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:

विप्राणां वेदविदुषां गृहस्थानां यशस्विनाम् ।
शुश्रूषैव तु शूद्रस्य धर्मो नैश्रेयसः परः ॥ ३३४ ॥

viprāṇāṃ vedaviduṣāṃ gṛhasthānāṃ yaśasvinām |
śuśrūṣaiva tu śūdrasya dharmo naiśreyasaḥ paraḥ || 334 ||

For the Śūdra the highest duty conducive to his best welfare is to attend upon such Brāhmaṇa house-holders as are learned in the Vedas and famous.—(334)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Famous’—this indicates good character. ‘Attendance’—Service.

This is the duty that leads to his highest good.—(334)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 230);—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 418);—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Āhnika 36b).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 9.333-336)

See Comparative notes for Verse 9.333.

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