Verse 2.107

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

यः स्वाध्यायमधीतेऽब्दं विधिना नियतः शुचिः ।
तस्य नित्यं क्षरत्येष पयो दधि घृतं मधु ॥ १०७ ॥

yaḥ svādhyāyamadhīte'bdaṃ vidhinā niyataḥ śuciḥ |
tasya nityaṃ kṣaratyeṣa payo dadhi ghṛtaṃ madhu || 107 ||

He who, clean and self-controlled, recites the Veda, in due form, for one year,—for him this constantly fours out milk, curd, clarified butter and honey.—(107)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This also is supplementary to the Injunction under consideration. The Injunction has been understood to be a compulsory one; and the mention of results in connection with compulsory injunctions is purely valedictory; nor do we find any Injunctive affix (in the present verse); so that the principle enunciated in the Mīmāṃsā Sūtra 1.3.5 not applying to the present case, the mention of ‘milk, curd and the rest’ could not be taken as laying down a fresh motive for another action; and when the compulsory character of the Injunction has been ascertained, the principle of the ‘also is not applicable; so tbat ‘milk’ and the rest could not be regarded as of any use. For all these reasons the passage must be regarded as a purely valedictory description; and it is based upon the fact that one who studies the Veda regularly becomes famous among people, and hence becoming the recipient of gifts of cattle, be naturally obtains large quantities of milk, etc.

‘Svādhyāya’—Veda;—‘udhīte’—recites;—‘for one year’—for one full year ;—‘in due form,’—i.e., seated upon Kuśa-grass with its tips pointing eastwards;—‘self-controlled,’—i.e., with the organs under bis full control;—‘clean’—by means of bathing, etc.,; ‘for him’—for that man;—‘constantly’—as long as he lives;—‘pours out’—makes to flow, supplies;—‘this’—recitation;—‘milk, curd, etc.’

Others hold that the terms ‘payaḥ’ (‘milk’) and the rest stand respectively for Merit, Worldly Prosperity, Pleasure and Pinal Liberation. Merit is called ‘milk’ because the two are similar in the point of purity; Worldly Prosperity is called ‘curd,’ because it resembles the latter in being a source of strengthening the body; Pleasure is called ‘clarified butter,’ because of the resemblance consisting in both containing ‘Sneha’ (smoothness); Pinal Liberation is called ‘honey’ because it combines in one all flavours. The meaning thus is that all the purposes of man are accomplished in a single year, what to say of the study being continued for a longer time!

As the whole passage is purely valedictory, we need not be very particular as to what is the right signification of the terms ‘milk’ and the rest.—(107)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Payo dadhi ghṛtam madhu’—stand respectively for Merit, Wealth, Pleasure and Final Release, according to Nārāyaṇa and Nandana. Medhātithi notes this explanation as provided by ‘others.’

Medhātithi (p. 124, 1. 15)—‘Ekasya tūhhayatve’—This is Mīmāṃsā Sūtra 4. 3. 4. There are two texts—‘makes an offering of curd’ and ‘for the benefit of one desiring sense-organs, one should sacrifice with curd’; the question that arises is whether these two texts lay down two distinct acts, or both conjointly enjoin a single act; and the conclusion is that the two acts are distinct.

This principle, Medhātithi argues, is not applicable to the present case; the mention of the four distinct substances cannot he taken as supplying the motive for four distinct acts.

Medhātithi (p. 124,1. 16)—‘Rātrisatranyāyaḥ’—This is enunciated in Mīmāṃsā Sūtra 4. 3. 17 et seq. In connection with the Rātrisatra sacrifice, it has been held that it is conducive to ‘respectability,’ even though this is a result mentioned in an Arthavāda passage. This principle also is not applicable to the present case where the necessary motive is provided by the compulsory character of the act.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu-Smṛti (30. 34-38).—‘When one recites the Ṛk verses, he satisfies the Pitṛs with clarified butter;—when he recites the Yajuṣ verse, he satisfies them with honey;—when he recites the Sāma verses, he satisfies them with milk;—when he recites the Atharva verses, he satisfies them with meat;—when he reads the Purāṇas, the Itihāsas, the Vedic Subsidiary Sciences and the Dharmaśāstras,—he satisfies them with grain-food.’

Yājñavalkya-Smṛti (1. 41-47).—‘One who daily reads the Ṛk verses satisfies the gods and the Pitṛs with honey and clarified butter;—he who reads the Yajuṣ verses every day, to the best of his ability, satisfies the gods with clarified butter and the Pitṛs with clarified butter and honey;—he who reads the Sāma verses daily satisfies the gods with Soma and clarified butter, and the Pitṛs with honey and clarified butter;—he who daily reads the Atharvāñgiras texts satisfies the gods with fat and the Pitre with honey and clarified butter;—he who to the best of his capacity, daily reads the Vākovākya, Purāṇa, the Narāśamsī hymns, ītihāsa and the Sciences, satisfies the gods with meat, milk, rice and honey, and the Pitṛs with honey and clarified butter—all these being satisfied endow him with all kinds of prosperity.’

Āpastamba-Gṛhyasūtra (3. 3. 2-3).—‘When one reads the Ṛk verses he satisfies the gods with offerings of milk;—when he reads the Yajuṣ verses, with offerings of clarified butter;—when he reads the Sāma verses, with offerings of honey;—when he reads the Atharvāñgiras verses, with offerings of Soma;—when he reads the Brāhmaṇas, the Kalpas, the Nārāśamsī hymns, the Itihāsas and the Purāṇas,—with offerings of nectar. When he reads the Ṛk verses, streams of milk reach his Pitṛs;—when he reads the Yajuṣ verses, streams of clarified butter;—when he reads the Sāma verses, streams of honey;—when he reads the tharvāúgiras verses, streams of Soma;—when he reads the Brāhmaṇas, the Kalpas, the Nārāśamsī hymns, the Itihāsas and Purāṇas, streams of nectar.’