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 鈥楧harma鈥�, 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...
Verse 6.31
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
啶呧お啶班ぞ啶溹た啶むぞ啶� 啶掂ぞ啶洁じ啷嵿ぅ啶距く 啶掂啶班啷囙う啷� 啶︵た啶多ぎ啶溹た啶灌啶啶� 啷�
啶� 啶ㄠた啶ぞ啶むぞ啶む啶多ぐ啷�啶班じ啷嵿く 啶啶曕啶む 啶掂ぞ啶班啶え啶苦げ啶距ざ啶ㄠ 啷� 啷┼ェ 啷�补辫补谤腻箩颈迟腻峁� v膩'sth膩ya vrajed di艣amajihmaga岣� |
膩 nip膩t膩t艣ar墨rasya yukto v膩ryanil膩艣ana岣� || 31 ||Or, having fixed upon the North-Easterly direction, he shall go forward, moving straight on, intent and living upon water and air,鈥攖ill the falling off of his body.鈥�(31).
Medh膩tithi鈥檚 commentary (manubh膩峁a):
The 鈥�础辫补谤腻箩颈迟腻鈥� is the name of the North-Easterly direction, known among the people as 鈥�础颈艣腻苍墨鈥�;鈥斺赌�Having fixed upon鈥� this direction鈥攁s 鈥渢his is the direction towards which I shall go鈥�,鈥攈e should proceed towards it.
鈥�Moving straight on鈥欌�攏ot swerving from his path, not seeking to avoid even rivers and streams. This is a rule laying down the going towards the North-East.
鈥�Intent, living upon water and air, till the falling off of the body.鈥欌�擳hat is, until the body falls off, he shall live upon air and on water.
鈥�Intent鈥�,鈥攈aving concentrated himself by the rules of Yoga.
This refers to the 鈥楪rand Journey鈥� (towards certain death).鈥�(31).
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
鈥�驰耻办迟补岣�鈥欌�斺�業ntent on the practice of yoga鈥� (Govindar膩ja and Kull奴ka),鈥斺�榝irmly resolved鈥� (N膩r膩ya峁嘺 and R膩ghav膩na峁嘾a).
This verse is quoted in 础辫补谤腻谤办补 (p. 945), which adds the following notes:鈥斺��测耻办迟补岣�鈥� means 鈥�蝉补尘腻丑颈迟补岣�鈥�, 鈥榠ntent, calm, collected鈥�; this teaching regarding the 鈥楪reat Journey鈥� is only by way of an illustration for all such means of self-immolation as burning, drowning and the like.
It is quoted in 惭颈迟腻办峁谤腻 (on 3.55);鈥攁nd in 贬别尘腻诲谤颈 (艢r膩ddha, p. 1660), which explains 鈥�补辫补谤腻箩颈迟腻鈥� as 鈥榯he north-easterly direction,鈥欌�攖owards that he should go straight on, till his body falls, living upon water and air and with mind duly concentrated and calm.
Comparative notes by various authors
(verses 6.31-32)
叠补耻诲丑腻测补苍补 (3.3.10.11, 12).鈥斺�楾he hermits called Unmajjakas avoid iron and stone implements; those called 笔谤补惫峁泃迟腻艣颈苍蝉 take food with the hand; those called 惭耻办丑别苍腻诲腻测颈苍蝉 take it with the mouth only.鈥�
膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补 (2.23 also 2.22.24).鈥斺�楾hen he shall live on water, then on air and finally on 膧办补艣补:鈥攅ach succeeding method bringing a greater reward.鈥�
驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补 (3.55).鈥斺�楨ating air, he shall proceed towards the North-East till his body perishes.鈥�
厂尘峁泃测补苍迟补谤补 (础辫补谤腻谤办补, p. 945).鈥斺�楾he hermit shall undertake either the Long Journey, or drown in water or enter the fire, or fall from a precipice.鈥