Verse 4.175

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

सत्यधर्मार्यवृत्तेषु शौचे चैवारमेत् सदा ।
शिष्यांश्च शिष्याद् धर्मेण वाच्।बाहूदरसंयतः ॥ १७५ ॥

satyadharmāryavṛtteṣu śauce caivāramet sadā |
śiṣyāṃśca śiṣyād dharmeṇa vāc|bāhūdarasaṃyataḥ || 175 ||

He shall always delight in truthfulness, Law and right conduct, as also in ceanliness (cleanliness?); he shall govern his pupils in accordance with law,—with his speech arms, and belly duly controlled.—(175)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Truthfulness,’—the habit of saying things just as they are seen.

‘Law,’—Injunctions and Prohibitions contained in the Veda.

Though Truthfulness also would be involved under ‘law,’ yet it has been mentioned separately, with a view to emphasize its special importance.

The fact of the matter is that ‘untruthfulness’ being the very nature of men, it is forbidden again and again with special emphasis.

‘Right conduct,’—the conduct of good men. ‘Good men’ are those that are cultured; and the ‘conduct’ or course of action adopted by them.

In all these, ‘he shall delight.’ ‘Delight’ is satisfaction. Hence, what the text enjoins is satisfaction with those just enumerated; the sense being that ‘he should show satisfaction of mind at the sight of all right forms of activity.’

‘Pupils,’—wife, son, slaves and students; these should be governed ‘in accordance with law;’ the law being what has been laid down in this connection under 8.299, et seq.

‘With his speech, amis and belly duly controlled.’— Whether there be necessity or not, if one does not speak much, this is what is called ‘control of speech.’ The ‘control of arms’ consists in not causing pain to others by the strength of one’s arms. The ‘control of belly’ consists in non-gluttony, not eating too much;—gluttony consisting in eating much at other people’s houses, with special zest for a particular article of food.

What has been already said before, is repeated over and over again, because wholesome advice is to be given at all times. This is the explanation of all repetitions.—(175)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Cf. 4.164; 8.299.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (1, 50.68, 69, 70).—‘He shall never be fickle with the generative organ, the stomach, the hands, the feet, speech and eyes. He shall be devoted to Truthfulness and Rightful Conduct. He shall be the instructor of well-disciplined pupils; practised in cleanliness, and devoted to the Veda;—ever harmless, mild, firmly active, self-controlled and charitable.’