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 10.54 [Other Functions of the Mixed Castes]

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

अन्नमेषां पराधीनं देयं स्याद् भिन्नभाजने ।
रात्रौ न विचरेयुस्ते ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च ॥ ५४ ॥

annameṣāṃ parādhīnaṃ deyaṃ syād bhinnabhājane |
rātrau na vicareyuste grāmeṣu nagareṣu ca || 54 ||

Their food should be given to them, through others, and in a broken dish; they shall not wander about in villages or cities during the night.—(54)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The householder shall not give the food with his own hands; he shall cause it to be given by his servants, in the manner described above.

The prohibition of wandering about at night in villages, and cities is with a view to prevent the chance of people being touched.—(54)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

“Govindarāja and Nārāyaṇa take the beginning of the verse differently—Their food shall be given to them by others in a broken vessel.”—Buhler.

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