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:

अहन्यहन्यवेक्षेत कर्मान्तान् वाहनानि च ।
आयव्ययौ च नियतावाकरान् कोशमेव च ॥ ४१९ ॥

ahanyahanyavekṣeta karmāntān vāhanāni ca |
āyavyayau ca niyatāvākarān kośameva ca || 419 ||

Day after day he shall look after his business-centres, his conveyances, his income and expenditure regularly, and mines and treasury.—(419)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This verse shows the purpose of indicating all the duties of the king.

Business-centres’—agricultural stations, customs-house and so forth.

Conveyances’—elephants and the rest.

Income and expenditure’—so much has come in, and so much has been spent. This should be looked into ‘regularly,’ constantly.

Mines’—places whence gold and other minerals are brought out.

Treasure’—the place where money is deposited.—(419)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Karmāntān’—‘Completion of his undertakings’ (Kullūka);—‘the works, such as agriculture and the rest’; (Medhātithi, Govindarāja and Nandana);—‘workshops’ (Nārāyaṇa).

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 155).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇudharmottara (Vīramitrodaya-Rājanīti, p. 154).—‘Towards the end of the night the King shall listen to an account of his income and expenditure.’

Yājñavalkya (1.325).—‘After having made arrangements for safety, he shall himself examine his income and expenditure.’

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