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...

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

चक्रिणो दशमीस्थस्य रोगिणो भारिणः स्त्रियाः ।
स्नातकस्य च राज्ञश्च पन्था देयो वरस्य च ॥ १३८ ॥

cakriṇo daśamīsthasya rogiṇo bhāriṇaḥ striyāḥ |
snātakasya ca rājñaśca panthā deyo varasya ca || 138 ||

Way should be made for one in a chariot, for one who is in the tenth stage of life, for one suffering from disease, for one carrying a burden, for a woman, for the person who has just passed out of studentship, for the king and for the bridegroom.—(138)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Another method of showing respect is also described by the way.

Chakrin’ is the person in a chariot, one who is occupying a cart or some such conveyance. For him ‘way should be made.’ ‘Way’ is that path, that part of the Earth, by which one goes to a village and such other places; while one is on such a ‘way,’ if a man in a chariot should happen to come either in front of him or behind him, then the man on foot should move off from the spot where he might be obstructing the passing of the cart.

One who is in the tenth stage of life’—one who is far advanced in age.

One suffering from a disease’—one who is suffering very badly from some malady.

One who is carrying a burden’—one who is carrying grains and other heavy things; such a man also finds it difficult to move, and hence must bo favoured.

A woman,’—i.e., simply by reason of her being a woman, irrespective of her caste or qualifications, or of the position of her husband.

King’—stands here for the master of a kingdom, not for the mere Kṣatriya. For in the conclusion (which comes in the next verse) we have the term ‘Pārthiva’ which means the ‘lord of the Earth,’ ‘pṛthivyāḥ īśvaraḥ.’

Objection.—“In as much as in the opening verse (the present) we have the term ‘rājan,’ it would be more reasonable to interpret the term ‘parthiva’ (in the next verse) in accordance with, and as standing for, the ‘Rājā’ (than that ‘Rājā’ should be taken as standing for the ‘pārthiva’), and the word ‘Rājan’ is well-known as denoting the Kṣatriya caste; and as this forms the principal denotation of the term, it should be accepted in the opening of the passage, specially as there does not appear to be any incongruity in it. In the next verse, where the relative merits are mentioned, it is quite possible to take the term ‘parthiva’ as referring to the Kṣatriya; in view of the fact that the ‘protecting of the Earth,’ which is connoted by the term ‘pārtiva.’ is a duty prescribed specifically for the Kṣatriya. So that it cannot be right, to take the term as referring to other castes, merely on the strength of their being ‘in possession of land’ (‘pṛthīvyāḥ īśvaraḥ’).”

To the above we make the following reply:—What is asserted here (in the next verse) is capability being respected;—when, e.g., the person who has just passed out of hi s studentship is described as deserving to be honoured by a king. Under verse 35, it has been pointed out that the term ‘bhūmipa’ stands for the Kṣatriya caste; and since the Kingly caste is merely indicative, what is mentioned here is understood to pertain to such a Kṣatriya as happens to be the ‘lord of men.’

The ‘bridegroom’—who is going to marry. For these persons ‘way should be made;’—what is meant by ‘deyaḥ,’ ‘should be made,’ is simply that one should give up the road; and as ‘giving up’ only means moving off (and not actual giving), the Dative ending has not been used.—(138)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 76);—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 48), which explains ‘varaḥ’ as ‘one who is going to marry’;—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 107), which has the following notes—‘chakrin,’ one who is driving in a cart,—‘snātaka,’ the student who has completed his course of studentship,—‘varaḥ,’ one who is going to marry;—when one meets any of these, he should make way for him, i.e., move away from his path,—among those mentioned here, the Accomplished Student and the King deserve to be respected by the ‘others’, as stated in the next verse.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 138-139)

Vaśiṣṭha-Smṛti (13.25, 26).—‘Among the following—an aged person, a child, a sick person, a man carrying a load, a woman, a man driving in a chariot,—the succeeding should make way for the preceding; when the King and the Accomplished Student meet, the king should make way for the student; all should make way for a bride who is being married.’

Gautama-Dharmasūtra, 6. 25, 26.—‘One on a chariot, a man in the tenth stage of life, one who deserves kindness (i.e., the sick), a bride, an Accomplished Student, and the King,—for these way should he made; the King should make way for the Vedic scholar.’

Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra, 2. 3. 50 (also Devala quoted in Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 476).—‘Way should he made for the Brāhmaṇa, the cow, the king, the blind person, the aged, the man suffering under a load, a pregnant woman and a weak person.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 2. 2. 57.—‘Way should be made for the King until he meets the Brāhmaṇa; but when he meets the Brāhmaṇa, way should be made for the latter. All men should make way for a conveyance, for one carrying a load, one struck with disease, and a woman; to one of superior caste; and also to the Renunciate, and the intoxicated and the lunatic,—these latter for the sake of one’s own safety.’

Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, 6.475).—‘Way should be made for the dumb, the blind, the deaf, the intoxicated, the lunatic, the loose woman, one’s enemy, a child and the outcast.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 476).—‘Way should be made for the child, the aged, the intoxicated, the lunatic, one struck with a foul disease, one carrying a load, a woman who is pregnant, the Accomplished Student, the Renunciate, and also persons excelling in learning, arts and other qualities.’

Yājñavalkya (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 476).—‘Way should be made for the aged, the man with a load, the King, the Accomplished Student, a woman, the sick, the bridegroom, the man on a chariot; among these the King deserves special honour; but the Accomplished Student deserves honour even from the King.’

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