Verse 6.47

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

अतिवादांस्तितिक्षेत नावमन्येत कं चन ।
न चैमं देहमाश्रित्य वैरं कुर्वीत केन चित् ॥ ४७ ॥

ativādāṃstitikṣeta nāvamanyeta kaṃ cana |
na caimaṃ dehamāśritya vairaṃ kurvīta kena cit || 47 ||

He shall patiently bear improper words, and shall not insult anyone; and he shall not make enmity with any one, for the sake of his present body—(47).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

When one speaks in a manner contrary to the scriptures, his words are called ‘improper’—i.e. hard, disagreeable taunts;—these he shall ‘bear patiently’—i.e. tolerate, not answer back. In fact, he shall not bear ill-will even in his mind; what is implied by the direction is that ‘on being cursed he shall pronounce a blessing,” which forbids even mental perturbation; and it does not mean that he shall actually ask the man—‘is it well with you?’ Because if he spoke thus (and bore anger in his mind) he would be a liar, saying one thing and thinking of another.

‘He shall not insult’—shall not show disrespect towards—any one. That is, he shall not omit to show respect to his elders.

‘For the sake of his present body;’—i.e. if some one were to strike his body—‘he shall not make enmity with him.’ He is to think all the time in the following strain—? what would it matter whether this body perished or not, I may have an effulgent body.’—(47).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 953);—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 569);—and in Yatidharmasaṅgraha (p. 107).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Mahābhārata (12.278.6)—(Reproduces the first half of Manu).—‘When angry, he should speak gently; when abused, he should speak in an agreeable manner.’

Gautama (3.24).—‘He shall be indifferent towards all creatures, and to an injury or to a kindness.’

Baudhāyana (2.11.23).—‘With the three means of punishment,—word, thought and action,—he shall not injure created beings.’

Vaśiṣṭha (10.29).—‘He shall he utterly indifferent, avoiding injury and kindness towards living beings.’

Viṣṇu (96.19, 29, 23).—‘He must hear abuse patiently;—he must treat no one with contempt. Should one man chop his one arm with an axe, and another sprinkle his other arm with sandal, he must neither curse the one in his mind, nor bless the other.’