Sacred Texts
Mahānirvāṇa Tantra cover

॥ श्री ॥tantraFor reading

Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 11.74

Traditional

Ullāsas
14
Verses
2517
Minutes
1258
Level
advanced

Ullāsa 11 · Verse 74

मनुष्यवधे दण्डविधिःThe punishment of homicide

Verse 74

मिथः संग्रामयोद्धारमाततायिनमागतम् । निहत्य परमेशानि न पापार्हो भवेन्नरः ॥ ७४ ॥

mithaḥ saṁgrāmayōddhāramātatāyinamāgatam | nihatya paramēśāni na pāpārhō bhavēnnaraḥ || 74 ||

Translation

A man who kills an opponent in battle, or an assailant who comes upon him, O Parameśānī, incurs no sin.

Word by word

mithaḥ
(mithaḥ) mutually
saṁgrāma
in battle
yōddhāram
(yoddhāram) an opponent
ātatāyinam
(ātatāyinam) an assailant
āgatam
(āgatam) who comes
nihatya
killing
paramēśāni
O Parameśānī
na
no
pāpa
sin
arhaḥ
(arhaḥ) deserving
bhavēt
is
naraḥ
(naraḥ) a man

Meaning

Self-defence and war. The ṭīkā lists the ātatāyins, assailants who may be killed: the arsonist, the poisoner, one with weapon in hand, the robber, and one who seizes another's land or wife.

Commentary

Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated

But would one who kills a warrior in battle, or an assailant who has come, deserve death or not? To that doubt he says "mithaḥ" and the rest. O Parameśānī, a man who kills a warrior in battle with him, and likewise who kills an ātatāyin, an assailant who has come, does not deserve sin, is not touched by sin. The ātatāyins are: "the one who sets fire, the poisoner, one who has a weapon in his hand, the robber of wealth, and the one who seizes field or wife: these six are ātatāyins."