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 鈥楧harma鈥�, 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 2.83
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:
啶忇啶距啷嵿し啶班 啶ぐ啶� 啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ 啶啶班ぞ啶｀ぞ啶ぞ啶 啶ぐ啶� 啶むお啶� 啷�
啶膏ぞ啶掂た啶む啶班啶ぞ啶膏啶む 啶ぐ啶� 啶ㄠぞ啶膏啶むた 啶啶ㄠぞ啶む 啶膏い啷嵿く啶� 啶掂た啶多た啶粪啶い啷� 啷� 啷ォ 啷�ek膩k峁ra峁� para峁� brahma pr膩峁嚹亂膩ma岣� para峁� tapa岣� |
s膩vitry膩stu para峁� n膩sti maun膩t satya峁� vi艣i峁ate || 83 ||The mono-syllable is the highest Brahman; Breath-suspensions are the highest austerity; nothing is higher than the S膩vitr墨 verse; truth is better than Silence.鈥�(83)
惭别诲丑腻迟颈迟丑颈鈥檚 commentary (尘补苍耻产丑腻峁补):
The 鈥�monosyllable鈥� is the syllable 鈥�om.鈥欌�擨t is the 鈥�Supreme Brahman,鈥� in the sense that it is the means of reaching Brahman. This assertion is based upon the fact that Brahman is attained by the 鈥榬epeating,鈥� and 鈥榯he meditation upon the signification,鈥� of the syllable (as mentioned in 驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补 1.28). 鈥�Om鈥� is a name of Brahman; as says the 驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补 (1.23)鈥斺�楾he Pra峁嘺va is expressive of Him (God).鈥�
鈥淚n comparison with what is this the highest?鈥�
It is higher than all other forms of Brahman-meditation. The meditation upon the syllable 鈥�om鈥� as Brahman is superior to all the several forms of meditation mentioned in such texts as 鈥極ne should meditate upon food as Brahman鈥� (Taittir墨ya Upani峁d, 2.2.1), 鈥楾he teaching is that the Sun is Brahman鈥� (Ch膩ndogya Upani峁d, 3.19.1); and this for the simple reason that the attainment of Brahman has been described as proceeding from the mere recitation of that syllable; and also because the word itself has been described as 鈥楤rahman,鈥� in such passages as鈥斺�極ne who is well versed in Brahman in the form of Word attains the supreme Brahman.鈥� (Maitry 耻辫补苍颈峁诲, 6.22). Nothing is beyond the reach of words, and of' all words the syllable 鈥�om鈥� is the very source: as says the 艢谤耻迟颈鈥斺�楯ust as the needle pierces through all the leaves, so in the same manner is all speech pierced by om, all this is om itself鈥� (Ch膩ndogya Upani峁d, 2.23.4). The 鈥榩iercing鈥� spoken of in this passage means 鈥榩ervasion,鈥� 鈥榖ecoming the receptacle.鈥� 鈥淏ut in what manner is all speech pierced by om?鈥�
Well, as regards the word of the Veda, it has already been pointed out (in verse 74) that its source lies in the syllable 鈥�om鈥� As regards the words of secular speech, it has been declared by 膧pastamba (1.4.13.9) that 鈥楢ll sentences should be preceded by om.鈥�
The above passage (from the Ch膩ndogya) has been explained differently in the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲-产丑腻峁补; we are not reproducing that explanation here, as it has no bearing on the present context.
The term 鈥�breath-suspension鈥� here stands for the act of suspending the breath along with the entire procedure beginning with the sipping of water.
鈥�Highest austerity鈥�i.e., an austerity higher than the C膩ndr膩va峁嘺 and the rest.
鈥淲hat is the superiority here (meant by the epithet 鈥�丑颈驳丑别蝉迟鈥�)?鈥�
It is purely figurative.
鈥�There is nothing higher than the S膩vitr墨鈥�;鈥�i.e., no other mantra.
In praise of all this we have the next expression鈥斺��Truth is better than silence鈥� 鈥�Silence鈥� is control of speech. And the result accruing from the telling of truth is superior to that resulting from the control of speech. Since the telling of truth implies the acting up to a positive injunction, while in silence there is observance of the mere prohibition of telling lies.
This verse is purely valedictory.鈥�(83)
Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha
惭别诲丑腻迟颈迟丑颈 (P. 114, 1. 12)鈥斺��膧pastamba vacan膩t鈥欌�擳his refers to 膧pastamba鈥檚 Dharmas奴tra 1.4.13.9, the whole of which reads as follows鈥�
loke ca bh奴tikarmasvetad墨nyeca v膩ky膩ni syuryath膩 pupy膩ha峁� svassy峁沝dhimiti
This verse is quoted in 痴墨谤补尘颈迟谤辞诲补测补 (膧hnika, p. 321), where the same verse is attributed to Yama also.
Comparative notes by various authors
痴补蝉颈峁ａ弓丑补-蝉尘峁泃颈, 5-6.鈥斺�楾he one syllable is Brahman Supreme; Breath-suspension is the highest penance; alms-begging is superior to fasting; and compassion is superior to charity.鈥�
痴颈峁ａ箛耻-蝉尘峁泃颈, 55 17鈥擺reproduces the words of Manu].
Yama (痴墨谤补尘颈迟谤辞诲补测补-膧hnika, p. 321).鈥斺�楾he syllable om is the highest Brahman; Breath-suspension is the highest penance; there is nothing superior to the S膩vitr墨; Truth is superior to silence;鈥攁ll Vedic acts may dwindle away, but the syllable should be recognised as never dwindling;鈥攖he highest Brahman in the shape of the single syllable has been declared
to be the best purifier; there is nothing superior to the G膩yatri; Truth is superior to silence. Daily one should repeat the G膩yatr墨, 1,000 or 100 or at least 10 times, as destructive of all sins.鈥