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 1.85 [Characteristics of the Cycles]

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

अन्ये कृतयुगे धर्मास्त्रेतायां द्वापरेऽपरे ।
अन्ये कलियुगे नॄणां युगह्रासानुरूपतः ॥ ८५ ॥

anye kṛtayuge dharmāstretāyāṃ dvāpare'pare |
anye kaliyuge nṝṇāṃ yugahrāsānurūpataḥ || 85 ||

During the Kṛta-cycle, the characteristics of men are of one kind,—of different kinds during the Tretā and the dvāpara,—and of yet another kind during the Kali-cycle;—this being due to the deterioration of each suceeding Cycle.—(85)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This verse sums up what has been said in regard to the diversity in the nature of things based upon the difference in time.

The word ‘Dharma’ here is not restricted to the sense of sacrifice and such other acts (prescribed by the Veda); it stands for the characteristic of things in general. The meaning thus is that in each Cycle, the character of things varies, as shown before (in verses 83 and 84); just as, for instance, the character of things during the Spring is of one kind, of a different kind during the Summer, and of yet another kind during the Rains,—so it is in connection with the Cycles also.

By ‘difference’ it is not meant that things cease to bring about effects that they are found (at one time) to produce, and bring about other effects; what is meant is that they become incapable of bringing about their complete effects; and this by reason of the decrease in their potency. This is what is meant by the phrase—‘this being due to the deterioration of each succeeding Cycle,’—‘deterioration’ meaning inferiority.—(85).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Buhler translates the verse to mean that the diversity of Dharma is due to the decrease in the length of the yugas. This however is not countenanced by any of the commentators, all of whom agree that the said diversity is due to the relative inferiority of fine age to the other.

Medhātithi’s interpretation of 85 is not quite consistent with what follows in 86; but he has taken care to disconnect 85 from 86; he distinctly says that what is said in 86 is a ‘diversity in the character of the yugas’ distinct from what has been set forth in 85. Really this is made clear by the fact that in 85, the word ‘Dharma’ stands, according to Medhātithi, not for duty, but for characteristic.

This verse is quoted in Hemādri—Pariśeṣa—Kāla, p. 657;—and in the Smṛticandrikā—Saṃskāra, p. 27.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(Verse 81-86)

See Comparative notes for Verse 1.81 (Dharma in the Kṛta-yuga).

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