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 4.95 [Vedic Study]
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
श्रावण्यां प्रौष्ठपद्या� वाऽप्युपाकृत्य यथाविध� �
युक्तश्छन्दांस्यधीयी� मासान् विप्रोऽर्धपञ्चमान् � ९५ �śrāvaṇyā� prauṣṭhapadyā� vā'pyupākṛtya yathāvidhi |
yuktaśchandāṃsyadhīyīta māsān vipro'rdhapañcamān || 95 ||Having perfomed the “첹� (starting rite) on the full- moon day in the month of Ś屹ṇa or of 貹岹, the Brāhmaṇa shall, with due diligence, study the vedas, according to rule, during four months and a half.�(95)
Medhātithi’s commentary (Գܲṣy):
The full moon day related to the asterism of Śṇ� is called �Ś屹ṇ�;� similarly, �ʰṣṭ貹ī.’—On either of these days,—�having performed the rite known as �첹,”’—he shall study the Vedas,—�according to rule;� this refers to the rules laid down under 2.75 et seg.�Yukta—applying himself with diligence.
�Իṃs’� the Vedas. The term �chandas� here stands for the Veda, and not for the metres, ⲹٰī and the rest. Hence this same rule applies also to the case of those who are studying the Dz-ṇa (and is not restricted to those studying the metrical ṃh texts only). It is only right that the rule should be so applicable, as both (prose and metrical portions) are equally regarded as ‘Veda.� In this connection, the option referred to has been restricted to the extent that the students of the Sāma-Veda perform the ‘첹� on the full-moon day of 貹岹, while those of the Ṛgveda and the Yajurveda do it on that of Ś屹ṇa�(95)
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
This verse is quoted in Ѿṣa (on 1.142) to the effect that the Veda is to be studied for four months and a half;—in ʲś (Ācāra, p. 518), which explains the compound �ñ� as �ardham pāñcamam yeṣām�, i.e., four months and a half; and adds that if on the day here specified there happen to be such conditions antagonistic to study, as the non-appearance of the Venus and the like—then the 첹 should be performed on the Full-moon day of the month of Āṣāḍ.
It is quoted in īٰǻ岹ⲹ (Saṃskāra, p. 499);—and in Ѳ岹Բٲ (p. 84), which also explains the compound �貹ñ� as �ardhā� pañcamo māso yeṣām�;�i.e., for four months and a half, counting from the day on which the 첹 ceremony is performed. It adds that this rule is applicable, not to the Student only, but to the House-holder also.
It is quoted in վԲٲ (p. 512), which adds that according to the explanation provided by , the particle �api� is meant to include the fifth day of the month of 貹岹 as another alternative day.
It is quoted in 貹첹 (p. 186), which explains the construction as—�Իṃs upākṛtya tāni 貹ñ māsān adhīyīta�; and explains the compound �ñ� as �ardha� pāñcamo māso yeṣām�;—the meaning being that from the day that the 첹 is performed, the man should go on studying the Veda for four months and a half;—in ʳܰṣārٳԳ峾ṇi (p. 298) as laying down Vedic study to be done during four months and a half, during both the dark and the bright fortnights;—in (Kāla, p. 396), which adds that the particle �api� is meant to imply the �貹岹—Śṇā—Hastā and ʲñī�;—i Ҳ貹پ (Kāla, p. 171), which says that the Chandogas are to do the 첹 on the Full-moon day of 貹岹, while all others are to do it on the same day in Ś屹ṇa;—and in ṛtԻ (Saṃskāra, p. 147), which explains �ܰٲ�� as ‘with due application.�
Comparative notes by various authors
