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Manu declared that if a man does it to another man, he has to perform the Santapana penance (11.174*). What if a woman does it to another woman?

*Reference - Manu's Code of Law - a critical Edition by Patrick Olivelle

Amritendu Mukhopadhyay
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    Women are automatically cleared off their sins every month after menses – Vivikta Jun 18 '21 at 05:19
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    @Vivikta So sometimes Laws do take a pro-woman stance! – Amritendu Mukhopadhyay Jun 18 '21 at 05:41
  • @Archit Thanks. Why don't you write it as an answer, so that I can accept it? – Amritendu Mukhopadhyay Jun 18 '21 at 07:38
  • @Vivikta That is not for all sins, especially committed deliberately. Read these articles by our fellow user Nitin Sridhar who explains logically by quoting from all scriptures explaining various levels of meanings on menstruation. http://indiafacts.org/hindu-view-menstruation-ii-menstruation-ashaucha/ – The Destroyer Jun 18 '21 at 07:55
  • Is Nitin Sridhar an "authority"? Why should I believe that his version of interpretation is the "only-correct" one, while all the other interpretations are incorrect. I think it's a very subjective issue un-resolved unless the Original author of the treatise, themselves clarify in detail what they meant for "menstrual-sin-cleansing". – Vivikta Jun 18 '21 at 09:10

1 Answers1

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Quoting from the extant Manusmriti. The provisions dealing with female homosexuality are given in the chapter on adultery. The punishment for the same is as follows:

If a maiden pollutes another maiden, her fine shall be two hundred; she shall also pay the double of her nuptial fee and shall receive ten lashes.—(Manu 8.369)

But if a woman pollutes a maiden, she deserves immediate shaving off, or the amputation of two fingers, and also being carried by a donkey.—(Manu 8.370)

Here, ‘maiden’ refers to ‘kanya’ or an unmarried girl and woman refers to a ‘non-maiden’.

Adiyarkku
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  • No-where it talks about the term "homosexuality" though, I think?! It just says that sexual contact between two women is a sin. The definition of Homosexuality is much broader than just saying "sexual-contact". These verses are just talking about "sexual contact" between two women without defining what type of "sexuality" will that same sex-act enjoin. – Vivikta Jun 18 '21 at 09:33
  • @Vivikta okay.... – Adiyarkku Jun 18 '21 at 09:58
  • Does "carried by a donkey" mean being dragged by a donkey while tied? Kindly explain here in comments. Just curious. – Severus Snape Jun 18 '21 at 13:40
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    @SeverusSnape Carried means seated on top of a donkey. The word used is Udvahanam which means to bear the weight while carrying. – Adiyarkku Jun 18 '21 at 13:42
  • @Archit Thanks for the reply. That means she just have to ride? Assumably, then what would be wrong here? Is it a taboo? I mean, men ride donkey.. women can't? – Severus Snape Jun 18 '21 at 13:44
  • You already had my vote. Just confused on that part. – Severus Snape Jun 18 '21 at 13:51
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    @SeverusSnape it seems more of a show. Like more of a walk of shame than a punishment as such. – Adiyarkku Jun 18 '21 at 13:56
  • @Archit Okay. It must be something of shame back then nowadays it might not be valid. Edit: just saying. – Severus Snape Jun 18 '21 at 14:05
  • If a man "pollutes" a maiden it is punishable also, so this is not conclusive on lesbians in general. – Aupakarana Abhibhaa Dec 14 '21 at 10:55