१५ धर्मप्रशंसा

The man who is unrighteous, he whose wealth is mis-begotten, and he who is always addicted to injuring, never obtains happiness in this world.—(170)

सामान्यतः सर्वहिंसाप्रतिषेधशेषो ऽयम् । अधर्मः शास्त्रप्रतिषिद्धो ऽगम्यागमनादिः, तं चरत्य् अधार्मिकः । यस्य चानृतम् एव धनम् । साक्ष्ये व्यवहारनिर्णयादौ चासत्यम् उक्त्वा उत्कोचधनं साधयति । यश् च हिंसारतिर् हिंसायाम् अभिरतो वैरानुबन्धाद् अर्थहेतोर् वा परान् हिनस्ति । नासौ सुखम् एधते न सुखं प्राप्नोति, इहास्मिंल् लोके ॥ ४.१७० ॥

This is supplementry to the prohibition of Injury in general.

‘Unrighteousness’ consists in doing acts forbidden by the scriptures, such as incest, and the like; and the man who does such acts is ‘unrighteous.’

‘He whose wealth is mis-begotten,’—i.e., he who acquires wealth in the form of bribes offered for telling lies at legal proceedings, etc.

‘He who is addicted to injuring,’—he who always seeks to injure others, either through enmity, or for fulfilling some other purpose.

Such a man does not obtain happiness in this world.—(170).

170 Neither a man who (lives) unrighteously, nor he who (acquires) wealth (by telling) falsehoods, nor he who always delights in doing injury, ever attain happiness in this world.

Perceiving the quick overthrow of unrighteous sinners, he shall not turn his mind towards unrighteousness, even though suffering in consequence of righteonsness.—(171)

धर्मः शास्त्रमर्यादा । तेन वर्तमानः सीदन्न् अप्य् अवसादम् अपि प्राप्नुवन् नाधर्मे मनो निवेशयेत् । यत अधार्मिका यद्य् अपि चौर्योत्कोचदम्भादिभिर् धनसमृद्धा दृश्यन्ते, तथापि तेषाम् आशु विपर्ययो दृश्यते धननाशादिः । अतो न धर्माद् विचलेत् ॥ ४.१७१ ॥

सुहृद् भूत्वा दृष्टम् अर्थं दर्शितवान् । इदानीं शास्त्रार्थम् आह ।

‘Dharma,’ ‘Right,’ consists in the bounds of propriety laid down in the scriptures;—one who acts according to this,—even though he may ‘suffer’ failure—‘shall not turn his mind towards unrighteousness.’ Because, even though unrighteous men may be found to have become rich by wealth acquired by bribery, hypocrisy, and the like,—yet very soon their ‘overthrow’—in the form of destruction of their wealth, etc.—is found to come about. Consequently, one should never deviate from the right.

The Author has, in a friendly spirit, shown us a visible instance.—(171)

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 68), which adds the following explanation:—‘Sīdan’, even though one may be in difficulties regarding necessary expenses,—‘adharmeṇa’, by improper appropriation of what belongs to others,—‘adharmikāṇām’, of those who do not perform the prescribed duties,—‘pāpānām,’ of those who do what is forbidden,—‘viparyayam,’ loss of wealth and other things,—‘āśu’ lias been added only with a view to emphasise, as calamity is actually found to overtake sinners after the lapse of some time also.

171 Let him, though suffering in consequence of his righteousness, never turn his heart to unrighteousness; for he will see the speedy overthrow of unrighteous, wicked men.

Unrighteousness, practised in this world, does not, like the Earth (or the Cow) bring its fruit immediately; but, accumulating gradually, it outs off the roots of the perpetrator.—(172)

अनियतकालत्वाद् वैदिकानां शुभाशुभफलानां कर्मणाम् एवम् उच्यते । नाधर्मश् चरितः अनुष्ठितः सद्यः फलति फलं ददाति । वेदे हि केवलं कर्मणां विहितप्रतिषिद्धानां सुखदुःखपलत्वं श्रुतम् । कालविशेषस् तु नावगमितः । वाक्यव्यापारो हि कर्तव्यतावगमपरत्वे ऽपि कर्मफलसंबन्धबोधमात्रे पर्यवस्यति, न कालविशेषम् आक्षिपति फलवतां कर्मणाम् । नित्यानां तु न फलतः कर्तव्यता । प्रतिषिद्धपरिहारे¹ ऽपि नैव नरकादिदुःखनिवृत्तिकामस्याधिकारः, किं तु शास्त्रप्रतिषेधसामर्थ्यात् । स तु प्रतिषेधो दुःखफलत्वं प्रतिषिद्धानुष्ठानस्य बोधयति । निपुनत एतद् उच्यमानम् अतिग्रन्थविस्तरम् आक्षिपतीत्य् उपरम्यते ।

