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...
Verse 9.326 [Duties of the Vaiśya and the Śūdra]
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
वैश्यस्तु कृतसंस्कारः कृत्वा दारपरिग्रहम् ।
वार्तायां नित्ययुक्तः स्यात् पशूनां चैव रक्षणे ॥ ३२६ ॥vaiśyastu kṛtasaṃskāraḥ kṛtvā dāraparigraham |
vārtāyāṃ nityayuktaḥ syāt paśūnāṃ caiva rakṣaṇe || 326 ||After having his sacraments performed, the Vaiśya shall take a wife and apply himself entirely to agriculture and the tending of catlle.—(326)
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Having his sacraments performed’—i.e., having boon duly initiated;—and after he has been married,—he shall apply himself to ‘agriculture,’ ‘vārtā—this term stands for the whole lot of business going to be described below. Details regarding this business have been expounded in the work of Bṛhaspati.—(326).
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 227);—and in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 417), which explains the term ‘vārtā’ as standing for agriculture, trade and cattle-tending;—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Āhnika 36a).
Comparative notes by various authors
(verses 9.326-333)
Parāśara (Ācāra, 63).—‘Profitable Business, dealing in gems, tending of cows, agriculture and trade are declared to be the means of livelihood for the Vaiśya.’
Yājñavalkya (Parāśaramādhava-Ācāra, p. 416).—‘Money-lending, agriculture, trade, and cattle-tending have been ordained for the Vaiśya.’
Varāhapurāṇa (Do.).—‘Vedic Study, sacrificing, charity money-lending, cattle-tending, tending of cows, trade and agriculture,—these the Vaiśyas do according to law.’
Mahābharata—Anuśāsana (Do.).—‘The Vaiśya may trade in sesamum, skins, liquids, cattle and horses.’
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa (Do., p. 417).—‘Charity, Vedic Study and Sacrifice constitute the three-fold duty of the Vaiśya; trade, cattle-tending and agriculture are his means of livelihood.’