Verse 4.2 [Means of Subsistence]

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

अद्रोहेणैव भूतानामल्पद्रोहेण वा पुनः ।
या वृत्तिस्तां समास्थाय विप्रो जीवेदनापदि ॥ २ ॥

adroheṇaiva bhūtānāmalpadroheṇa vā punaḥ |
yā vṛttistāṃ samāsthāya vipro jīvedanāpadi || 2 ||

[While living in the house], The Brāhmaṇa shall, in normal times, subsist by taking to that means of livelihood which involves no trouble—or very little trouble—to living beings.—(2)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

By ‘trouble’ here is meant, not only harm, but the unpleasant feeling or displeasure that is produced in the mind of one who is constantly begged with the words ‘give me this,’ ‘give me that;’—the harming of others being already generally prohibited.

‘Little trouble;’—If he cannot manage to live without begging, he should beg very little. This is what.is meant by ‘little trouble.’

That ‘means of livelihood’—means of subsistence, such as agriculture, service, and the like—which means does not cause trouble to other persons,—such a means of subsistence should be taken to.

This is a general advice.

‘By taking to that means...he should subsist.’

What is to be done in abnormal times of distress shall be laid down in Discourse X.

From what is said here it follows that there are also other means of living than those that are going to be described. Otherwise, if the present text referred to those only that are going to be described, there would be no point in the general injunction here put forward. Thus it is that we get at such means of living as ‘officiating at sacrifices,’ ‘teaching,’ ‘money-lending,’ and so forth,—even though these are not mentioned among ‘amṛta’ and the rest enumerated here.

‘Living on gleanings,’ which has been accepted as a very small means of subsistence, is what is meant by ‘involving little trouble.’ Says Gautama (10.6)—‘Agriculture and Trade, done through others, as also money-lending.’

What is here laid down is the means of mere subsistence; the amassing of wealth is to be done by the few specialised means going to be enumerated.—(2)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (on 1.128), which says that what is here stated is confined to the Brāhmaṇa only;—in Vidhānapārijāta (II, p. 246);—in Madanapārijāta (p. 215);—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Āhnika, p. 37a),

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (2.11).—‘For the Brāhmaṇa, officiating at sacrifices and receiving of gifts.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (2.4-6).—‘The Brāhmaṇa’s own occupation, consists of studying, teaching, sacrificing, officiating at sacrifices, making gifts, receiving gifts, inheriting of property and gleaning and picking; also such others as may not have been adopted by others.’

Baudhāyana (2.2.69).—‘If unable to maintain himself by teaching, officiating at sacrifices, and receiving of gifts, he may live by the occupation of the Kṣatriya; this being the next best for him.’

Atri (13).—‘The occupation of the Brāhmaṇa consists of sacrificing, making gifts, studying, austerities, receiving gifts, teaching and officiating at sacrifices; these are the means of his livelihood.’

Arthaśāstra (p. 29).—‘For the householder, living by the means prescribed for him, marrying in families not belonging to the same Ṛṣi-gotra, approaching his wife only during her periods, making offerings to gods, Pitṛs, guests and dependants and feeding on what remains.’