Verse 4.171

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

न सीदन्नपि धर्मेण मनोऽधर्मे निवेशयेत् ।
अधार्मिकानां पापानामाशु पश्यन् विपर्ययम् ॥ १७१ ॥

na sīdannapi dharmeṇa mano'dharme niveśayet |
adhārmikānāṃ pāpānāmāśu paśyan viparyayam || 171 ||

Perceiving the quick overthrow of unrighteous sinners, he shall not turn his mind towards unrighteousness, even though suffering in consequence of righteonsness.—(171)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Dharma,’ ‘Right,’ consists in the bounds of propriety laid down in the scriptures;—one who acts according to this,—even though he may ‘suffer’ failure—‘shall not turn his mind towards unrighteousness.’ Because, even though unrighteous men may be found to have become rich by wealth acquired by bribery, hypocrisy, and the like,—yet very soon their ‘overthrow’—in the form of destruction of their wealth, etc.—is found to come about. Consequently, one should never deviate from the right.

The Author has, in a friendly spirit, shown us a visible instance.—(171)

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 68), which adds the following explanation:—‘Sīdan’, even though one may be in difficulties regarding necessary expenses,—‘adharmeṇa’, by improper appropriation of what belongs to others,—‘adharmikāṇām’, of those who do not perform the prescribed duties,—‘pāpānām,’ of those who do what is forbidden,—‘viparyayam,’ loss of wealth and other things,—‘āśu’ lias been added only with a view to emphasise, as calamity is actually found to overtake sinners after the lapse of some time also.