• गौर् इव । साधर्म्यवैधर्माभ्याम् अयं दृष्टान्तः । यथा गौः पृथिवी व्युप्तबीजा न तदैवानेकसस्यशालिनी भवति, किं तर्हि, परिपाकम् अपेक्षते, तादृशं वैदिकं कर्मेति साधर्म्यम् । वैधर्म्येणापि, यथा गौः पशुर् वाहदोहाभ्यां सद्यः फलति, नैवं धर्माधर्मौ । अधर्मग्रहणं धर्मस्यापि फलदानं प्रति कालानियमप्रदर्शनार्थम् । आवर्त्यमानः कालेनोपचीयमानः । कर्तुः प्रतिषिद्धानुष्ठातुः मूलानि कृन्तति छिनत्ति । मूलकर्तनेन सर्वेण सर्वविनाश उपलक्ष्यते । यथा मूलच्छेदाद् वृक्षादिस्थावराणाम् अपुनर्भवस् तद्वद् अधर्मकारिणाम् ॥ ४.१७२ ॥

The Author now proceeds to describe the sense of the scriptures.

What is said here is in view of the fact that the acts mentioned in the Vedas as leading to good and evil results, are uncertain in regard to the time of their fruition.

‘Unrighteousness, practised, does not bring its fruit immediately.’

All that is mentioned in the Veda is that the acts prescribed bring good results, and those forbidden bring evil results; the exact time of fruition is not mentioned. Even though the verbal operation of the Vedic texts rests with indicating that a certain act shall be done, yet it ends in indicating the relation between an act and the results accruing therefrom; but it does not say anything regarding the time of the fruition of the acts done, with a view to obtaining certain results; as for the obligatory acts, that they shall be done follows from their very nature;—lastly, in regard to the avoiding of the forbidden act also, the persons entitled to this are not only those who are desirous of avoiding the sufferings of hell, etc., but all those who are desirous of abiding by the scriptures. And what the scriptural prohibition does is to intimate that the doing of the forbidden act results in suffering. A full discussion of this subject will prolong our work to an undue length. Hence we stop here.

‘Gauriva’—‘like the Earth (or the Cow).’—The example cited here is meant to be both (a) ‘similar’ and (b) ‘dissimilar.’ (a) The Earth, on having the seed sown in it, does not immediately bring forth the sheaves of corn; in fact, it requires gradual development; similar is the case with the Vedic act; this is the similarity (between the act and the Earth). (b) Through dissimilarity also—the animal, cow, on being milked, brings its fruit (milk) immediately; not so Virtue and Vice.

Though the text mentions ‘unrighteousness’ only, yet what is meant is to show the uncertainty of time regarding the fruition of ‘righteousness’ also.

‘Accumulating’—gaining strength in time;—‘of the actor’—of the perpetrator of the act—‘cuts off’— destroys—‘the roots.’

The cutting off of the root indicates total annihilation. Just as when the roots are cut off, trees do not grow again; similarly, the practice of unrighteousness also.—(172)

‘Gauḥ’—Buhler is again unfair to Medhātithi. Both Medhātithi and Kullūka take this term ‘gauḥ’ precisely as Buhler says ‘it is not impossible’. (See Translation.) From what Buhler says, Govindarāja, Nārāyaṇa and Nandana take ‘gauḥ’ only as ‘the Cow, which at once yields its benefits by its milk &c.’ This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 68), which says that, if the ‘gauḥ’ is taken as an example per similarity, then it means ‘earth’,—the earth does not produce the harvest immediately after sowing of seeds; if it is taken as ‘cow’, then it is an example per dissimilarity, the meaning being ‘the cow gives its products, in the shape of milk &c. immediately, not so sin, which takes time to fructify.’

172 Unrighteousness, practised in this world, does not at once produce its fruit, like a cow; but, advancing slowly, it cuts off the roots of him who committed it.

