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...

Verse 10.74 [Functions of the Castes]

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

ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मयोनिस्था ये स्वकर्मण्यवस्थिताः ।
ते सम्यगुपजीवेयुः षट् कर्माणि यथाक्रमम् ॥ ७४ ॥

brāhmaṇā brahmayonisthā ye svakarmaṇyavasthitāḥ |
te samyagupajīveyuḥ ṣaṭ karmāṇi yathākramam || 74 ||

Brāhmaṇas of pure Brāhmaṇa-birth, intent upon their duties, should duly perform the six acts in due order.—(74)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This is meant to serve as an introduction to the subject of ‘Duties in abnormal times.’

Yoni’ is source, birth.

Brāhmaṇas of pure Brāhmaṇa-birth should perform the six acts:—the root ‘upa-jīva’ denoting performance here.

In due order’—in accordance with their rights and capacities; i.e., each one doing the act to which he is entitled.

Some of the acts serve spiritual purposes, while others fulfill only material purposes.—(74)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Brahmayonisthāḥ.’—‘Intent upon the source of the Veda’(Medhātithi),—‘Intent upon the means of union with Brahman’ (Kullūka);—‘of pure Brahmanical race’ (Nārāyaṇa and Rāghavānanda);—‘who abide by what springs from the Veda, i.e. the sacred law,—or who are the abode of the Veda’ (Nandana).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 10.74-76)

Vaśiṣṭha (2.13-14).—‘The lawful occupations of the Brāhmaṇa are six: studying the Veda, teaching, sacrificing for himself, sacrificing for others, giving gifts and accepting gifts.’

Gautama (10.1-3).—‘The lawful occupations common to all twice-born men are—studying the Veda, offering sacrifices for themselves and giving gifts.—Teaching, offering sacrifices for others and accepting gifts are the additional occupations for the Brāhmaṇa.—But the former three are obligatory.’

Baudhāyana (1.18.2).—‘Brahman forsooth, placed Its majesty in the Brāhmaṇas, together with the duties and privileges of studying, teaching, sacrificing for themselves, sacrificing for others, giving gifts and accepting gifts,—for the protection of the Vedas.’

Āpastamba (2.10.4-5).—‘The lawful occupations of the Brāhmaṇa are—studying, teaching, sacrificing for himself, sacrificing for others, giving gifts, receiving gifts, inheriting and gleaning corn in the fields; and he may live by taking other things that belong to nobody.’

Viṣṇu (2.5, 9, 11).—‘For a Brāhmaṇa, to teach the Veda,—to sacrifice and to study the Veda,—for a Brāhmaṇa, to sacrifice for others and to receive gifts.’

Yājñavalkya (1.118).—‘Sacrificing, studying and giving gifts are common to the Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya and the Vaiśya; for the Brāhmaṇa there are in addition to these, accepting gifts, sacrificing for others and teaching.’

Śukranīti (4.3.31-32).—‘Sacrificing, studying, giving gifts,—these are the functions of the twice-born;—the additional special functions of the Brāhmaṇa are—receiving gifts, teaching and sacrificing for others.’

Kāmandaka (2.18-19).—‘The celebration of sacrifices, the study of the Vedas, and the giving away of wealth to others, according to the rules of the Śāstras,—these are considered to be the common customary observances of the three castes, Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and Vaiśya.—The holy acts of teaching, of conducting sacrifices for others, and of accepting gifts from the pious—these have been enumerated by the sages to be the means of livelihood for those belonging to the highest caste.’

Arthaśāstra (p. 29).—‘The special duty of the Brāhmaṇa is to study, to teach, to sacrifice for himself, to sacrifice for others, to give gifts and to receive gifts.’

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