Verse 4.178

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

येनास्य पितरो याता येन याताः पितामहाः ।
तेन यायात् सतां मार्गं तेन गच्छन्न रिष्यति ॥ १७८ ॥

yenāsya pitaro yātā yena yātāḥ pitāmahāḥ |
tena yāyāt satāṃ mārgaṃ tena gacchanna riṣyati || 178 ||

He shall tread the path of the righteous by the same way in which his fathers and grandfathers have trodden; going by that way, he shall not suffer.—(178)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The ‘rightious path’ that has been followed by his forefathers,—in the way of forming friendships with certain persons, the forming of marriage-alliances with certain people, the studying of a certain rescensional text of the Veda, and so forth that same path should be followed by the man himself. By acting thus, he ‘shall not suffer’—i.e., he does not suffer harm, is not blamed in the world.

What is here laid down is the means of knowing one’s duty, that is open to ignorant men,—especially in regard to such acts as not injuring others, and so forth; just like the beat of the royal drum, which announces to the Mlecchas and other people what they should do.- So far as the Agnihotra and such acts are concerned, these are to be learnt only by the texts bearing upon each of them.

Some people urge the following objection here:—“If what has been done by the forefathers happen to be such as has no basis in the scriptures,—how can that be regarded as ‘dharma,’ a ‘rightious act?’ If, on the other hand, it has some basis in the scriptures, then that same would be the source of knowledge open to the son also; and in that case, what would be the point in referring him to the practice of his forefathers?”

This objection we have already answered by pointing out that what is here laid down as the means of knowing duty that is open to illiterate persons.

Others, again, make the following assertion:—“In a case where, even on careful examination, one’s doubt regarding one’s duty does not cease,—and the texts available are capable of lending support to both the courses open to him,—in such cases, one should act according to the practice of one’s forefathers.”

This view also needs to be examined. There is no valid source of knowledge that can be always doubtful; the text bearing upon a question must always point to only one efficient course of action.

It may be that what is meant is that, in the matter of optional alternatives, one should adopt the practice of one’s forefathers; simply because it has been adopted by others in the past.

‘The path of the righteous.’—This has been added with a view to emphasize the fact that, if one’s forefathers may have followed an unrighteous path, one shall not follow such a practice, in such cases.—(178).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Mahābhārata (Ādi, 210.29)—‘Dharma, O king, is very subtle, we know not its ways; all we do is that we follow the footsteps of our forefathers.’