If not on himself, then on his sons,—if not on his sons, then on his grandsons (falls the punishment); an unrighteousness, once committed, never fails to bring its consequences to the perpetrator.—(173)

• सत्यम् । पुत्रे पीड्यमाने पीडितस्य पितुर् अधिकतरं दुःखं भवति । अतः कर्तुर् एव दुःखम् । पुत्रस्यापि स्वकृतात् पौर्वदेहिकात् कर्मणस् तत्फलम् इत्य् अविरुद्धम् । एवं नप्तृष्व् अपि द्रष्टव्यम् । नप्तारः पौत्राः । कृतो ऽधर्म इति संहितायास् तुल्यत्वाद् धर्माधर्मौ द्वाव् अप्य् उपात्तौ ॥ ४.१७३ ॥

“It is not right that the consequences of acts done by one person should be described as falling on others. As a matter of fact, all Vedic acts bring their fruits to the person who performs them. The principle of the Vaiśvānara sacrifice (whereby the fruits of the sacrifice accrue to the son of the performer) cannot be held to be applicable to the present case, as there is no direct assertion to that effect. In connection with the acts dealt with in the present context, there is no assertion to the effect that their consequences accrue to the performer’s son.”

True; but when the son suffers pain, it causes the father still greater pain; so that, in that case also, the resultant suffering would fall upon the perpetrator himsef (himself?). As regards the son also, the said suffering may be said to come to him by virtue of some past misdeed of his son; and there would be nothing incongruous in this.

The same holds good regarding ‘grandsons’ also.

‘Kṛto-dharmaḥ.’—Whether the component words be read as ‘Kṛtaḥ-dharmaḥ’ or ‘Kṛtaḥ-adharmaḥ,’ the resultant conjunct form would be the same—‘Kṛto-dharmaḥ;’ hence both dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness) are meant to be spoken of (as not failing in bringing up their consequences)—(173).

Medhātithi (P. 356, l. 20)—‘Vaiśvānaranyāyaḥ’—This refers to Mīmāṃsā-sūtra, 4.38 et. seq, where it is stated that though the Vaiśvānara sacrifice is performed by the Father, yet its results accrue to the Son.

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 68)—which adds ‘Kṛtodharmaḥ’ should be construed as ‘Kṛtaḥ adharma’, as the context deals with Adharma,—‘na niṣphalaḥ,’ i.e., unless it is expiated.

173 If (the punishment falls) not on (the offender) himself, (it falls) on his sons, if not on the sons, (at least) on his grandsons; but an iniquity (once) committed, never fails to produce fruit to him who wrought it.

For a time one prospers through unrighteousness, for a while he experiences good things, and for a time he conquers his enemies; but, after all, he perishes root and branch.—(174)

अधर्मेण प्रभुद्रोहादिना एधते वृद्धिं लभते । तावत् तस्मिन्न् एव काले । ततो धनं ग्रामं वा प्राप्य, ततो भद्राणि बहुभृत्यगवाश्वादि संपत्तिलक्षणानि पश्यत्य् अनुभवति । ततः सपत्नान् अरीन् दरिद्राञ् जयति परिभवति । तर्हि धर्मे स्थितान् कुतश्चन कुसृतिहीना लभन्ते । अतस् तेषां दारिद्र्यशब्द ऐश्वर्ये परिभवः । समूलं च कियन्तं कालम् एवं भूत्वा सपुत्रज्ञातिधनबान्धवा उच्छिद्यन्ते । तस्माद् धर्मो न हातव्यः ॥ ४.१७४ ॥

‘Through unrighteousness,’—such as causing injury to his master, and so forth—‘he prospers’—gains advancement.

‘For a time,’—for the time being only.

Then, ‘for a while’—after having gained riches and lands,—‘he experiences’—enjoys—‘good things;’—i.e., such signs of prosperity as the presence of many servants, the possession of cattle, horses, and so forth.

Then, ‘he conquers his enemies’—i.e., ill-treats such persons as are poor. What are meant by ‘enemies’ are those persons who, remaining firm in the path of righteousness, do not have recourse to questionable means of livelihood; and, in comparison to a rich person, the poverty of such men would involve a certain amount of insult.

Having remained thus for some time, such persons become destroyed ‘root and branch,’ ‘i.e., along with their children, relations and riches.

For these reasons, righteousness should not be forsaken.—(1 74).

Mahābhārata (Anuśāsana, 92.4).—(Same as Manu, but reading ‘Vardhatyadharmeṇa naraḥ’ for ‘adharmeṇaidhate tāvat.’)

174 He prospers for a while through unrighteousness, then he gains great good fortune, next he conquers his enemies, but (at last) he perishes (branch and) root.

