Verse 10.79

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

शस्त्रास्त्रभृत्त्वं क्षत्रस्य वणिक्पशुकृषिर्विषः ।
आजीवनार्थं धर्मस्तु दानमध्ययनं यजिः ॥ ७९ ॥

śastrāstrabhṛttvaṃ kṣatrasya vaṇikpaśukṛṣirviṣaḥ |
ājīvanārthaṃ dharmastu dānamadhyayanaṃ yajiḥ || 79 ||

For the Kṣatriya carrying of arms and weapons, and for the Vaiśya, trade, cattle-tending and agriculture, are the means of livelihood; while giving, studying and sacrificing constitute their duty.—(79)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

These are their functions, which serve to provide them with the means of subsistence.

‘Arms’—The sword and the rest, as also the incantations bearing upon the use of these.

This verse also is only reiterative of what has gone before; the terms ‘vaṇik’ and ‘paśu’ (used here) standing for what have been spoken of before as ‘vāṇijya’ and ‘paśupālaṇa.’ Though studying and the rest are the ‘duty’ of all the three twice-born castes, yet they are chiefly so for these two.—(79)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 397), to the effect that the wielding of weapons for the protection of the weak is the duty of the Kṣatriya only;—and in Mitākṣarā (1.119).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 10.77-80)

[See texts under 9.326 et seq.]

See Comparative notes for Verse 10.77.