Gautama (16.1-2).—‘Having performed the annual 첹 on the fullmoon day of either Ś屹ṇa or Bhādra, he shall study the Vedas for four months and a half, or throughout the Southern Path of the Sun.�
ܻⲹԲ (1.6.143).—‘Having performed the 첹 on the fullmoon day of either Ś屹ṇa or Bhādra or Āṣādha, he shall perform the Utsarjana on the fullmoon day of either Pauṣa or Māgha.�
Ā貹ٲ (1.9.1-3).—‘On the fullmoon day of either Ś屹ṇa or Bhādra, having performed the 첹 of Vedic Study, he shall not study at night for one month. He shall stop the study on the fullmoon day of either Pauṣa or Mārgaśīrṣa. According to some people, the study has to be carried on for four months and a half.�
ղśṣṭ (13.1-5).—‘Next proceeds the 첹 of Vedic Study: On the fullmoon day of either Ś屹ṇa or Bhādra, having kindled the fire and performed the rites of fire-laying, he pours oblations into it to Gods, Ṛṣis and the Vedas. Having made the Brāhmaṇas pronounce the benedictory syllable Svasti, he shall eat curd and then start the Vedic Study, and continue it for four and a half or five and a half months. After that he is to study the Veda only during the brighter fortnight; but the subsidiary sciences, he may read whenever he likes.�
ūܰṇa (ʲś, p. 519).—‘On the fullmoon day of Ś屹ṇa or Āśāḍha or Bhādra has the performance of 첹 been prescribed.�
վṣṇ (30.1).—‘Having performed the 첹 on the fullmoon day of either Ś屹ṇa or Bhādra, he shall study for four months and a half.�
ñⲹ (1.142).—‘He shall perform the 첹 of the Vedas on the appearance of herbs, either on the fullmoon day of Ś屹ṇa or on a day in Ś屹ṇa under the asterism of Śṇ�, or on the fifth day of Śṇ� under the asterism of Hastā.�
Āśvalāyāna Gṛhyasūtrā (3.5.1-4).—‘Next comes the 첹ṇa of the Veda:—on the appearance of herbs, on that day of the month of Ś屹ṇa which falls under the asterism of Śṇ�;—or on the fifth day, under the asterism of Hastā;—and he shall carry on the study for six months.�
첹 (2.10.1-2).—‘Next comes the 첹 of the Veda. On the appearance of herbs, on the fullmoon day of the month of Ś屹ṇa, under the asterism of Śṇ�, or on the fifth day under the asterism of Hastā.�
Do. (II. 10-11).—‘Having carried on the study for five months and a half they should perform the Utsarjana; or after having studied for ten months and a half.�
Gobhila (3.3.1, 13)—‘The 첹ṇa is to he done o� the fullmoon day of Bhādra under the asterism of Hastā;—according to others under the asterism of Śṇ�.�
Do. (ʲś, p. 519).—‘The Taittirīyakas perform the 첹 on the fullmoon day of Ś屹ṇa when it occurs after the fore-noon; the Ṛgvedis do it on the asterism of Śṇ�.�
Pracetas (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Saṃskāra, p. 497).—‘The 첹 should be performed in the fore-noon on the fullmoon day.�
ṛtⲹԳٲ (Do., p. 500).—‘During the month of Ś屹ṇa, on the Śṇ� asterism; on the fullmoon day of Ś屹ṇa, on the fifth day under the asterism of Hastā, the prescribed 첹 should be performed.�
ŚṅkⲹԲ (Do., p. 500).—‘Next the 첹ṇa—on the appearance of herbs, under the asterism of Hastā or Śṇ�.�
ᾱṇyś (Do., p. 501).—‘Next we describe the 첹 and the Utsarjana—during Ś屹ṇa, on the appearance of herbs, or on the fullmoon day under the asterism of Hastā, the 첹 should be performed.�
Ѳٰ-ūٰ (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Saṃskāra, p. 502).—‘During the rains, under the asterism of Śṇ�, he performs the 첹 of the Veda.�
徱-ūٰ (Do., p. 503).—‘They perform the 첹 of the Veda on the fullmoon day of Bhādra, under the asterism of Hastā.