Verse 8.10

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

सोऽस्य कार्याणि सम्पश्येत् सभ्यैरेव त्रिभिर्वृतः ।
सभामेव प्रविश्याग्र्यामासीनः स्थित एव वा ॥ १० ॥

so'sya kāryāṇi sampaśyet sabhyaireva tribhirvṛtaḥ |
sabhāmeva praviśyāgryāmāsīnaḥ sthita eva vā || 10 ||

That man, accompanied by three assessors, shall enter the excellent Court, and either seated or standing, shall investigate the suits on behalf of the king.—(10)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Assesors’;—though the caste of these persons is not specified here, yet in view of the Brāhmaṇa being mentioned later on (in 11), and also of the phrase ‘along with Brāhmaṇas’ (in verse 1 above), it follows that these also should be Brāhmaṇas.

The number is mentioned as ‘three’ simply with a view to preclude the possibility of only one or two men being appointed: what is meant is that three or more men shall be appointed. This we shall explain in detail under the section dealing with Witnesses.

‘Shall enter the excellent Court.’—Though entering the court as the king’s representative, he shall stand or sit on such a seat as is proper for himself. The repetition of ‘standing or sitting’ serves either to indicate the right posture for him, or to preclude other postures. The meaning of this is that he should not sit upon the king’s throne.—(10)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Vyavahāra, p. 21);—in Smṛticandrikā (Vyavahāra, p. 37);—in Kṛtyakalpataru (8a);—in Vīramitrodaya (Vyavahāra, 10b);—and in Rājanītiratnākara (p. 15b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Śukranīti (4.5.77).—‘The Chief Judge is the speaker, the king is the President, the councillors are the investigators.’

Śukranīti (4.5.85-86).—‘The King should enter the court modestly, together with the Brāhmaṇas and Ministers versed in state-craft, with the object of investigating the cases.’