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:

उत्तमानुत्तमानेव गच्छन् हीनांस्तु वर्जयन् ।
ब्राह्मणः श्रेष्ठतामेति प्रत्यवायेन शूद्रताम् ॥ २४५ ॥

uttamānuttamāneva gacchan hīnāṃstu varjayan |
brāhmaṇaḥ śreṣṭhatāmeti pratyavāyena śūdratām || 245 ||

Having recourse to superior kinds of people, and avoiding the inferior kinds, the Brāhmaṇa attains eminence; by the contrary procedure, he becomes a Śūdra.—(245)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Having recourse to superior people;’—i.e., forming connections with them,—‘the Brāhmaṇa attains eminence.’ The term, ‘brāhmaṇa,’ standing for the Kṣatriya and the Vaiśya also.

By the contrary procedure,’—by adopting the opposite process—i.e., by forming connections with inferior people—the man becomes a Śūdra. Since it is not possible for the caste of a man to disappear, what is meant is that he becomes equal to the Śūdra.—(245)

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: