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:

सम्भोजानि साऽभिहिता पैशाची दक्षिणा द्विजैः ।
इहैवास्ते तु सा लोके गौरन्धेवैकवेश्मनि ॥ १४१ ॥

sambhojāni sā'bhihitā paiśācī dakṣiṇā dvijaiḥ |
ihaivāste tu sā loke gaurandhevaikaveśmani || 141 ||

This convivial dinner has been called by twice-born people the “gift of devils.” It remains in this world alone, like the blind cow tied in a single room.—(141)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The particle ‘sam’ (in ‘Sambhojanī) connotes convivility; and the term ‘sambhojanī’ means that at which men dine together; such convivial dinner is possible only among friends. Or, the word ‘sambhojamī’ may be taken as standing for a social dinner of several people.

The making of friendships by Śrāddhas is a custom with ‘devils,’—the term ‘devil’ here standing for highway robbers.

This gift ‘remains in this world alone’—i.e., it is not capable of bringing rewards in the other world; just as the blind cow, which remains tied in a single room, so this gift also remains in this world only,—i.e., the only result it brings about is the goodwill of friends,—and it does not bring any benefit to the ancestors.

The term ‘dakṣiṇā’ here stands for gift.—(141)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Paiśācī’—‘Gift of devils;—i.e., offered in the manner of devils’ (Medhātithi, Govindarāja, Kullūka, and Rāghavānanda);—‘offered to devils’ (Nārāyaṇa and Nandana).

Hopkins traces the origin of verses 138 to 141 to certain verses of the Mahābhārata: Verse 140 corresponds to 13.90.42 of the Mahābhārata; verse 138 to 13.90.43; verse 142 to 13.90.44; verse 141 to 13.90.46 of the Mahābhārata.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Mahābhārata (Anuśāsana, 90.46).—‘A convivial dinner is the Devil’s Gift; it reaches neither the gods nor Pitṛs; devoid of virtue, it wanders about in this world.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (2.17.7).—[Reproduces the above with one slight verbal variation.]

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