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:

ग्रामादाहृत्य वाऽश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान् वने वसन् ।
प्रतिगृह्य पुटेनैव पाणिना शकलेन वा ॥ २८ ॥

grāmādāhṛtya vā'śnīyādaṣṭau grāsān vane vasan |
pratigṛhya puṭenaiva pāṇinā śakalena vā || 28 ||

While dwelling in the forest, he may bring food from the village,—receiving it either in his hollowed hand or in a potsherd,—and eat eight morsels.—(28).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The use of the term ‘morsel’ implies that the alms are not to consist of fruits and roots only. In fact the present text permits the use of cultivated grains, in the absence of wild ones.

Receiving the alms either ‘in the hollowed hand’—without a dish—or in a piece of broken earthenware, dish, &c.—(28).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 531);—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 68b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (94.13).—‘Or, the hermit may bring food from a village, placing it in a dish made of leaves, or on a single leaf, or in his hand, or in a potsherd, and eat eight mouthfuls of it.

Yājñavalkya (3.55).—‘Or, he shall get food from a village and with speech controlled, shall eat eight mouthfuls.’

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