this same penance.—(155)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Dried meat’— such for instance, as dried pork and so forth.

‘Growing m the ground.’—This epithet has been added with a view to show that those growing in cavities are not forbidden.

‘Unrecognised’—it being unascertainable whether it is flesh of sheep or of buffalo.

‘Slaughter-house’—where animals are killed for sale. In the case of meat found in other places, the expiation is a light one.

“In fact when the text emphasises the qualification of ‘lying in the slaughter-house,’ there should be no harm in meat obtained elsewhere.”

It is not so; since all meat connected with the ‘slaughterhouse’ has been forbidden in general terms. Though as regards expiation, a comparative reduction or enhancement would always he proper, in view of the exact place from where the meat has been obtained.

‘This same’—i.e., the Cāndrāyaṇa.

When, however, the exact species of the animal is known, the repeated eating of such meat, would involve the drinking of barley-gruel for seven days. In the rest, ‘one should fast during the day.’—(155)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Ajñātam’.—‘Unknown’ (Medhātithi);—‘unintentionally’ (Govindarāja and Rāghavānanda); ‘Bhaumāni kavakāni’.—To be taken together according to Medhātithi; separately, according to Rāghavānanda, who takes ‘bhaumāni’ as ‘mushrooms growing on the ground,’ and ‘Kavakānī’ as ‘mushrooms growing on trees’.

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 1166), which adds that the expiation here prescribed is for the eating of mushrooms growing on the ground, not those growing on trees;—and in Prāyaścittaviveka (p. 285).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (51.27, 34).—‘The Cāndrāyaṇa penance should be performed for eating unknown flesh, meat kept in a slaughterhouse and dried meat. For eating the Chatrāka or the Kavaka, one must perform the Sāntapana penance.’