Verse 2.161

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

नारुन्तुदः स्यादार्तोऽपि न परद्रोहकर्मधीः ।
ययाऽस्योद्विजते वाचा नालोक्यां तामुदीरयेत् ॥ १६१ ॥

nāruntudaḥ syādārto'pi na paradrohakarmadhīḥ |
yayā'syodvijate vācā nālokyāṃ tāmudīrayet || 161 ||

Even though pained, one should not (use such words as) cut to the quick; he should not do, or think of, injury to others; he should not utter words by which others are pained, and which (therefore) will obstruct his passage to (higher) regions.—(161)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This is another duty laid down for man in relation to ordinary life.

‘Aruntadaḥ (?)’ means that which cuts—‘tudati’—the ritats (?)—‘arūṃṣi’; i.e., affecting the vitals;—he who utters such words—i.e., such words of chiding as are extremely painful,—is called ‘aruntudaḥ.’

‘Pained’;—even though pain may have been indicted on him by the other person, he should not utter unpleasant words.

Similarly ‘injury to others’ is ‘harming others’; and one should not do an act conducive to it; nor should he think of it.

Or, ‘paradrohakarmadhīḥ’ may he taken to mean ‘think of doing injury to others.’

Such words by which—even though uttered in joke—other persons are pained—one should not utter.

Even a part of the sentence uttered by one should not he so disagreeable; for even portions of sentences may become indicative of unpleasant notions, through the force of their meaning, the particular context (occasion) and so forth.

One should not utter such words as they are ‘alokyā,’—i.e., obstructing his passage to the heavenly regions.

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Compare with this, Mahābhārata (13.104-31)—Vidura’s advice to Duryodhana—

nāruntudaḥ syānna nṛśaṃsavādī
na hīnataḥ paramabhyādadīta ||

Medhātithi (P. 147, 1. 13)—‘Arthaprakaraṇādinā’—cf. Kāvyaprakāśa.

arthaḥ prakaraṇaṃ liṅgaṃ vākyasyānyasya sannidhiḥ |

*              *              *

yo'rthasya nyārthadhīhetuḥ etc., etc.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama, 2-25.—‘One should avoid harsh speech.’

Gautama, 90.50-51.—‘Ever harmless, kind, firm in his actions, self-controlled and charitable; the Accomplished Student who behaves thus never falls from the regions of Brahman.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 1.1-15.—‘One should bear no malice towards him.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 1.3.23-24.—‘Free from anger, free from jealousy.’

Baudhāyana, 3 3-19.—‘He shall not seek to injure insects and mosquitoes.’

Viṣṇu (96.19-20).—‘He should avoid exaggerations; he should not show disrespect towards any one.’