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...
Verse 6.52
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
कॢप्तकेशनखश्मश्रुः पात्री दण्डी कुसुम्भवान् ।
विचरेन्नियतो नित्यं सर्वभूतान्यपीडयन् ॥ ५२ ॥kḷptakeśanakhaśmaśruḥ pātrī daṇḍī kusumbhavān |
vicarenniyato nityaṃ sarvabhūtānyapīḍayan || 52 ||His hair, nails and beard clipped, equipped with vessels, staffs and water-pot, he shall constantly wander about, self-controlled and not causing pain to any living brings.—(52)
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Vessels’—to be described later on.
‘Staffs’—three; the Renunciate being required to carry three staffs.
‘Kusumbha’—is water-pot, not the colouring substance.
What is said in the second half of the verse has been already said before. (52)
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 954);—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 569).
Comparative notes by various authors
Gautama (3.22).—‘He may either shave or wear a lock on the crown of the head.’
Baudhāyana (2.11.18).—‘He shall shave his hair excepting the top-lock.’
Do. (2.17.10, 11).—‘Alter having caused the hair of his head, his beard, the hair on his body, and his nails to be cut, he prepares—sticks, a rope, a cloth for straining water, a water-vessel and an alms-bowl.’
Vaśiṣṭha (10.6).—‘He shall shave; and have no property or home.’
Yājñavalkya (3.58).—‘Having gone forth as a Renunciate, he shall be devoted to the well-being of all creatures, calm, shall carry three staves and a water-pot, living all alone by himself; and he shall approach the village only for alms.’