Verse 3.64

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

शिल्पेन व्यवहारेण शूद्रापत्यैश्च केवलैः ।
गोभिरश्वैश्च यानैश्च कृष्या राजोपसेवया ॥ ६४ ॥

śilpena vyavahāreṇa śūdrāpatyaiśca kevalaiḥ |
gobhiraśvaiśca yānaiśca kṛṣyā rājopasevayā || 64 ||

By (practising) handicrafts, by pecuniary transactions, by (begetting) children on Sudra females only, by (trading in) cows, horses, and carriages, by (the pursuit of) agriculture and by taking service under a king.—(64)

(Note: the above is an alternate translation by George Bühler)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

[Verses 57 to 66 have been omitted by Medhātithi.]

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Verses 57—66 are omitted by Medhātithi. [Query—are they interpolations?] “These are very probably a later addition. The corresponding section in the Mahābhārata, 13.46 stops right here also.”—Hopkins. They are all quoted in Vivādaratnākara and in Parāśaramādhava.

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 589) as setting forth further causes for the degradation of a Brāhmaṇa family;—also in Vidhānapārijāta (p. 676) to the same effect;—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 208), which explains that the selling of ‘cows’ and ‘horses’ is what is meant here.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 3.64-66)

Baudhāyana (1.5.84).—‘Through cows, houses and conveyances, through agriculture and through serving the king, families cease to be families; as also those that are devoid of the Veda; those families on the other hand that are rich in the Veda,—even though possessed of little wealth, come to be numbered among families and acquire great fame.’