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:

षडानुपूर्व्या विप्रस्य क्षत्रस्य चतुरोऽवरान् ।
विश्।शूद्रयोस्तु तानेव विद्याद् धर्म्यानराक्षसान् ॥ २३ ॥

ṣaḍānupūrvyā viprasya kṣatrasya caturo'varān |
viś|śūdrayostu tāneva vidyād dharmyānarākṣasān || 23 ||

One should know the first six in the order stated as lawful for the Brāhmaṇa, the last four for the Kṣatriya and those same, excepting the “Rākṣasa,” for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra.—(23).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The first six forms of marriages, in the order in which they have been named above, are lawful for the Brāhmaṇa.

The term ‘Kṣatra’ stands for the Kṣatriya. For him ‘the last four;’ i.e., the ‘Āsura,’ the ‘Gāndharva,’ the ‘Rākṣasa,’ and the Paiśāca.’

For the Vaiśya and the Śūdra, ‘those same, excepting the Rākṣasa,’ i.e., leaving off the ‘Rākṣasa’ form.—(23)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 987), which adds the following explanation:—The six forms of marriage, from the beginning, are lawful for the Brāhmaṇa, the four beginning with ‘Āsura’ and ending with ‘Paiśāca’ for the Kṣatriya; these latter, with the exception of the ‘Rākṣasa’ are lawful for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra.

Aparārka (p. 91) quotes this and adds that those beginning with Brāhma and ending with Gāndharva are lawful for the Brāhmaṇa; and the ‘avarān’—those named last are lawful for the Kṣatriya; and for the Vaiśya and Śūdra also these same, excepting the Rākṣasa.

Madanapārijāta (p. 158) quotes the verse and explains it to mean that the first six—i. e., ‘Brāhma’, ‘Daiva’, ‘Ārṣa’, ‘Prājāpatya’, ‘Āsura’ and ‘Gāndharva’ are, in the order stated, ‘lawful’—i.e., not contrary to law—for the Brāhmaṇa.

Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 858) quotes the verse and having offered the same explanation as the above, adds that four of these are the principal forms recommended, and the other two are only secondary substitutes.

Nirṇayasindhu (p. 223) quotes the verse and explains that the ‘four’ meant are Āsura, Gāndharva, Rākṣasa and Paiśāca; these, excepting the Rākṣasa, are lawful for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra.

It is quoted in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 100), which adds the following explanation:—For the Brāhmaṇa, only six forms are commended, beginning with the Brāhma and ending with the Gāndharva, the other two are not commended;—the four beginning with the Āsura are lawful for the Kṣatriya,—these same four, excepting Rākṣasa, for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra;—thus Rākṣasa is lawful for the Kṣatriya only; so that for the Brāhmaṇa there are only six, for the Kṣatriya all the eight;—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 231), which also adds that only the first six. are lawful for the Brāhmaṇa, the latter four for the Kṣatriya, and for the Vaiśya, and the Śūdra also, all these with the exception of the Rākṣasa.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 3.23-24)

Baudhāyana (1.11.10-14).—‘Of these, four are commended for the Brāhmaṇa, of these the preceding being more commendable than the succeeding; and of the remaining four, the succeeding is more reprehensible than the preceding; of these again, the sixth and the seventh are in keeping with the character of the Kṣatriya,—and the fifth and the eighth for the Vaiśya and the Śūdra; because Vaiśyas and Śūdras have no restrictions regarding their wives.’

Śaṅkha (4.3).—‘Among these the four mentioned first are lawful; the Gāndharva and the Rākṣasa are commended for the Kṣatriya.’

Gautama (4.14, 15).—‘The first four are lawful; six, according to some.’

Viṣṇu (24.27, 28).—‘Among these, the first four are lawful; the Gāndharva also, for Kṣatriyas.’

Āpastamba (2. 12. 3).—‘Of these, the first three are commended, the preceding being more commendable than the succeeding.’

Mahābhārata (Ādi-parva, 73, 12).—‘The Gāndharva and the Rākṣasa are lawful for the Kṣatriya.’

Mahābhārata (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 859).—‘O Yudhiṣṭhira, for the good Brāhmaṇas, the Brāhma form is the lawful one.’

Nārada (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 859).—‘The first four are commended for the Brāhmaṇa; the Gāndharva and the Rāksasa for the Kṣatriya, the Āsura for the Vaiśya, and the Śūdra; the last one has been condemned.’

Devala (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 860).—‘The first four forms of marriage are lawful, and conducive to water-libations; being free from fees and fit for Brāhmaṇas, they save both families.’

Smṛtyantara (Parāśaramādhava, p. 487).—‘The first four are commended for the Brāhmaṇa; the Gāndharva and the Rākṣasa for the Kṣatriya, the Āsura for the Vaiśya and for the Śūdra; the eighth one is entirely condemned.’

Saṃvarta (Parāśaramādhava, p. 487).—‘If a good girl be unobtainable by any means, than she may be married even by theft, while she may be alone.’

Arthaśāstra (Part 11, p. 13).—‘Of these the first four are righteous, as authorised by the Father; the remaining (which are unrighteous) may be authorised by the Father and the Mother (who accept the fees).’

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