Verse 11.235

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

ब्राह्मणस्य तपो ज्ञानं तपः क्षत्रस्य रक्षणम् ।
वैश्यस्य तु तपो वार्ता तपः शूद्रस्य सेवनम् ॥ २३५ ॥

brāhmaṇasya tapo jñānaṃ tapaḥ kṣatrasya rakṣaṇam |
vaiśyasya tu tapo vārtā tapaḥ śūdrasya sevanam || 235 ||

The ‘austerity’ for the Brāhmaṇa is ‘knowledge’; the ‘austerity’ for the Kṣatriya is ‘protecting’; the ‘austerity’ for the Vaiśya is ‘agriculture’; and the ‘austertty’ for the Śūdra is ‘service.’—(235)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The foregoing should not give rise to the following idea—“Inasmuch as such great things are said of Austerity, by its means I can get all I want, even without doing the acts enjoined for me; specially as, on account of my not possessing the requisite materials, I am not in a position to perform all that is enjoined.”

It would not be right to entertain this idea, because—‘the Austerity for the Brāhmaṇa is Knowledge.’ ‘Knowledge’ here stands for the understanding of what is contained in the Veda; so long as the man does not acquire this, nothing can accomplish anything for him. Hence it is Knowledge that is called ‘Austerity.’

What the verse means is that even in times of distress one should not neglect his duties.

‘Knowledge’ here stands for all the duties of the Brāhmaṇa, beginning with the study of the Veda.

Similarly ‘protecting’ is the ‘austerity’ for the Kṣatriya.

‘For the Śūdra, service’—of twice-born men; it is the serving of these that has been prescribed for him; of which the present verse is only a reiteration.—(235)

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 11.234-244)

See Comparative notes for Verse 11.234.