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:

क्षन्तव्यं प्रभुणा नित्यं क्षिपतां कार्यिणां नृणाम् ।
बालवृद्धातुराणां च कुर्वता हितमात्मनः ॥ ३१२ ॥

kṣantavyaṃ prabhuṇā nityaṃ kṣipatāṃ kāryiṇāṃ nṛṇām |
bālavṛddhāturāṇāṃ ca kurvatā hitamātmanaḥ || 312 ||

The king should always forgive the partisans of litigants who abuse him, as also the young, the aged and the infirm,—thereby accomplishing his own welfare.—(312)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Partisans of litigants,’—i.e., the relations and friends of the plaintiff and the defendant. When one of the parties is imprisoned, his father or mother may ‘abuse’— cast aspersions upon, or curse—the king; then he should forgive them.

Also the litigants themselves, when they happen to be ‘young or aged or infirm.’

In this manner his own welfare becomes accomplished. This ‘accomplishment of welfare’ is the fruit of obeying the injunction ‘shall forgive.’—(312)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Smṛticandrikā (Vyavahāra, p. 66);—and in Kṛtyakalpataru (14a), which explains ‘kṣipatām’ as ‘shouting.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 8.312-313)

Nārada (Theft, 39-40).—‘Neither for the purpose of gaining a friend, nor for the acquisition of wealth, should a wicked criminal be suffered by the King to go free. By pardoning an offender, a king commits the same offence as by punishing an innocent man. Religious merit accrues to him from punishing the wicked.’

Bṛhaspati (22-33).—‘By punishment of the wicked and release of the virtuous, the renown and religious merit of the King is increased.’

Gautama (12-52).—‘Or pardon may be granted in accordance with an assemblage of persons learned in the Vedas.’

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: