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:

द्यूतं समाह्वयं चैव राजा राष्ट्रात्निवारयेत् ।
राजान्तकरणावेतौ द्वौ दोषौ पृथिवीक्षिताम् ॥ २२१ ॥

dyūtaṃ samāhvayaṃ caiva rājā rāṣṭrātnivārayet |
rājāntakaraṇāvetau dvau doṣau pṛthivīkṣitām || 221 ||

The King shall exclude from his realm Gambling and Betting; these two evils bring about the destruction of the kingdoms of princes.—(221)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

(verses 9.220-227)

(No Bāṣhya)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Medhātithi appears (from his remarks on 228) to have intentionally omitted to comment on 221-227.

This verse is quoted in Vivādaratnākara (p. 611);—in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 152);—and in Vyavahāra-Bālambhaṭṭī (p. 880),

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 9.221-222)

Arthaśāstra (p. 111).—‘The superintendent of gambling shall centralise gambling in one place;—this for the purpose of finding out criminals;—one gambling in other places shall be find 12 Paṇas.’

Yājñavalkya (20.203).—‘Gambling shall he centralised in one place, for the purpose of finding out thieves.’

Bṛhaspati (26.1-2).—‘Gambling has been prohibited by Manu, because it destroys truth, honesty and wealth. It has been permitted by others, when conducted so as to allow the King a share.—It shall take place under the superintendence

of keepers of gaming houses, as this serves the purpose of discovering thieves.’

Nārada (17.18).—‘The gamblers shall pay to the King the share due to him and play in public; thus no wrong will be committed.’

Do. (17.2).—‘The master of the gaming house shall arrange the game and pay the stakes; the profit of this conductor shall he 10 per cent.’

Kātyāyana (Vivādaratnākara, p. 612).—‘The keeper of the gambling house shall arrange the gambling and pay the dues; and the interest he shall receive from the gamblers would be ten per cent.’

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