Verse 4.156

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

आचारात्लभते ह्यायुराचारादीप्सिताः प्रजाः ।
आचाराद् धनमक्षय्यमाचारो हन्त्यलक्षणम् ॥ १५६ ॥

ācārātlabhate hyāyurācārādīpsitāḥ prajāḥ |
ācārād dhanamakṣayyamācāro hantyalakṣaṇam || 156 ||

By Right Conduct he attains longevity; by Right Conduct he obtains desirable children; by Right Conduct he obtains inexhaustible wealth; and Right Conduct destroys everything inauspicious.—(156)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

It is not meant that the child is made equipped with learning and other good qualities; in fact, such qualities are considered desirable in children. Says an old text—‘What is to be done with the cow that does not give milk nor bear calf; what is the use of a son being born who is neither learned nor righteous?’

‘Inexhaustible—vast; which cannot become exhausted, even through vices.

‘Everything inauspicious;’—such marks as a black spot on the shoulder, and the like, which are indications of poverty, misfortune, etc. This also is destroyed by Right Conduct.

Thus all that is unrighteous and evil is destroyed, if a man sticks to Right Conduct.—(156)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse has not been omitted by Medhātithi, as Buhler has wrongly stated.

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 231);—in Nityācārapradīpa (p. 12);—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 17a).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (71.91).—(Same as Manu, but reading ‘gatim’ for ‘prajām.’)

Vaśiṣṭha (8.7).—(Do., but reading ‘phalate dhanam’ for ‘labhate prajām’ and ‘śriyamāpnoti’ for ‘dhanamakṣayyam.’)

Mahābhārata (Anuśāsana, 161.6).—‘By right conduct the man obtains longevity; by right conduct he acquires prosperity; by right conduct he acquires fame, here as well as after death.’