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...

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

शिष्ट्वा वा भूमिदेवानां नरदेवसमागमे ।
स्वमेनोऽवभृथस्नातो हयमेधे विमुच्यते ॥ ८२ ॥

śiṣṭvā vā bhūmidevānāṃ naradevasamāgame |
svameno'vabhṛthasnāto hayamedhe vimucyate || 82 ||

Or, having confessed his guilt before the congregation of the gods of Earth and the gods of men, if he bathes at the Final Bath of the Horse-sacrifice,—he becomes absolved.—(82)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This text sets forth the last alternative.

Having confessed his guilt,’ his offence—‘before the Congregation of the Gods of Earth—Brāhmaṇas—‘and the Gods of men’—Kṣatriyas;—the ‘Brāhmaṇa’ meant here are the priests officiating at a sacrifice, and the ‘Kṣatriya’ for the sacrificer.—Having done this, ‘if he bathes at the Final Bath of the Horse-sacrifice’ that has been performed,—‘he becomes absolved.’

Some people think that, inasmuch as the treatment of the ‘Twelve-year penance’ has been finished, what is set forth in the present verse is a distinct alternative to it.

Others, however, hold that, inasmuch as alternatives have already been mentioned in the course of the description of the Twelve-year Penance itself, the present verse must be taken as laying down the final point of that same penance,—just in the same way as ‘dying for the sake of the cow or the Brāhmaṇa’ has been laid down;—this final point resembling the ‘rising’ either after the performance of the ‘Sārasvata’ sacrifice, or on reaching a water-fall.

Our view, however, is that—(1) since the former penance has already been summed up, the present one may be taken as a distinct alternative, while (2) on account of its occurring in the middle of the treatment of the former penance, it may be taken as forming part of it So that it may be taken as both,—it being efficacious when performed along with the Twelve-year Penance, as also when performed by itself alone, according to the circumstances attending each case.—(82)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (3.224), which adds the following notes:—‘Bhūmideva’ are Brāhmaṇas, the sacrificial priests,—‘naradeva’ is the king of these priests, i. e., the master of the sacrifice;—in an assembly of all these—‘Śiṣṭvā,’ having proclaimed, his ‘enaḥ,’ guilt,—he shall take the final bath of the Aśvamedha sacrifice, if permitted by the aforesaid persons, and thus become purified.

It is quoted in Aparārka (p. 1057), which adds the following notes:—‘Bhūmidevāḥ,’ Brāhmaṇas,—‘Naradeva,’ the annointed Kṣatriya,—at an assembly of these persons,—‘svam enaḥ,’ his guilt, of Brāhmaṇ-slaying,—‘śiṣṭvā,’ having proclaimed,—and taking the avabhṛtha bath,—he becomes purified.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 11.72-86)

See Comparative notes for Verse 11.72.

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