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:

योऽहिंसकानि भूतानि हिनस्त्यात्मसुखैच्छया ।
स जीवांश्च मृतश्चैव न क्व चित् सुखमेधते ॥ ४५ ॥

yo'hiṃsakāni bhūtāni hinastyātmasukhaicchayā |
sa jīvāṃśca mṛtaścaiva na kva cit sukhamedhate || 45 ||

He, who kills harmless creatures for the sake of his own pleasure, never attains happiness, living or head—(45).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

A half-syllable—‘a’—should be understood to be present (between ‘go’ and ‘hiṃsakam’). The prohibition regarding ‘harmless creatures’ indicates that there is no prohibition regarding dangerous animals, such as serpents, tigers and the like.—(45).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 538).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verse 5.42-46)

See Comparative notes for Verse 5.42.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: