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 2.81
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
ओङ्कारपूर्विकास्तिस्रो महाव्याहृतयोऽव्यया� �
त्रिपद� चै� सावित्री विज्ञेयं ब्रह्मणो मुखम� � ८१ �oṅkārapūrvikāstisro mahāvyāhṛtayo'vyayā� |
tripadā caiva sāvitrī vijñeya� brahmaṇo mukham || 81 ||The three imperishable Ѳ屹ṛt preceded by the syllable ‘o�,� and the three-footed 屹ٰī,—these should be regarded as the ‘Mouth of Brahman.’�(81)
Medhātithi’s commentary (Գܲṣy):
�Preceded by the syllable O�”—in the beginning of which the syllable ‘Oṃ� occurs.—�Ѳ屹ṛt�;—this refers to the three syllables �ū��ܱ���,� which form the subject-matter of the present context.
�Imperishable�;—the syllables are so called in view of the fact that the results proceeding from their repetition are longstanding. If this were not meant, then the qualification would be superfluous, as all words are equally imperishable, eternal.
Three-footed 屹ٰī;—the verse �tat savitu�, etc.�
�The mouth of Brahman.’—These are called ‘mouth� in the sense that they form its opening. Hence this verse is to be regarded as the valedictory supplement of the Injunction that these should be recited at the beginning of Vedic Study.
Or ‘mouth� may mean portal, the means;—the sense being that union with Brahman is reached by this means. This is what is described in the next verse.�(81)
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
�Brahmaṇo mukham—“Literally, the mouth of Brahman is meant to convey the double sense (of leading to, and leading to union with, Brahman). Both interpretations are given by Medhātithi, Kullūka. and Rāghavānanda; while Govindarāja, Nārāyaṇa and Nandana explain it merely as the beginning or portal of the Veda.ŨĔBܳ.
This verse is quoted in Ѳ岹Բٲ (p. 71) as defining the �Brahmamukha�, which has been declared by Nārāyaṇa to be the formula for the ĀԲ;—i īٰǻ岹ⲹ (Saṃskāra, p. 522), as laying down the beginning of study;—i the same work again (Āhnika, p. 253), where it is explained as meaning that the name �Ի� (Twilight Prayers) is applied to all those acts that are performed with the formula herein specified;—also on p. 321, along with the next three verses.
This first line of this verse is quoted in 貹첹, (p. 1290).
The verse is quoted in ṃsū (p. 50), which explains �پ�� as �Bhū�-ܱ�-�� and �brahmaṇo mukham� as ‘to be pronounced at the beginning of Vedic reading—and in ṛtԻ (Saṃskāra, p. 135), which notes—�om bhūrܱḥḥ� are the three ղṛt,�ٲٲٳ� &c., is the 屹ٰī; all this forms the �mukha�, i.e. beginning, of ‘Brahman�, i.e. the Veda.
Comparative notes by various authors
(verses 81-82)
Ā貹ٲ (Parāśaramādhava, p. 284).—‘Seated upon kuśa, holding kuśa and water in his hand, facing the East, one shall repeat the Gāyatrī a thousand times, or a hundred times, or without any limit.�
Yogi- Yājñavalkya (Do., 283).—‘The Religious Student and the Agnihotrin should repeat the Gāyatrī 108 times: the Hermit and the Renunciate, more than 1,000 times,
Yama (Parāśaramādhava, p. 286).—‘There is nothing superior to the Gāyatrī for purposes of Japa; there is no penance higher than the Gāyatrī; there is no meditation higher than the Gāyatrī; there is no Homa higher than the վṣṇܲṛt, 55. 15-16—[reproduces the words of Manu].
Yama (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Saṃskāra, p. 429).—‘He who acquires the three ղṛt preceded by the syllable om, and the 屹ٰī, Brahmacharya and is called Śdzٰⲹ.�
ܲṣi (Do.).—‘Having pronounced om bhūrܱḥḥ, he pronounces the 屹ٰī verse beginning with Tat savitu�.�
�ܻⲹԲ-ٳūٰ, 2. 4. 21.—‘The Brāhmaṇa who daily, at all junctures, meditates upon this, becomes purified to Brahmaṇa and merged in Brāhma�; following the scriptures, he wins the Brahmic regions.�
ղ (Parāśaramādhava, p. 285).—‘By repeating the Gāyatrī ten times one becomes absolved from all little sins committed during the day; repeated a hundred times, she destroys a host of sins; repeated a thousand times, she destroys all minor sins; by repeating it a lakh of times, all the most heinous sins are destroyed; by repeating it a crore of times, one obtains all that is desired.�
ṃvٲ (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Saṃskāra, p. 522).—‘One should utter the ʰṇa first: after that, the ղṛt; and then the 屹ٰī.�
۴Dz-峾ⲹ (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Āhnika, p. 258).—‘Gāvatrī is Brahmā and 屹ٰī is Rudra.�
Yama (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Āhnika, p. 321, also Parāśaramadhava, p. 284).—‘One should daily repeat the Gāyatrī, which is destructive of all sins, a thousand times, or a hundred times, or at least ten times; the Lord put the Gāyatrī in one pan and the Vedas along with the subsidiary sciences in the other pan of the scale; and the two were found equal.�
ṅg (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Āhnika, p. 322)—‘One who is intent upon the ʰṇa, the seven ղṛt, and the three-footed Gāyatrī has no fear anywhere.�
īٲ (īٰǻ岹ⲹ-Āhnika, p. 323).—‘The ʰṇa, the ղṛt the 屹ٰī verse,—these constitute the 屹ٰ, whereby one becomes absolved from sins; by hundred repetitions, from sins of thought; by thousand repetitions, from sins of word; and by ten thousand repetitions, from all sins, and has his soul perfectly pure.