sidhellman/clean_data.txt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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270. All these acts should be performed with purity of intention and
according to the ordinances of the scriptures. For example, sacrifices
should not be performed with vanity or pride. The Vedas should not be
studied without faith. Children should not be procreated from lust, etc.

271. Such words are unseizable and unintelligible for their depth of
meaning. Women are equally unseizable and unintelligible.

272. The sense is this: women agitate the hearts of those that treat them
with respect as of those that treat them with disdain. The commentator
explains that Pujitah dhikkritahva tulyavat vikaram janayati.

273. All living creatures are virtuous, for they are capable of
progressing towards godship by their own acts.

274. Pura has little force here, implying 'first'. In the first place,
know that I have come to thee,

275. Ladies spoke in Prakrita and not in Sanskrit. The latter is refined,
the former is unrefined. Hence Indra's surprise at hearing Sanskrit words
from the lady's lips.

276. The adana ceremony was a rite in course of which friends and kinsmen
had to make presents unto the person performing the ceremony. The
investiture with the sacred-thread, marriage, the rite performed in the
sixth and the ninth month of pregnancy, are all ceremonies of this kind.

277. It would be curious to see how the commentator Nilakantha seeks to
include within these five the eight forms of marriage mentioned by Manu.
The fact is, such parts of the Mahabharata are unquestionably more
ancient than Manu. The mention of Manu is either an instance of
interpolation or there must have been an older Manu upon whose work the
Manu we know has been based. The Asura and the Rakshasa forms are
unequivocally condemned. Yet the commentator seeks to make out that the
Rakshasa form is open to the Kshatriyas. The fact is, the Rakshasa was
sometimes called the Paisacha. The distinction between those two forms
was certainly of later origin.

278. Thus, there was no difference, in status, in ancient times, between
children born of a Brahmana, a Kshatriya or a Vaisya mother. The
difference of status was of later origin.

279. Nagnika is said to be one who wears a single piece of cloth. A girl
in whom the signs of puberty have not appeared does not require more than
a single piece of cloth to cover her. The mention of Nagnika, the
commentator thinks, is due to an interdiction about wedding a girl of
even ten years in whom signs of puberty have appeared.

280. When a father happens to have an only daughter, he frequently
bestows her in marriage upon some eligible youth on the understanding
that the son born of her shall be the son, for purposes of both Sraddha
rites and inheritance, not of the husband begetting him but of the girl's
father. Such a contract would be valid whether expressed or not at the
time of marriage. The mere wish of the girl's father, unexpressed at the
time of marriage, would convert the son into a son not of the father who
begets him but of the father of the girl herself. A daughter reserved for
such a purpose is said to be a putrikadharmini or 'invested with the
character of a son.' To wed such a girl was not honourable. It was in
effect an abandonment of the fruits of marriage. Even if dead at the time
of marriage, still if the father had, while living, cherished such a
wish, that would convert the girl into a putrikadharmini. The repugnance
to wedding girls without father and brothers exists to this day.

281. For understanding the meanings of Sapinda and Sagotra see any work
on Hindu law civil or canonical.

282. These verses are exceedingly terse. The commentator explains that
what is intended is that under the third and fourth circumstances the
giver of the girl incurs no sin; under the second, the bestower of the
girl (upon a person other than he unto whom a promise had been made)
incurs fault. The status of wife, however, cannot attach simply in
consequence of the promise to bestow upon the promiser of the dower. The
relationship of husband and wife arises from actual wedding. For all
that, when the kinsmen meet and say, with due rites, 'This girl is this
one's wife,' the marriage becomes complete. Only the giver incurs sin by
not giving her to the promised person.

283. Hence, having promised to wed such a one, she is at liberty to give
him over and wed another whom she likes.

284. In consequence of that boon no one incurs sin by retracting promises
of bestowing daughters upon others in view of more eligible husbands.

285. Hence, no one should bestow his daughter upon a person that is not
eligible, for the offspring of such marriage can never be good and such a
marriage can never make the daughter's sire or kinsmen happy.

286. One of the most important rites of marriage is the ceremony of
circumambulation. The girl is now borne around the bride-groom by her
kinsmen. Formerly, she used to walk herself. All gifts, again, are made
with water. The fact is, when a thing is given away, the giver, uttering
the formula, sprinkles a drop of water upon it with a blade of Kusa grass.

287. Hence, what Savitri did at the bidding of her sire could not be
against the course of duty or morality. The Burdwan translator has
misunderstood the second line of this verse, while K.P. Singha has
quietly dropped it.

