Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi

by Ganganatha Jha | 1920 | 1,381,940 words | ISBN-10: 8120811550 | ISBN-13: 9788120811553

This is the English translation of the Manusmriti, which is a collection of Sanskrit verses dealing with ‘Dharma’, a collective name for human purpose, their duties and the law. Various topics will be dealt with, but this volume of the series includes 12 discourses (adhyaya). The commentary on this text by Medhatithi elaborately explains various t...

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

निर्दशं ज्ञातिमरणं श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्य जन्म च ।
सवासा जलमाप्लुत्य शुद्धो भवति मानवः ॥ ७६ ॥

nirdaśaṃ jñātimaraṇaṃ śrutvā putrasya janma ca |
savāsā jalamāplutya śuddho bhavati mānavaḥ || 76 ||

Hearing of the death of a kinsman, or of the birth of a son, after the ten days have elapsed, the man becomes pure by plunging into water with his clothes—(76).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This rule refers to Samānodaka relations; and also to Sapiṇḍa ones, but only when the option of three or one day is accepted.

With clothes’—along with his garments.

Plunging into water’—bathing.—(76).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(Verse 77 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 904), which explains ‘nirdaśam’ as ‘from which ten days have elapsed;’—in Mitākṣarā (on 3.21);—in Nirṇayasindhu (p. 385), in support of the view that for the Father, there is impurity even on hearing of the birth of a son after ten days have elapsed, though there is none for other relations;—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 188);—in Madanapārijāta (p. 427) to the same effect as Nirṇayasindhu;—in Parāśramādhāva (Ācāra, p. 600), to the same effect;—in Smṛtitattva (II, p. 275) to the same effect;—in Smṛtisāroddhāra (p. 232), which adds that the mention of ‘putra,’ son, makes it clear that the purification applies to the Father only;—in Śuddhikaumudī (p. 34) which says that ‘nirdaśam jñātimaraṇam’ stands for ‘the lapsing of the period of impurity’;—and in Hāralatā (p. 32), which adds this explanation:—‘If one hears of the death of a Sapiṇḍa after the lapse of ten days, he becomes purified by bathing with clothes on,’ and ‘on hearing of the birth of his son, after ten days, one becomes pure by mere bathing it adds that the ‘purification meant here is only the cessation of untouchability’.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Yājñavalkya (3.21).—(See under 73-75.)

Śaṅkha (Parāśaramādhava, p. 598).—‘On the expiry of ten days, one remains impure for three days.’

Devala (Do., p. 599).—‘After the lapse of the days of impurity, there is to he no impurity, due to birth.’

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