He shall always delight in truthfulness, Law and right conduct, as also in ceanliness (cleanliness?); he shall govern his pupils in accordance with law,—with his speech arms, and belly duly controlled.—(175)

सत्यं यथादृष्टार्थवादिता । धर्मः श्रुतिविषयौ विधिप्रतिषेधौ । सत्यस्य ताद्रूप्ये ऽपि बेदेन निर्देशो ऽतिशयार्थः । अनृतं पुरुषाणां स्वभावभूतम् । अतो यत्नेन पुनः पुनः प्रतिषिध्यते । आर्यवृत्तं सदाचारः । आर्याः शिष्टास् तेषां वृत्तम् आचरितम् । तत्र आरमेत् । रतिः परितोषः । एतेष्व् अर्थेषु परितोषो ऽनेन विधीयते । अन्यान् अप्य् एवम् आचारान् दृष्ट्वा मनःप्रसादं कुर्यात् । शिष्याश् चैव² भार्यापुत्रदासच्छात्रा धर्मेणानुशासनीयाः । “पृष्ठतस् तु शरीरस्य” (म्ध् ८.३००) इत्यादिधर्माः । वाग्बाहूदरसंयतः । सत्य् असति च प्रयोजने अबहुभाषिता वाक्संसमः । बाह्वोः संयमो बाहुबलाश्रयणेन कस्यचिद् अपि अपीडनम्³ । उदरस्य संयमो ऽनौदरिकता अबहुभोजित्वम् । औदरिकता बहुभोजित्वं भोज्यविशेषे गर्धया परगृहे बाहुल्येन भोजनम् ।

• उक्तो ऽप्य् अर्थः पुनर् उच्यते बहुकृत्वो ऽपि पथ्यं वदितव्यम् इति सर्वत्र पौनरुक्त्यपरिहारः ॥ ४.१७५ ॥

‘Truthfulness,’—the habit of saying things just as they are seen.

‘Law,’—Injunctions and Prohibitions contained in the Veda.

Though Truthfulness also would be involved under ‘law,’ yet it has been mentioned separately, with a view to emphasize its special importance.

The fact of the matter is that ‘untruthfulness’ being the very nature of men, it is forbidden again and again with special emphasis.

‘Right conduct,’—the conduct of good men. ‘Good men’ are those that are cultured; and the ‘conduct’ or course of action adopted by them.

In all these, ‘he shall delight.’ ‘Delight’ is satisfaction. Hence, what the text enjoins is satisfaction with those just enumerated; the sense being that ‘he should show satisfaction of mind at the sight of all right forms of activity.’

‘Pupils,’—wife, son, slaves and students; these should be governed ‘in accordance with law;’ the law being what has been laid down in this connection under 8.299, et seq.

‘With his speech, amis and belly duly controlled.’— Whether there be necessity or not, if one does not speak much, this is what is called ‘control of speech.’ The ‘control of arms’ consists in not causing pain to others by the strength of one’s arms. The ‘control of belly’ consists in non-gluttony, not eating too much;—gluttony consisting in eating much at other people’s houses, with special zest for a particular article of food.

What has been already said before, is repeated over and over again, because wholesome advice is to be given at all times. This is the explanation of all repetitions.—(175)

Cf. 4.164; 8.299.

Gautama (1, 50.68, 69, 70).—‘He shall never be fickle with the generative organ, the stomach, the hands, the feet, speech and eyes. He shall be devoted to Truthfulness and Rightful Conduct. He shall be the instructor of well-disciplined pupils; practised in cleanliness, and devoted to the Veda;—ever harmless, mild, firmly active, self-controlled and charitable.’

175 Let him always delight in truthfulness, (obedience to) the sacred law, conduct worthy of an Aryan, and purity; let him chastise his pupils according to the sacred law; let him keep his speech, his arms, and his belly under control.

