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:

विराज्सुताः सोमसदः साध्यानां पितरः स्मृताः ? ।
अग्निष्वात्ताश्च देवानां मारीचा लोकविश्रुताः ॥ १९५ ॥

virājsutāḥ somasadaḥ sādhyānāṃ pitaraḥ smṛtāḥ ? |
agniṣvāttāśca devānāṃ mārīcā lokaviśrutāḥ || 195 ||

The Somasads, the sons of Virāj, have been declared to be the Pitṛs of the Sādhyas; and the Agnisvāttas, the sons of Marīci, are famed in the world as the Pitṛs of the Gods.—(195)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

All these verses are laudatory descriptions relating to Śrāddhas; as they are all construable together. The ‘Pitṛs of the Sādhyas’ have not been laid down as the recipients of Śrāddhas; specially because they are gods, and also because the Sādhyas also, who are themselves gods, are not entitled to the performance of Śrāddhas; for the simple reason that they are not such as. can be directed to do an act. Gods cannot be directed to do an act; for, if they were, this would deprive them of their god-like character. If gods were entitled to the performance of an act, they would be regarded as the ‘ doer;’ and the ‘doer’ or ‘agent’ could never be the ‘recipient;’ while, in reality, the very nature of the gods consists in their being ‘recipients’ (of sacrifices).

The sous of Virāj are the Somasads; and these are the ‘Pitṛs of the Sādhyas.’

[The sense of all this laudatory description is as follows]—This rite in honour of the Pitṛs must always be performed; since, even the Sādhyas, who are gods, and as such, have accomplished all that they had to do, worship their Pitṛs.

The Agniṣvāttas, who are the Pitṛs of Agni and other Gods, relish the cake and milk and rice cooked on fire.

Mārīcāḥ’—sons of Marīci.

Lokaviśrutāḥ’—famed in the world.—(195)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 55).

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: