Verse 4.146

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

मङ्गलाचारयुक्तानां नित्यं च प्रयतात्मनाम् ।
जपतां जुह्वतां चैव विनिपातो न विद्यते ॥ १४६ ॥

maṅgalācārayuktānāṃ nityaṃ ca prayatātmanām |
japatāṃ juhvatāṃ caiva vinipāto na vidyate || 146 ||

For those who are ever intent upon auspicious customs, who have their mind under control, and who go on reciting prayers and offering oblations,—there is no calamity.—(146)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Calamity’—supernatural troubles arising from natural portents,—such as sickness, loss of wealth, separation from loved ones, and so forth. All this is precluded from people who observe the auspicious customs.

This indicates the obligatory character of the acts, even though they are done with a view to a definite end. No one ever actually seeks for the cessation of supernatural troubles; hence, the term ‘ever’ is purely reiterative; the meaning being that, even though there may be some persons who may not seek it, yet the rule is entirely obligatory. So that, by doing the act, the man fulfils two ends—he fulfils an obligatory duty and also avoids calamity.—(146)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Nityācārapradīpa (p. 492).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Vaśiṣṭha (26.15)—[Same as Manu, reading ‘svādhyāyādhyāyinam’ for ‘maṅgalācārayuktānām.’]