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:

यद् द्वयोरनयोर्वेत्थ कार्येऽस्मिंश्चेष्टितं मिथः ।
तद् ब्रूत सर्वं सत्येन युष्माकं ह्यत्र साक्षिता ॥ ८० ॥

yad dvayoranayorvettha kārye'smiṃśceṣṭitaṃ mithaḥ |
tad brūta sarvaṃ satyena yuṣmākaṃ hyatra sākṣitā || 80 ||

‘What you know of the mutual transaction between these two persons regarding this suit,—all that may you declare freely; since you are witnesses in this matter.’—(80)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘What you know in regard to the matter of this suit, any transaction, secret or open, that may have been carried on between these two persons,—all that declare freely; since you are witnesses in this suit.

‘You are the sole authority in this matter; truth and untruth are in your hands’—thus addressed the persons cited as witnesses become encouraged.

In this matter.’—Though the text mentions this formula in its most general form, yet, in as much as it is not possible for any person to be a witness regarding all things, it follows that the subject-matter of the suit should be stated here. Because until they are informed of the details they cannot understand the question.—(80)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Vyavahāra, p. 75);—in Vyavahāramayūkha (p. 18);—and in Kṛtyakalpataru (33b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 8.79-86)

See Comparative notes for Verse 8.79.

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