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:

गर्भिणी तु द्विमासादिस्तथा प्रव्रजितो मुनिः ।
ब्राह्मणा लिङ्गिनश्चैव न दाप्यास्तारिकं तरे ॥ ४०७ ॥

garbhiṇī tu dvimāsādistathā pravrajito muniḥ |
brāhmaṇā liṅginaścaiva na dāpyāstārikaṃ tare || 407 ||

But a woman who is pregnant two months or more, an ascetic, a hermit, and brāhmaṇas in holy orders shall not be made to pay the toll at a ferry-crossing.—(407)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

If two months have elapsed since the last monthly course, it is a sign that the woman is pregnant, such a woman deserves kindly treatment; hence no ferry-toll is to be realised from her.

Ascetic’—belonging to the fourth order.

Hermit’—living in the forest and performing austerities.

Brāhmaṇas in holy orders’— the term ‘brāhmaṇa’ has been added as a qualification; hence the rule does not apply to those who only bear the garb of asceticism.

Toll’—fare for crossing, in the form of a ‘paṇa’ and so forth.

This they shall not be made to pay.

Having mentioned ‘toll’ already, the author has added the term ‘at a ferry-crossing’ only in consideration of metrical exigencies.—(407)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 835), which adds that this is an exception to the preceding rules;—aṇd in Vyavahāra-Bālambhaṭṭī (p. 957).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Nārada (18.38).—‘The Brāhmaṇa has the right to cross rivers without paying toll, and to be conveyed to the other side before others. When engaged in trading, if he uses a ferry boat, he shall have to pay no toll.’

Viṣṇu (5.132-133).—‘A ferry-man, or a toll-official, who takes a fare or toll from a student or an ascetic or a renunciate, or a pregnant woman, or one going on pilgrimage,—shall he fined 10 Paṇas,—and he shall restore the toll to them.’

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