He shall, avoid such wealth and pleasures as are opposed to righteousness, as also righteousness if it be conducive to unhappiness, or disapproved by the people.—(176)

उक्तस् त्रिवर्गः पुरुषार्थः । कश्चित् तुल्यतां मन्यमानः — अर्थकामपरिहारेण यथा धर्मः सेव्यते तद्विरोधी ज्योतिष्टोमादिः । स ह्य् अर्थविरोधी दक्षिणादिदानेन, कामविरोधी दीक्षितस्य ब्रह्मचर्यविधानात् । एवम् अर्थकामाव् अपि धर्मपरिहारेण न सेवेत । तत्र “न हिंस्याद् भूतानि” इति यत्र कामो हिंसाया वैरानुबन्धाद् यः कश्चिद् वक्तुम् इष्यते तत्र स विषयप्रतिषेधाय, यत्र तु कस्यचिद् धिंसयार्थकामाव् इष्येते तत्र नास्ति हिंसादोषः — इति पर्वर्तते, तद्भ्रान्तिनिवृत्त्यर्थम् इदम् उच्यते ।

• परित्यजेत् परिहरेत् तादृश्आर्थकामौ यत्र धर्मविरोधः । एवं सर्वतो धर्मस्य बलीयस्त्वम् उक्त्वा कस्मिंश्चिद् विषये तस्यापि परिहर्तव्यताम् आह- धर्मं चाप्य् असुखोदर्कम् । उदर्कः उत्तरकालः, सो ऽसुखो यस्य — यथा सर्वस्वदानं वा ददाति “धार्मिको ऽयं⁴ महापुण्यः” इति, यथा नदीतीरेष्व् एकान्तेष्व् अपि प्राकृतजना बहवः पश्यन्ति तत्र स्नानम् । भवतीत्य् अर्थस्नानं धर्मार्जनसमक्षापेक्षा⁵ तु साधुवादाय । यथा च तीर्थकाकेभ्यो दानम् । भवति दानं धर्मः, दातृत्वप्रसिद्ध्युत्पादनार्थत्वात् — तेभ्यो भिद्यते⁶ । अथ वा यद् गर्ह्यतया लोकः संक्रोशति — यथा गोर् अवध्यस्य वधः, मांसस्य भक्षणं च — तद् विगर्हिततरं पश्वन्तरेभ्यो लोके । दृष्टमूलश् चायम् अहिस्पर्शवत् प्रतिषेधः । विहितो ऽयम् अर्थ इत्य् अवैद्यतया प्राकृतजना अजानाना अधार्मिकत्वं यष्टुः प्रख्यापयेयुस् तेषां च बहुत्वतः प्रसिद्ध्या शिष्टा अप्य् एवं प्रसिद्धमूलम्⁷ अनवगच्छन्तः परिवर्जयेयुः । तद् उक्तम् “धार्मिके सति राजनि” (म्ध् ११.१०) इति ।

• एतद् उक्तं पूर्वैर् व्याख्यातम् इत्य् अनुगतम् । न हि प्रत्यक्षश्रुतिविहितस्य स्मृत्या बाधो न्याय्यः । इदं तु युक्ततरम् उदाहरणम् । नियोगधर्मः स्मृत्या विहितो लोकसंक्रुष्टत्वान् न क्रियते । तथा यः कश्चिद् अनाथतरुणीं स्त्रियं कारुण्याद् बिभर्ति, तत्र यदि लोकसंक्रोष आशङ्क्यते — स्त्रीत्वेनैवास्मा एषा रोचते — स लोकसंक्रुष्टधर्मः ॥ ४.१७६ ॥

It has been said above that the ‘group of three’ constitutes the ‘ends of man.’ Some people might think that all the three are equally important, and argue as follows and act accordingly Righteous acts, like the Jyotiṣṭoma, &c., are found to be performed at the cost of wealth and pleasure. Such acts lead to loss of wealth by the giving away of the sacrificial fee and other gifts; and they are opposed to pleasure, inasmuch as it has been laid down that the person initiated for sacrifices shall remain continent, and so forth. Exactly in the same manner, it would be right to have recourse to the acquisition of wealth and pleasure at the cost of righteousness, so that the prohibition, ‘One shall not injure any living beings,’ forbids only such injury as one might inflect upon others simply on account of enmity, and not that which brings to the person wealth or pleasure.”

It is with a view to preclude such ideas that the text declares that—‘He shall avoid such wealth and pleasure’ as involve opposition to righteousness.

Having thus emphasized the superior importance of Righteousness, he proceeds to add that, in some cases, righteous acts also have to be avoided—‘also righteousness if it be conducive to unhappiness.’ ‘Udarka’ means sequence; that whose sequence is unhappy is ‘asukhodarka.’ For instance, some people give away their entire property, and obtain the fame of being an ‘extremely righteous and charitable person;’—or, when, even on solitary river-banks, where many ordinary persons see what is being done, people bathe, not so much for acquiring spiritual merit, but for winning the praise of the populace;—or, again, when large gifts are made to the ‘crows of sacred places’ (the Brāhmaṇas, at these places, who hanker after gifts), for the purpose of advertising their, powers of giving. All such acts are deprecated.

