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 1.94
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
तं हि स्वयम्भूः स्वादास्यात् तपस्तप्त्वाऽदितोऽसृजत् ।
हव्यकव्याभिवाह्याय सर्वस्यास्य च गुप्तये ॥ ९४ ॥taṃ hi svayambhūḥ svādāsyāt tapastaptvā'dito'sṛjat |
havyakavyābhivāhyāya sarvasyāsya ca guptaye || 94 ||Him the Sself-existent one, after performing austerities, created, in the beginning, out of his own mouth, for the conveying of offerings (to the gods) and of oblations (to the Pitṛs), and for the preservation of this entire creation. (94).
Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
This verse serves the purpose of pointing out the details of the three reasons set forth in the preceding verse.
In the case of the ordinary man also, the head is the most important part of his body. ‘Him’—the Brāhmaṇa;—‘Self-existent one created out of his own mouth’; and this creation out of his mouth came about after he had performed austerities.
The fact of the Brāhmaṇa being the ‘eldest’ is vindicated by the term ‘in the beginning.’
That which is done for the benefit of the Gods is called ‘offering’; and that which is done for the benefit of the Pitṛs is called ‘oblation’;—‘for the conveying of’ these two,—i.e., for presenting them to the Gods and the Pitṛs. In the term ‘abhivāhyāya,’ the verbal affix (ṇyat) has the nominal force, which may be explained somehow or other; the root ‘vaḥ’ being transitive.
By the said act (of conveying the oblations and offerings) is accomplished ‘the preservation,’—nourishment—of this whole Trio of Worlds: the gods live upon offerings made from this world (by men),—the Gods again nourish plants and herbs and make them ripe by means of cold, heat and rains; this mutual benefit leads to ‘preservation.’ (94).
Comparative notes by various authors
(Verse 94-99)
Yājñavalkya, 1.198-109.—‘Having performed austerities, Brahmā created the Brāhmaṇas, for the guarding of the Vedas, for the satisfaction of Pitṛs and Gods and for the protection of Dharma. Those Brāhmaṇas who are devoted to learning and study, are the source of everything, superior to these are those who are devoted to religious acts; and superior even to these are those who are the best knowers of the science of the self.’