256 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
CHAPTER II
UNTOUCHABILITY AMONG HINDUS
IN the matter of pollution there is nothing to distinguish the Hindus from the Primitive or Ancient peoples. That they recognized pollution is abundantly clear from the Manu Smriti. Manu recognises physical defilement and also notional defilement.
Manu treated birth, [1] death and menstruation [2] as sources of impurity. With regard to death, defilement was very extensive in its range. It followed the rule of consanguinity. Death caused difilement to members of the family of the dead person technically called Sapindas and Samanodakas? It not only included maternal relatives such as maternal uncle [4] but also remote relatives. [5] It extended even to nonrelatives such as (1) teacher [6], (2) teacher’s [7] son, (3) teacher’s [8] wife, (4) pupil, [9] (5) fellow [10] student, (6) Shrotriya, [11] (7) king, [12 ] (8) friend, [13] (9) members of the household, [14] (10) those who carried the corpse, [15] and (11) those who touched the corpse. [16]
Anyone within the range of defilement could not escape it. There were only certain persons who were exempt. In the following verses Manu names them and specifies the reasons why he exempts them :—
Chapter V. 58, 61- 63, 71, 77, 79.
Chapter III, 45-46 : IV 40-41, 57, 208 ; V. 66,85,108.
Chapter V. 58, 60, 75-77, 83-94.
Chapter V. 81.
Chapter V. 78.
Chapter V. 65, 80, 82.
Chapter V. 80.
Chapter V. 80.
Chapter V. 81.
Chapter V. 71.
Chapter V. 81.
Chapter V. 82.
Chapter V. 82.
Chapter V. 81.
Chapter V. 64-65, 85.
Chapter V. 64, 85