Verse 2.206

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

विद्यागुरुष्वेवमेव नित्या वृत्तिः स्वयोनिषु ।
प्रतिषेधत्सु चाधर्माद् हितं चोपदिशत्स्वपि ॥ २०६ ॥

vidyāguruṣvevameva nityā vṛttiḥ svayoniṣu |
pratiṣedhatsu cādharmād hitaṃ copadiśatsvapi || 206 ||

This same shall be his constant behaviour towards his intellectual teachers, towards his blood-relations, towards persons restraining him from sin and towards those who give him salutary advice.—(206)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This also is an instance of ‘Transference.’

Teachers other than the Preceptor are called here ‘intellectual teacher’—such as the Sub-Teacher and the rest. One should behave towards these just as it has been detailed above (under 192 et seq.).

‘Towards blood-relations’—i.e., towards the elder brother, the paternal uncle, etc

‘Constant behaviour’—i.e., behaviour as towards the Preceptor.

As distinguished from the ‘Preceptor,’ the other ‘Intellectual Teachers’ are to be so honoured only during the period of one’s learning under them.

‘Towards persons’—friends and others—‘restraining him from sin’—i.e., from evils, such as connection with other women and so forth. It has been said that when one is found to be thinking within himself of doing some evil deed, then his friends and others ‘should restrain him from sin, even to the extent of dragging him by his hairs’; and towards one who restrains him in this way, he should behave as towards his Teacher,—even if he happens to be of equal or inferior age.

Also towards those who give salutary advice, independently of books. Or, ‘giver of salutary advice’ may be taken as standing for noble-minded persons in general.—(206)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 462), where ‘vidyāguru’ is explained as ‘teachers other than the Ācārya’,—‘nityā’, as ‘holding for all time’,—‘svayoni’, as ‘uncle and the rest’,—‘hita’ as dharmatattva, ‘the essence of Morality’;—and in Yatidharmasaṅgraha (p. 34).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 206-207)

Gautama (2.30).—‘Similarly towards respected superiors.’

Baudhāyana (1.1.37).—‘The eating of the leavings should be avoided in the case of the Ācārya’s son or in that of the expounder of the Veda.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (1. 7. 29, 30).—‘Towards the older fellow-student,—the behaviour towards the Ācārya’s son should be like that towards the teacher, with the exception of eating the leavings.’

Vaśiṣṭha (13.22).—‘Towards the teacher’s son, one should behave like that towards the teacher himself,—so says the Śruti.’

Viṣṇu (32.1).—‘The King, the priest, the Vedic scholar, one who prevents him from doing wrong, the sub-teacher, the paternal uncle, the maternal grandfather, the maternal uncle, the father-in-law, the elder brother, one’s relations,—the behaviour towards these should be like that towards the teacher.’