Verse 9.260

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

एवमादीन् विजानीयात् प्रकाशांल्लोककण्टकान् ।
निगूढचारिणश्चान्याननार्यानार्यलिङ्गिनः ॥ २६० ॥

evamādīn vijānīyāt prakāśāṃllokakaṇṭakān |
nigūḍhacāriṇaścānyānanāryānāryaliṅginaḥ || 260 ||

These and others of the same kind one should know as the open ‘thorns’ of the people; and others, who are rogues in the guise of gentlemen, as ‘dissemblers.’—(260)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Others of the same kind’— It is not possible to enumerate each and every kind of rogue addicted to robbing other persons; hence this phrase;—e.g., there is one class of men who come and tell a man who is stricken with a certain woman that she is in love with him, though in reality she hates him; and another who, though not a servant, behaves as if he were one, and thus robs a simple-minded man of his gold; others again who flatter the foolish rich with such words as ‘you are Brahmā,’ ‘you are Bṛhaspati’ and cheat them out of their riches; telling him —‘ kindly give me such and such a thing, I shall repay it in a few days’; and as soon as their business is accomplished, they become scarce, and hitherto smooth-tongued, become harsh.—(260)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vivādaratnākara (p. 291), which explains ‘anāryānāryaliṅginaḥ’ as ‘persons who, while not being real religious students, pretend to be such and make money by it’.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 9.256-260)

See Comparative notes for Verse 9.256.