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Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi

by Ganganatha Jha | 1920 | 1,381,940 words | ISBN-10: 8120811550 | ISBN-13: 9788120811553

This is the English translation of the Manusmriti, which is a collection of Sanskrit verses dealing with ‘Dharma�, a collective name for human purpose, their duties and the law. Various topics will be dealt with, but this volume of the series includes 12 discourses (adhyaya). The commentary on this text by Medhatithi elaborately explains various t...

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

दूरादे� परीक्षे� ब्राह्मण� वेदपारगम� �
तीर्थं तद� हव्यकव्यानां प्रदान� सोऽतिथिः स्मृतः � १३� �

dūrādeva parīkṣeta brāhmaṇa� vedapāragam |
īٳ� tad havyakavyānā� Ա so'tithi� smṛta� || 130 ||

From far off one should examine the 󳾲ṇa thoroughly versed in the Veda; such a one is the proper channel for offerings to gods and Pit� and in the matter of gifts he has been declared to be the guest.�(130)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (Գܲṣy):

One is not to be fed simply because he is thoroughly versed in the Veda; in fact, he should be examined �from far off;� i.e., one should carefully ascertain the purity of his father’s and mother’s families. It has been declared that persons should be regarded as real 󳾲ṇaa on both sides, only when it is found that everyone of their ancestors on the father’s and on the mother’s side up to ten degrees were accomplished in learning and austerities and their acts were virtuous; this is what constitutes ‘examination from far off;� similarly, the man’s own learning and knowledge of practical details should be ascertained.

V岹�’—he who has gone to the end of the Veda; i.e., one does not become respected by reading the ṃh only, or the 󳾲ṇa only. Because we find this term used here, we conclude that the term �śdzٰⲹ� is applied to one who may have learnt only a portion of the Veda.

Such a one is the channel for offerings to gods and Pitṛs;’Ĕ�channel� means like a channel. The ‘channel� is that whereby people descend to the water; hence what is meant by the metaphor is the eulogium that ‘just as people seeking water get it only if they go to it by the right channel, similarly, the offerings reach the gods and ancestors only through the aforesaid 󳾲ṇa.�

In connection with gifts and charities also the 󳾲ṇa is the ‘guest.� To the guest that arrives by himself, gifts are offered freely, and thus given, they bring about great results; and, in the same manner, to the said 󳾲ṇa the offerings to gods and ancestors should be given freely; and when thus given, they become conducive to great results.�(130)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Ѳ岹Բٲ (p. 356), which explains �ū parīkṣ�� as ‘investigation regarding his ancestors and character�; and �Ա� as ‘in the matter of other gifts also� he should be honoured like a guest;—in 貹첹, (p. 437), which explains �ū parīkṣ�� as ‘investigation regarding his father and several degrees of ancestors,’—�īٳ󲹳� as ‘the way for the running of water,� the implication being ‘just as water runs smoothly along its path, so do the offerings easily reach the Pitṛs, through the qualified 󳾲ṇas�;—the man is called �atithi� in the sense that he is of immense help to the Householder;—and in Ś󲹰첹ܻܳī (p. 34), which explains �ū� as ‘in regard to their remote ancestry,� and �īٳ� as ‘fit recipient.�

 

Comparative notes by various authors

վṣṇ-ṛt (72.2).—‘At the offering to Pitṛs one should examine the 󳾲ṇas with care.�

ٰ-ṃh (357).—‘The 󳾲ṇa should be carefully examined, specially at the time of the Śrāddha.�

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