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:

यो दत्त्वा सर्वभूतेभ्यः प्रव्रजत्यभयं गृहात् ।
तस्य तेजोमया लोका भवन्ति ब्रह्मवादिनः ॥ ३९ ॥

yo dattvā sarvabhūtebhyaḥ pravrajatyabhayaṃ gṛhāt |
tasya tejomayā lokā bhavanti brahmavādinaḥ || 39 ||

He who goes forth from home after having granted freedom from all fear to all beings,—to that expounder of the Veda belong regions of light.—(39).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This verse eulogises the fourth life-stage at the expense of the Householding stage.

At sacrifices animals are killed; the cutting of herbs and grasses also constitutes ‘killing’, according to the theory that ‘all that grows is animate’. It is this that constitutes the ‘fear’ of living beings. So that when one has gone away from home, and has disposed of the Fires, there is no such fear from him. This is what is meant by the words—‘having granted freedom from fear to all beings.’ This also indicates that the Renunciate shall not pick up for his use any inch leaves or twigs as have not quite dried up.

Of light’—ever effulgent; where the rising and s etting of the sun are not perceived; this is what is described by the words of the Upaniṣads—Beyond this the sun does not rise or set’—(39).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Yatidharmasaṅgraha (p. 20), which explains ‘brahmavedinaḥ’ (which is its reading for ‘brahmavādinaḥ’) as ‘knowing the Brahman with properties’, which is clear from its being mentioned along with ‘effulgent regions’ which could have no connection with one who knows the absolute Brahman.

It is quoted also in Nirṇayasindhu (p. 460).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 6.39-40)

Mahābhārata (12.244.28; and 278.22).—(Reproduces Manu, the last foot being read as pretya cānantyamaśnute; under 279, 2, the same foot is read as ‘tathānantyāya kalpate.’)

Baudhāyana (2.17.29).—‘Finally he pours as much water as fills his joined hands, saying “I promise not to injure any living being.” They quote the following:—“A Renunciate who roams about after having given a promise of safety to all living beings, is not threatened with danger by any creature.’

Vaśiṣṭha (10.1-3).—‘The Renunciate should depart from his house, giving a promise of safety from injury to all living beings. They quote the following:—“That Renunciate who wanders about at peace with all creatures, forsooth, has nothing to fear from any living being; hut he who becomes a Renunciate and does not promise safety from injury to all beings, destroys the born and the unborn; and so does a Renunciate who accepts presents.”’

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