Verse 8.141

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

द्विकं शतं वा गृह्णीयात् सतां धर्ममनुस्मरन् ।
द्विकं शतं हि गृह्णानो न भवत्यर्थकिल्बिषी ॥ १४१ ॥

dvikaṃ śataṃ vā gṛhṇīyāt satāṃ dharmamanusmaran |
dvikaṃ śataṃ hi gṛhṇāno na bhavatyarthakilbiṣī || 141 ||

Or, remembering the duty of the righteous, he may take two in the hundred; by taking two per cent. he does not incur the sin of extortion.—(141)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Two in the hundred’,—i.e., for each hundred an interest of two is paid.

This rule permitting an interest of two per cent, is for that money-lender who, having a large family, is unable to maintain them if he charges only the rate laid down in the preceding verse.

The term ‘monthly’ (of the preceding verse) has to be construed with this also.

‘Remembering, etc.’;—all this is merely commendatory. The meaning is that the taking of this interest also is within the province of the conduct of good men; so that by charging it one does not lose his righteousness.

The author proceeds to show that such a money-lender is not regarded as greedy of wealth—‘He does not incur the sin of extortion’; the sin involved in unlawfully taking what belongs to another is called ‘the sin of extortion’; and he who does such an act is said to ‘incur the sin of extortion.’—(141)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This applies to debts not secured by a pledge—say Nārāyaṇa and Rāghavānanda;—according to Medhātithi this higher rate is permitted for those who have a large family to support and hence require a huge income from their loan-transactions.

This verse is quoted in Smṛtitattva (p. 349), which adds that ‘Dvikam’ means two Purāṇas;—in Vivādaratnākara (p. 8);—in Prāyaścittaviveka (p. 420), which explains ‘Dvikam’ as Purāṇas;—and in Kṛtyakalpataru (81a).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 8.140-142)

See Comparative notes for Verse 8.140.