Verse 6.76-77

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

अस्थिस्थूणं स्नायुयुतं मांसशोणितलेपनम् ।
चर्मावनद्धं दुर्गन्धि पूर्णं मूत्रपुरीषयोः ॥ ७६ ॥
जराशोकसमाविष्टं रोगायतनमातुरम् ।
रजस्वलमनित्यं च भूतावासमिमं त्यजेत् ॥ ७७ ॥

asthisthūṇaṃ snāyuyutaṃ māṃsaśoṇitalepanam |
carmāvanaddhaṃ durgandhi pūrṇaṃ mūtrapurīṣayoḥ || 76 ||
jarāśokasamāviṣṭaṃ rogāyatanamāturam |
rajasvalamanityaṃ ca bhūtāvāsamimaṃ tyajet || 77 ||

He shall discard this abode of material substances, where the bones are the pillars, which is held together by the tendons, plastered with flesh and blood; covered with the skin, foul-smelling, and full of urine and ordure;—(76) beset with wrinkles and sorrow, the seat of disease, harassed, sullied with passions and perishable.—(77)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

(verse 6.76)

This is meant to create disgust.

To say nothing of the bodies of worms insects and fleas, which are born in the earth and out of moisture etc.,—the human body itself, which has been considered highly desirable, the likelihood of losing which keeps man in constant fear,—is like a latrine, the abode of urine and ordure. It is this latrine-hut that is described.

The bones constitute the pillars; the hut is supported by the bones;—it is tied up with the tendons; it is plastered outside with flesh and blood;—and it is covered up with the skin; or roofed over with the skin;—‘filled with urine and ordure’;—the use of the Genitive here is analogous to that in the expression ‘odanasya pūrṇaḥ’, filled with rice.—(76).

(verse 6.77)

^‘Wrinkles’—indicates a peculiar state of the body in old age, due to its decrepitude.

‘Harassed’—ever beset with diseases.

‘Sullied with passions’—i.e., harbouring desires, the non-fulfilment of which brings irremediable unbearable pain.

Realising all this the man ‘shall discard’ this body, which is the abode of ‘material substances’—the products of the Earth, in the form of fat, marrow, phlegm, urine, semen and blood;—it cannot be the abode of the Soul; because this is all-pervading. For all these reasons one should not cherish any affection for the body.—(77.)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(verse 6.76)

This verse is quoted in Yatidharmasaṅgraha (p. 91).

(verse 6.77)

This verse is quoted in Yatidharmasaṅgraha (p. 91).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 6.76-77)

Mahāhhārata (12.330.42.43).—(Same as Manu.)

Maitryupaniṣad (3.4)—Do.

Viṣṇu (96.43-55).—‘He must recognise this human frame to consist of seven elements;—those elements are adeps, blood, flesh, flesh-serum, bone, marrow and semen. It is covered with skin; and it has a nasty smell; it is the receptacle of impure substances. Though surrounded by a hundred pleasures, it is subject to change; though carefully supported, it is subject to destruction. It is the stay of carnal desire, wrath, greed, folly, pride and selfishness. It consists of earth, water, fire, air and ākāśa. It is provided with bone, tubular vessels, arteries and sinews. It is endowed with the quality of Rajas. It is covered with six skin-layers; it is kept together by three hundred and sixty hones.’

Kāmandaka (3.10).—‘This clayey tenement rendered agreeable by artificial means is evanescent like a shadow and vanishes even as a bubble of water.’