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 12.52 [Details of Transmigration]
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
इन्द्रियाणां प्रसङ्गेन धर्मस्यासेवनेन च ।
पापान् संयान्ति संसारानविद्वांसो नराधमाः ॥ ५२ ॥indriyāṇāṃ prasaṅgena dharmasyāsevanena ca |
pāpān saṃyānti saṃsārānavidvāṃso narādhamāḥ || 52 ||Foolish men of the lowest class go through the vilest migratory states, in consequence of being addicted to the senses and by not attending to duties.—(52)
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
‘Addiction to the senses’—This stands for doing what is forbidden.
‘Not attending to duties’— not doing what has been enjoined.
All this is found only in the case of ‘foolish’ men; who are, on that account, called ‘men of the lowest class.’
These men ‘go to’—fall into—‘the vilest migratory states’—most despicable births.
In accordance with this general principle, the retribution of deeds is now explained.—(52)
Comparative notes by various authors
Yājñavalkya (3.219).—‘By omitting to do what is enjoined, by doing what is condemned, and by not controlling the senses, man falls.’