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:

बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि पञ्चैषां श्रोत्रादीन्यनुपूर्वशः ।
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि पञ्चैषां पाय्वादीनि प्रचक्षते ॥ ९१ ॥

buddhīndriyāṇi pañcaiṣāṃ śrotrādīnyanupūrvaśaḥ |
karmendriyāṇi pañcaiṣāṃ pāyvādīni pracakṣate || 91 ||

Of these the five beginning with the Ear in due order they call “Organs of Sensation’; and five of these, beginning with the Anus, “Organs of Action.”—(91)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The author now proceeds to describe the functions of the organs, with a view to determine their precise nature. [This is necessary, because] they are not perceptible.

Organs of Sensation’;—i.e., the organs productive of sensation; they bring about effects in the form of sensations. The Genitive (in the compound ‘buddhīndriyāṇāṃ’) denotes the relation of cause and effect.

Beginning with the Ear, in due order’;—the phrase ‘in due order’ has been added w ith a view to prevent the notion that the term ‘ādi’ signifies kind. “Order” again is in accordance with position; hence what is meant is the order in which the organs have been mentioned in the foregoing verse.

Organs of action’;—it is the ‘action’ of motion that is meant here.—(91)

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(Verses 89-92)

See Comparative notes for Verse 2.89.

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