Verse 10.123

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

विप्रसेवैव शूद्रस्य विशिष्टं कर्म कीर्त्यते ।
यदतोऽन्यद् हि कुरुते तद् भवत्यस्य निष्फलम् ॥ १२३ ॥

viprasevaiva śūdrasya viśiṣṭaṃ karma kīrtyate |
yadato'nyad hi kurute tad bhavatyasya niṣphalam || 123 ||

The service of the Brāhmaṇa is described as the distinctive duty of the Śūdra; everything else that he does is fruitless for him.—(123)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The serving of the Brāhmaṇas is the chief duty for the Śūdra.

Hence ‘everything else’—in the shape of observances and fasts—‘that he does is fruitless for him.’

This should not be understood to be the prohibition of such acts as making gifts, offering the ‘Pākayajñas’ and so forth; since all these have been distinctly enjoined for him. In fact this prohibition of ‘everything else’ is only meant to indicate the importance of ‘serving Brāhmaṇas.’—(123)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

The first half of this verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 161);—in Mitākṣarā (1.120);—and the whole verse in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra p. 421), to the effect that the highest duty of the Śūdra is saving the Brāhmaṇa, that of the Kṣatriya and the Vaiśya being meant only as a means of livelihood;—in Vidhānapārijāta II (p. 728);—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 126);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 46), which explains ‘viśiṣṭam’ as ‘excellent,’ as conducive to both merit and livelihood, and ‘niṣphalam’ as ‘very little effective,’ as conducive to livelihood only.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Mahābhārata (Aparārka, p. 162).—‘The Brāhmaṇa shall he served by the Śūdra from a distance, like the fire.’

Gautama (10.61).—‘The Ārya, under whose protection the Śūdra places himself, should support him, even if he becomes unable to work.’