Verse 4.14

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

वेदोदितं स्वकं कर्म नित्यं कुर्यादतन्द्रितः ।
तद् हि कुर्वन् यथाशक्ति प्राप्नोति परमां गतिम् ॥ १४ ॥

vedoditaṃ svakaṃ karma nityaṃ kuryādatandritaḥ |
tad hi kurvan yathāśakti prāpnoti paramāṃ gatim || 14 ||

He shall, without sloth, always perform his own duty as prescribed in the Veda. Performing that, to the best of his ability, he attains the highest state.—(14)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Prescribed in the Veda.’—This is said in view of the fact that the Smṛtis are all based upon the Veda.

‘His own duty.’—Consisting of the host of observances going to be described. Being prescribed for him, they are called ‘his own.’

‘Should always perform.’—i e., as long as he lives.

‘Without sloth’—i.e., free from laziness.

By doing this—i.e., by keeping the observances,—‘to the best of his ability;’—this implies that one is to perform just what he has the strength to perform. It is in view of this that it has been declared that—‘one may also observe all this mentally only.’

‘Highest state’—i.e., attainment of Brahman.—(14)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 217), which adds the following notes:—‘Nitya’ here stands for all that is done without any desire for personal gain’;—‘paramā gatiḥ’ means ‘deliverance’;—what is meant is that what leads to Deliverance is the performance of duty along with the true knowledge of the Supreme Self.

The verse is quoted also in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 52),—and in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 48).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Vaśiṣṭha (27.8).—[Reproduces Manu.]