365betÓéÀÖ

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:

अधरà¥à¤®à¥‡à¤£à¥ˆà¤§à¤¤à¥� तावतà¥� ततà¥� भदà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤£à¤� पशà¥à¤¯à¤¤à¤¿ à¥�
ततà¤� सपतà¥à¤¨à¤¾à¤¨à¥ जयति समूलसà¥à¤¤à¥ विनशà¥à¤¯à¤¤à¤¿ à¥� १७à¥� à¥�

adharmeṇaidhate tÄvat tato bhadrÄṇi paÅ›yati |
tataá¸� sapatnÄn jayati samÅ«lastu vinaÅ›yati || 174 ||

For a time one prospers through unrighteousness, for a while he experiences good things, and for a time he conquers his enemies; but, after all, he perishes root and branch.�(174)

 

MedhÄtithi’s commentary (³¾²¹²Ô³Ü²ú³óÄåá¹£y²¹):

â€�Through unrighteousness,’â¶Ä”such as causing injury to his master, and so forth—â€�he prospers’â¶Ä”gains advancement.

â€�For a time,’â¶Ä”for the time being only.

Then, â€�for a while’â¶Ä”after having gained riches and lands,—â€�he experiences’â¶Ä”e²ÔÂá´Ç²â²õ—â¶Ä�good things;’â¶Ä�i.e., such signs of prosperity as the presence of many servants, the possession of cattle, horses, and so forth.

Then, â€�he conquers his enemies’â¶Ä�i.e., ill-treats such persons as are poor. What are meant by ‘enemiesâ€� are those persons who, remaining firm in the path of righteousness, do not have recourse to questionable means of livelihood; and, in comparison to a rich person, the poverty of such men would involve a certain amount of insult.

Having remained thus for some time, such persons become destroyed �root and branch,� �i.e., along with their children, relations and riches.

For these reasons, righteousness should not be forsaken.�(1 74).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

²Ñ²¹³óÄå²ú³óÄå°ù²¹³Ù²¹ (AnuÅ›Äsana, 92.4).â€�(Same as Manu, but reading â€�Vardhatyadharmeṇa naraá¸�â€� for â€�adharmeṇaidhate tÄvat.â€�)

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: