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:

तेषां न दद्याद् यदि तु तद् हिरण्यं यथाविधि ।
उभौ निगृह्य दाप्यः स्यादिति धर्मस्य धारणा ॥ १८४ ॥

teṣāṃ na dadyād yadi tu tad hiraṇyaṃ yathāvidhi |
ubhau nigṛhya dāpyaḥ syāditi dharmasya dhāraṇā || 184 ||

If, however, he should not restore that gold to them in the proper manner, he should be forced to restore both; such is the decree of the law.—(184)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

To them’—i.e., to the depositors employed by the Judge;—if he should not restore ‘that gold’—which was placed in deposit;—‘in the proper manner,’—this is exactly what has been spoken of in the preceding verse by the phrase ‘in the form in which it was entrusted’;—then ‘he’—the Receiver—‘shall be forced’— by the officers of the King—‘to restore both’—the deposit of the plaintiff, as also that of the King.

Such is the decree’—declaration—‘of the law.’

What this means has already been explained.—(184)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 664), which explains the meaning to be that the man should be punished by being made to surrender the two deposits as also their values.

It is quoted in Vivādaratnākara (p. 94) which explains the meaning to be as follows—“If, however, the man does not surrender the gold deposited by the king’s spies, then the king should regard the charge as proved against him and should make him surrender also the former deposit, the subject-matter of the former charge.”

It is quoted also in Parāśaramādhava (Vyavahāra, p. 209), to the effect that if, relying on his power, the depository does not surrender the deposit, he should be punished by the king and forced to deliver it.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 8.181-184)

See Comparative notes for Verse 8.181-182.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: