Verse 8.42

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

स्वानि कर्माणि कुर्वाणा दूरे सन्तोऽपि मानवाः ।
प्रिया भवन्ति लोकस्य स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यवस्थिताः ॥ ४२ ॥

svāni karmāṇi kurvāṇā dūre santo'pi mānavāḥ |
priyā bhavanti lokasya sve sve karmaṇyavasthitāḥ || 42 ||

For men following their respective occupations,—even though living at a distance,—come to be liked by the people, while they remain firm in their own duties.—(42)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This verse shows that the aforesaid ‘local’ and other laws serve both visible (temporal) and invisible (spiritual) purposes.

‘Their respective occupations,’—in accordance with the condition of their families;—the men who follow these^‘come to be liked.’ As a rule it is only men living near each other that come to be liked; but the man who follows his own occupation is liked also when he is at a distance.

‘While they remain firm in their own duties’;—this stands for not encroaching upon the work of other persons;—the meaning of the verse being that—‘those who do not encroach upon the work of others come to be liked by all men.’—(42).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Kṛtyakalpataru (6b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Śukranīti (4.5.92, 100).—‘Those customs that have been introduced in the country, caste or race should be maintained in the same condition. Those whose customs have been received by traditions and have been practised by their own ancestors are not to he condemned for following them.’

Atrisaṃhitā (12).—(Same as Manu.)