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 7.79
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
यजेत राजा क्रतुभिर्विविधैराप्तदक्षिणैः ।
धर्मार्थं चैव विप्रेभ्यो दद्याद् भोगान् धनानि च ॥ ७९ ॥yajeta rājā kratubhirvividhairāptadakṣiṇaiḥ |
dharmārthaṃ caiva viprebhyo dadyād bhogān dhanāni ca || 79 ||The King shall offer various sacrifices at which large sacrificial fees are paid; and for the purpose of acquiring merit, he shall provide for Brāhmaṇas luxuries and riches.—(79)
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘At which large sacrificial fees are paid’—i.e., the Pauṇḍarīka and other elaborate sacrifices.
‘Luxuries and riches’.—Clothes, scents, unguents, and rich food constitute the ‘luxuries’; and ‘riches’ consist in silver and gold.
Some people hold that these gifts are obligatory, and not voluntary. This is what is meant by the assertion that this is ‘for the purpose of acquiring merit’.—(79).
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 407).
Comparative notes by various authors
Yājñavalkya (1.313).—(See above, under 78.)
Āpastamba (2.26.1).—‘A king who, without detriment to his dependents, gives land and money to Brāhmaṇas, according to their deserts, gains imperishable worlds.’
Viṣṇu (3.78-81, 84).—‘He shall offer sacrifices;—he must not suffer any Brāhmaṇa in his realm to perish from want, nor any other loading a pious life. He shall bestow landed property upon Brāhmaṇas. He shall present the Brāhmaṇas with gifts of every kind.’