Verse 11.160

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

अभोज्यमन्नं नात्तव्यमात्मनः शुद्धिमिच्छता ।
अज्ञानभुक्तं तूत्तार्यं शोध्यं वाऽप्याशु शोधनैः ॥ १६० ॥

abhojyamannaṃ nāttavyamātmanaḥ śuddhimicchatā |
ajñānabhuktaṃ tūttāryaṃ śodhyaṃ vā'pyāśu śodhanaiḥ || 160 ||

If one desires his own purity, he should not eat improper food; when eaten unintentionally, it should be thrown out, or speedily atoned for by means of purifications.—(160)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The first half of the verse is purely reiterative; as what the verse lays down is the expiation for the unintentional eating of improper food

The meaning is that the food should be immediately vomited. Or ‘it should be atoned, for by means of purifications’ —i.e., expiations.

Others explain ‘purifications’ as standing for the Harītakī and such other purgatives; and they quote, in their support, the following from Gautama (23.23)—‘For eating improper food, the bowels should be cleared of all refuse.’

This passage, however, does not support the said interpretation; as even fasting would clear the bowels of all ref use.

Hence the meaning must be that in the event of the man not vomiting the food, he should perform the prescribed expiations.—(160)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Śodhanaiḥ.’—‘Penances’ (Medhātithi, Govindarāja, Kullūka and Rāghavānanda);—‘purgative decoctions’ (‘others’ in Medhātithi, Nārāyaṇa and Nandana).

This verse is quoted in Smṛtitattva (p. 548);—and in Prayaścittaviveka (p. 342).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (23.26).—‘If he has eaten forbidden food,—he must throw it up and eat clarified butter.’