Verse 11.182

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

पतितस्योदकं कार्यं सपिण्डैर्बान्धवैर्बहिः ।
निन्दितेऽहनि सायाह्ने ज्ञातिर्त्विग्गुरुसंनिधौ ॥ १८२ ॥

patitasyodakaṃ kāryaṃ sapiṇḍairbāndhavairbahiḥ |
nindite'hani sāyāhne jñātirtviggurusaṃnidhau || 182 ||

When one has become an outcast, his Sapiṇḍas and relations shall offer him ‘water’ outside, on an inauspicious day, in the evening, in the presence of relatives, priests and elders.—(182)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

When one has become an ‘outcast,’ and is unwilling to perform the prescribed expiation, they shall treat him as dead and offer to him the ‘water-jar’; this is what the text lays down.

‘Sapiṇḍas’— Relations on the Father’s side, up to the seventh degree.

Persons other than those who may be related to the man are called ‘relations,’ which includes the Sagotras also.

‘On an inauspicious day’—i.e., on the fourteenth and such other days of the month.

‘In the evening’—at sunset.

‘Relatives, priests, etc.’—of the persons making the offering, as also of the outcast.—(182)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 964), which explains ‘nindite ahani’ as on the 4th or 9th or 14th day of the month; and such other forbidden days;—in Nirṇayasindhu (p. 408);—in Aparārka (p. 1206);—and in Mitākṣarā (p. 295), to the effect that the rites in question are to be performed near elders during the fifth part of the day and on such forbidden days as the 4th or 9th or 14th of the month.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 11.182-185)

[See above, 9.201.]

Gautama (20.4-9).—‘A slave or a hired servant shall fetch an impure vessel from a dust-heap, fill it with water taken from the pot of a female slave and, his face turned towards the south, upset it with his foot, pronouncing the sinner’s name and saying: “I deprive so-and-so of water.” All the kinsmen shall touch the slave, passing their sacred thread over the right shoulder and under the left arm, and untying the look on their heads. The spiritual teachers and the marriage-relatives shall look on. Having bathed, they shall enter the village. He who afterwards unintentionally speaks to the outcast shall stand, during one night, repeating the Gāyatrī. If he converses with him intentionally, he must perform the same penance for three nights.’

Baudhāyana (2.1.36).—‘Now the relatives shall empty (the water-pot of a grievous offender) at a solemn meeting (and he shall confess), “I, N. N., am (the perpetrator of) such and such (a deed).” After (the outcast) has performed (his penance), the Brāhmaṇas shall ask him who has touched water, milk, clarified butter, honey, and salt, “Hast thou performed (the penance)?” The other (person) shall answer, ‘Om’ (yes)!’ They shall admit him who has performed (a penance) to all sacrificial rites, making no difference (between him and others).’

Vaśiṣṭha (15.12-16).—‘A slave, or the son of a low-caste woman, or a relative not belonging to the same caste who is destitute of good qualities, shall fetch a broken jar from a heap of useless rubbish, place Kuśa grass with its top lopped off on Lohita grass on the ground, and empty the jar with his left foot; and the relatives, allowing their hair to hang down, shall touch the man who empties the jar. Turning their left hands towards the spot, they may go home at pleasure. After that they should not admit the outcast to sacred rites. Those who admit him to sacred rites become equal to him.’

Yājñavalkya (3.294).—‘The female slave and the relatives shall pour the jarful of water outside the village for the outcast; and they shall exclude him from all functions.’

Viṣṇu (22.57).—‘On the death-day of an outcast, a female slave of his must upset a jar with water with her feet.’