288. Dharmasya refers to the true or correct or eternal Aryan usage,
Pradanam is khandanam, from da, to cut The sense is that the grant of

270. All these acts should be performed with purity of intention and

according to the ordinances of the scriptures. For example, sacrifices

should not be performed with vanity or pride. The Vedas should not be

studied without faith. Children should not be procreated from lust, etc.

271. Such words are unseizable and unintelligible for their depth of

meaning. Women are equally unseizable and unintelligible.

272. The sense is this: women agitate the hearts of those that treat them

with respect as of those that treat them with disdain. The commentator

explains that Pujitah dhikkritahva tulyavat vikaram janayati.

273. All living creatures are virtuous, for they are capable of

progressing towards godship by their own acts.

274. Pura has little force here, implying 'first'. In the first place,

know that I have come to thee,

275. Ladies spoke in Prakrita and not in Sanskrit. The latter is refined,

the former is unrefined. Hence Indra's surprise at hearing Sanskrit words

from the lady's lips.

276. The adana ceremony was a rite in course of which friends and kinsmen

had to make presents unto the person performing the ceremony. The

investiture with the sacred-thread, marriage, the rite performed in the

sixth and the ninth month of pregnancy, are all ceremonies of this kind.

277. It would be curious to see how the commentator Nilakantha seeks to

include within these five the eight forms of marriage mentioned by Manu.

The fact is, such parts of the Mahabharata are unquestionably more

ancient than Manu. The mention of Manu is either an instance of

interpolation or there must have been an older Manu upon whose work the

Manu we know has been based. The Asura and the Rakshasa forms are

unequivocally condemned. Yet the commentator seeks to make out that the

Rakshasa form is open to the Kshatriyas. The fact is, the Rakshasa was

sometimes called the Paisacha. The distinction between those two forms

was certainly of later origin.

278. Thus, there was no difference, in status, in ancient times, between

children born of a Brahmana, a Kshatriya or a Vaisya mother. The

difference of status was of later origin.

279. Nagnika is said to be one who wears a single piece of cloth. A girl

in whom the signs of puberty have not appeared does not require more than

a single piece of cloth to cover her. The mention of Nagnika, the

commentator thinks, is due to an interdiction about wedding a girl of

even ten years in whom signs of puberty have appeared.

280. When a father happens to have an only daughter, he frequently

bestows her in marriage upon some eligible youth on the understanding

that the son born of her shall be the son, for purposes of both Sraddha

rites and inheritance, not of the husband begetting him but of the girl's

father. Such a contract would be valid whether expressed or not at the

time of marriage. The mere wish of the girl's father, unexpressed at the

time of marriage, would convert the son into a son not of the father who

begets him but of the father of the girl herself. A daughter reserved for

such a purpose is said to be a putrikadharmini or 'invested with the

character of a son.' To wed such a girl was not honourable. It was in

effect an abandonment of the fruits of marriage. Even if dead at the time

of marriage, still if the father had, while living, cherished such a

wish, that would convert the girl into a putrikadharmini. The repugnance

to wedding girls without father and brothers exists to this day.

281. For understanding the meanings of Sapinda and Sagotra see any work

on Hindu law civil or canonical.

282. These verses are exceedingly terse. The commentator explains that

what is intended is that under the third and fourth circumstances the

giver of the girl incurs no sin; under the second, the bestower of the

girl (upon a person other than he unto whom a promise had been made)

incurs fault. The status of wife, however, cannot attach simply in

consequence of the promise to bestow upon the promiser of the dower. The

relationship of husband and wife arises from actual wedding. For all

that, when the kinsmen meet and say, with due rites, 'This girl is this

one's wife,' the marriage becomes complete. Only the giver incurs sin by

not giving her to the promised person.

283. Hence, having promised to wed such a one, she is at liberty to give

him over and wed another whom she likes.

284. In consequence of that boon no one incurs sin by retracting promises

of bestowing daughters upon others in view of more eligible husbands.

285. Hence, no one should bestow his daughter upon a person that is not

eligible, for the offspring of such marriage can never be good and such a

marriage can never make the daughter's sire or kinsmen happy.

286. One of the most important rites of marriage is the ceremony of

circumambulation. The girl is now borne around the bride-groom by her

kinsmen. Formerly, she used to walk herself. All gifts, again, are made

with water. The fact is, when a thing is given away, the giver, uttering

the formula, sprinkles a drop of water upon it with a blade of Kusa grass.

287. Hence, what Savitri did at the bidding of her sire could not be

against the course of duty or morality. The Burdwan translator has

misunderstood the second line of this verse, while K.P. Singha has

quietly dropped it.

288. Dharmasya refers to the true or correct or eternal Aryan usage,

Pradanam is khandanam, from da, to cut The sense is that the grant of