Verse 9.223

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

अप्राणिभिर्यत् क्रियते तत्लोके द्यूतमुच्यते ।
प्राणिभिः क्रियते यस्तु स विज्ञेयः समाह्वयः ॥ २२३ ॥

aprāṇibhiryat kriyate tatloke dyūtamucyate |
prāṇibhiḥ kriyate yastu sa vijñeyaḥ samāhvayaḥ || 223 ||

That which is done through inanimate things is called ‘Gambling’; while what is done through animate things is to be known as ‘Betting.’—(223)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

(verses 9.220-227)

(No Bāṣhya)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vivādaratnākara (p. 610);—in Parāśaramādhava (Vyavahāra, p. 388), which explains ‘aprāṇibhiḥ,’ as ‘by dice, leather-tablets, sticks and so forth,’ and ‘prāṇibhiḥ’, as ‘by cocks and other animals’;—in Smṛtitattva (p. 27);—in Aparārkā, p. 802;—in Mitākṣarā (2. 199);—in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 153), which adds the following notes—‘Aprāṇibhiḥ’, with dice, tablets and so forth;—‘prāṇibhiḥ’ with rams, cocks and other animals;—‘gambling’ and ‘prize-fighting’ are names applicable to only such acts as are accompanied by betting; where there is no betting, the act is called ‘sport’ and not deprecated among people;—in Smṛtisāroddhāra (p. 333);—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Vyavahāra, p. 44b); in Vivādacintāmaṇī (Calcutta, p. 166), which explains ‘aprāṇibhiḥ’ as dice and the like—in Smṛticandrikā (Vyavahāra, p. 19);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Vyavahāra 223b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Bṛhaspati (26.3).—‘When birds, rams, deer or other animals are caused to fight against one another after a wager has been laid, it is called Betting.’

Nārada (17.1).—‘Dishonest gambling with dice, small pieces of leather, little staves of ivory, and Betting on birds form the subject of a head of dispute.’