Or, again (one should avoid), such acts as are ‘disapproved by the people,’ as being blameworthy; e.g., the killing (at sacrifices) of the bull, which should not be killed; and the act of eating its flesh is more blameworthy than that of eating other kinds of flesh.

This prohibition is with a view to perceptible results, just like the prohibition of touching a snake. Ordinary men, being ignorant, would not know that the killing of the bull is permitted (under special conditions), and would therefore make it known that the sacrificer of the bull is an unrighteous person; and, as a large majority of men are illiterate, even cultured persons, not caring to investigate the source of the popular opinion, would avoid the person (as unrighteous). This is what has been said in the passage—‘the king being righteous,’ etc., etc..

What we have said above, is in accordance with the explanation provided by older writers. As a matter of fact, however, it can never be right to reject, on the strength of Smṛti, what has been enjoined by the Veda. The right example of the act aimed at by the Text is as follows: The custom of ‘niyoga’ (‘begetting of a child on the widowed sister-in-law’) is sanctioned by Smṛtis; but it is not performed, because it is ‘deprecated by the people;’ or, again, when one is supporting an unprotected young woman, entirely through pity,—if people show their disapproval by giving out that ‘she appeals to hiś generosity because she is a woman,’—then the said righteous act of supporting would be one that is ‘deprecated by the people.’—(176)

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 159);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 11), which would restrict the rule to only such ‘dharma’ as is ‘dṛṣṭārtha’, ‘prescribed for the purpose of perceptible worldly results.’

Viṣṇu (71.84.85).—‘Wealth and Pleasure, opposed to Righteousness (he shall avoid);—also such Righteousness as may be disapproved by the people.’

Āpastamba (7.20.22).—‘He shall enjoy such pleasures as are not incompatible with righteousness.’

Yājñavalkya (1.156).—‘In act, mind and speech he shall carefully do what is right; and he shall not do what is right if it happens to he such as is not conducive to heaven, or disapproved by the people.’

Gautama (9.47).—‘While wearing shoes, he shall avoid eating, sitting, accosting and saluting.’

Śukranīti (3.4-5).—‘He shall not try to attain liberation without trying to attain the other three purposes, and he shall follow the path of liberation without disregarding the other three. This is the golden mean.’

176 Let him avoid (the acquisition of) wealth and (the gratification of his) desires, if they are opposed to the sacred law, and even lawful acts which may cause pain in the future or are offensive to men.

He shall not be fickle with his hands and feet, nor fickle with his eyes, nor crooked, nor fickle with his speech, nor harm others by deed or thought.—(177)

पाणिपादाभ्यां चपलः । “तृतीया” (पाण् २.१.३०) इति योगविभागात् समासः । चापलं च हस्तेनानुपयुज्यमानस्यापि वस्तुनो ग्रहणापसारणे । परस्त्रीप्रेक्षणचित्रसंदर्शनादि नेत्रचापलम् । परद्रोहार्थं कर्मबुद्धिश् च न कर्तव्या ॥ ४.१७७ ॥

The compound in ‘pāṇipādacapalaḥ’ is the instrumental Tatpuruṣa, in accordance with Pāṇini’s Sūtra 2.1.30. The ‘fickleness’ of the hand would consist in the picking up or removing of useless things.

The ‘fickleness’ of the eye would consist in looking at other women, or at pictures, etc.

He shall not net or think in such a manner as would bring harm to others.—(177).

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 524), as setting forth an epitome of what one’s ‘duty’ is;—in Vidhānapārijāta (I., p. 695),—and again in II, p. 204, in connection with tilaka marks on the forehead;—in Smṛtitattva (II, p. 275) to the effect that even when living in foreign lands one should keep up the ways of his fathers;—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 1680);—in Nityācārapradīpa (p. 68), which says that this refers to cases of optional alternatives only;—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 71a);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 9) to the effect that family-custom is to be regarded as a guide in cases where there is a difference of opinion among the various scriptural texts.

Vaśiṣṭha (6.38).—‘Ho shall not be fickle with his hands and feet, nor with his eyes, nor with his limbs; such should be the conduct of the cultured.’

Gautama (1.50).—(See under 175, above.)

177 Let him not be uselessly active with his hands and feet, or with his eyes, nor crooked (in his ways), nor talk idly, nor injure others by deeds or even think of it.