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:

मन्त्रैः शाकलहोमीयैरब्दं हुत्वा घृतं द्विजः ।
सुगुर्वप्यपहन्त्येनो जप्त्वा वा नम इत्यृचम् ॥ २५६ ॥

mantraiḥ śākalahomīyairabdaṃ hutvā ghṛtaṃ dvijaḥ |
sugurvapyapahantyeno japtvā vā nama ityṛcam || 256 ||

A twice-born person destroys even the most grievous sin by making Homa-offerings of clarified butter for one year, with the sacred texts related to the ‘Śākala-homa,’ or by repeating the verse beginning with ‘namaḥ.’—(256)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Sacred texts related to the Śākala-homa’ are the eight verses beginning with—‘Devakṛtasyainasovayajanamaṣi’ (Vājasaneya Saṃhitā, 8.13);—if one makes Homa-offerings of clarified butter with these texts, for one year, he destroys even the ‘most grievous sin,’—i.e., even all the ‘heinous offences.’

‘By repeating’ the mantra ‘namo rudrāya tavase kapardine, etc.’ (Vājasaneya Saṃhitā, 16)—for one year,—he obtains the same success;—even without performing the Śākala-homa.

Thus this ‘repeating of the mantra’ is an expiation alternative to the aforesaid ‘Śākala-homa’; as also to the reciting of some other text beginning with ‘namaḥ’,—what this other text is being ascertained from cultured men.—(256)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (3.305) as referring to cases of intentional offence;—and in Parāśaramādhava, (Prāyaścitta p. 457).

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: