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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:

ऊर्ध्व� नाभेर्यानि खानि तानि मेध्यानि सर्वशः �
यान्यधस्तान्यमेध्यान� देहाच्चै� मलाश्च्युताः � १३� �

ūrdhva� nābheryāni Ծ Ծ Ծ sarvaśa� |
yānyadhastānyaԾ dehāccaiva malāścyutā� || 130 ||

The cavities that are above the navel are all pure; those that are below it are impure; as, also are all excretions dropped fr om the body.�(130).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The term �kha� stands for organ; hence the organs of action also become included; and thus taking the two feet, the plural number becomes justified in the phrase �those that are below it are impure.�

This explanation (by which the lower organs are all made impure) is not right; as it is contrary to what has gone in the first half. Therein it has been declared that the purity of those above the navel is of a higher grade and superior: and this could have a meaning only if the lower ones also were pure; for what is while cannot be called more black.

Further, the term �kha� does not signify the organ, it only signifies the cavity or hole. It is for this reason that the organs have been spoken of as �ٲśṣaԲⲹ��, ‘having seven seats� (the cavities of the two ears, two eyes, two nostrils and the mouth). There are two ‘cavities� below the navel; but the plural number has been used on account of the male and female generative organs being regarded as distinct.

According to this, there would be no uncleanliness of the hand involved in touching the inside of the mouth;—but only if if does not come into contact with the phlegm or other things that may be there. So. that if the hand does become contaminated with some such defiling substance, the mouth shall not be touched by it�(130).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(Verse 132 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Ѳ岹Բٲ (p. 50);—in īٰǻ岹ⲹ (Āhnika, p. 103), which explains �Ծ� as ‘cavities� and adds that (though there are only two cavities below the navel) the text uses the plural �Ծ� by regarding the male and female generative organs as distinct;—in ṛtⲹܳⲹ (p. 85), which explains �Ծ� as ‘holes�, �Ծ� as ‘clean�, and �� as ‘below the navel�;—in (Śrāddha, p. 842);—and in Śܻ󾱰첹ܻܳī (p. 359), which explains �Ծ� as ‘touchable�, and �� as ‘untouchable� and �dehachyuta-mala� as standing for the nails and other excrescences, which also are ‘untouchable�.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

վṣṇ (3-51).—‘The cavities above the navel must bo considered pure; those below it are impure; so are all excretions from the body.�

ñⲹ (1.194).—‘Nor are excretions fallen from the human body pure.�

ܻⲹԲ (1.10.19).—‘A man’s body is pure above the navel; it is impure below the navel,—so declares the Veda.�

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