Verse 11.35

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

विधाता शासिता वक्ता मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते ।
तस्मै नाकुशलं ब्रूयान्न शुष्कां गिरमीरयेत् ॥ ३५ ॥

vidhātā śāsitā vaktā maitro brāhmaṇa ucyate |
tasmai nākuśalaṃ brūyānna śuṣkāṃ giramīrayet || 35 ||

The Brāhmaṇa is called the creator, the punisher, the teacher and the advisor; therefore one should not address unpleasant words to him, nor use any harsh words.—(35)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The meaning of this verse has been already explained before.

When a Brāhmaṇa is performing a malevolent rite, the King shall not utter any such ‘unpleasant words’ as ‘punish him.’

‘He shall not we harsh words.’—This prohibition refers also to remonstrance and censure.

Or, the meaning may be that—‘the Brāhmaṇa shall not be ill-treated by men of any caste; since he is very powerful, by reason of his knowledge of the Vedas, and is capable of inflicting punishments by himself.’

‘Creator’—of another King.

‘Punisher’—chastiser.

‘Advisor’—one who offers beneficial advice.

And since he is all this, he is a ‘benefactor.’

Thus, being endowed with all kinds of power, he should not be disregarded as a weakling.—(35)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Vidhātā’.—‘Creator’ (Medhātithi and Nārāyaṇa);—‘performer of the prescribed rites’ (Govindarāja and Kullūka);—‘one who is able to do, to undo and to change’ (Rāghavānanda);—‘the performer of magic rites’ (Nandana);—‘Śāsitā’,—‘Punisher, controller, adviser’—of the king (Medhātithi),—‘of his sons and pupils’ (Kullūka);—‘instructor in the sacred daw’ (Nārāyaṇa);—‘the instigator of incantations’ (Nandana).

‘Vaktā’.—‘One who gives wholesome advice’ (Medhātithi);—‘the teacher’, (Govindarāja and Nārāyaṇa);—‘the expounder of the sacred law’ (Kullūka and Rāghavānanda).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 11.31-35)

[See 9.290 above; and texts thereunder; also 9.313-321.]

See Comparative notes for Verse 11.31.