Manusmriti with Mitakshra Commentary of Medhatithi by Ganganatha Jha (1920)

मिताक्षरा (१०७६ -११२१)

मनुमेकाग्रमासीनमभिगम्य महर्षयः । प्रतिपूज्य यथान्यायमिदं वचनमब्रुवन्-The Great Sages, having approached Manu, paid their respect to him in due form, and finding him seated with mind calm and collected, addressed him these words—(1)

Now, in the text we have tho declarations—(l) ‘the Great Sages, having approached Manu, said to him—‘do please expound to us the Duties of Man,’ and (2) ‘being thus questioned by them, He said—‘listen’; and these two—the question and its answer—in their import, are expressive of the one idea that the Treatise expounds the Dharmas; (he word ‘Dharma’ is in common parlance used in the sense of that means of accomplishing one’s good which is not cognisable by any of the ordinary means of knowledge, with the sole exception of ‘word.’ Hence when it is said ‘listen to Dharma,’ what is meant is that what is going to be expounded is conducive to the fulfilment of the higher ends of man.

मनुस्मृति – मेधातिथि भाष्य

Discourse I – Origin of the Work—Creation of the World—Summary of Contents of the Book
Section I – Question of the Sages
Section II – Manu’s Answer
Section III – Origin of the World
Section IV – Creation Of Water
Section V – Birth of Brahmā
Section VI – Meaning of the term ‘Nārāyaṇa’
Section VII – Nature of Brahmā
[A different explanation of verses 3-11]
Section VIII – Creation of Heaven and Earth
Section IX – Creation of the World from ‘Mahat’ downwards
Section X – Creation of the Gods
Section XI – Creation of the Vedas
Section XII – Creation of Time
Section XIII – Creation of Happiness
Section XIV – Differentiation of Virtue and Vice
Section XV – Creation of Gross and Subtile things
Section XVI – Creation dependent upon ‘Karma’
[A different explanation of verses 28-30]
Section XVII – Creation of the Brāhmaṇa and other castes
Section XVIII – Creation of the Male and the Female
Section XIX – Creation of Manu
Section XX – Creation of Marīci and other Sages
Section XXI – Creation of the Semi-divine Beings
Section XXII – Creation of Clouds, etc
Section XXIII – Creation of Birds and Animals
Section XXIV – Creation of Insects and Reptiles and Immovable Things
Section XXV – The Viviparous, Oviparous, Sweat-born and Vegetable Beings
Section XXVI – Different ways of Fruit-bearing
Section XXVII – Clumps, thickets and grasses &c
Section XXVIII – Disappearance of Brahmā
Section XXIX – The Great Dissolution
Section XXX – Exit of the Individual Soul
Section XXXI – Transmigration of the Individual Soul
Section XXXII – Creation of all things by Brahmā’s waking and sleeping
Section XXXIII – Origin of the Law
Section XXXIV – Advice to Learn from Bhṛgu
Section XXXV – Bhṛgu Begins
Section XXXVI – Manvantara and the Seven Manus
Section XXXVII – Measures of Time
Section XXXVIII – ‘Day and Night’ of the ‘Pitṛs’
Section XXXIX – ‘Day’ and ‘Night’ of the ‘Gods’
Section XL – The ‘day’ of Brahmā and the ‘Yugas’
Section XLI – The Yuga—Time-Cycle—of the Gods
Section XLII – ‘Day and Night’ of Brahmā
Section XLIII – Brahmā creates the Mind and applies it to creation
Section XLIV – Ākāśa produced out of ‘Mind’ [the Great Principle of Intelligence]
Section XLV – Wind (vāyu) after Ākāśa
Section XLVI – Light (jyoti) after Wind (vāyu)
Section XLVII – Water (ap) after Light (jyoti): Earth (bhūmi) after Water
Section XLVIII – Regime of one Manu
Section XLIX – Manvantara
Section L – Dharma perfect in the Kṛta Cycle
Section LI – Virtue loses one ‘foot’ in each succeeding Cycle
Section LII – The span of Human Life in each Cycle
Section LIII – Characteristics of the Cycles
Section LIV – Variation of ‘Virtue’ in the four Cycles
Section LV – Distribution of Functions among the several castes, part 1: of the Brāhmaṇa
Section LVI – Distribution of Functions among the several castes, part 2: of the Kṣatriya
Section LVII – Distribution of Functions among the several castes, part 3: of the Vaiśya
Section LVIII – Distribution of Functions among the several castes, part 4: of the Śūdra
Section LIX – Superiority of the Brāhmaṇa
Section LX – Institutes to be studied by the Brāhmaṇa
Section LXI – Results accruing from the study of the Institutes
Section LXII – Contents of the Treatise

Discourse II – Sources of Knowledge of Dharma
Section I – Dharma defined
Section II – Selfishness Deprecated
Section III – Sources of Knowledge of Dharma
Section IV – Conflict of Authorities
Section V – Persons entitled to the Performance of Dharma
Section VI – Qualified Countries
Section VII – Summing up
Section VIII – Duties and Sacraments
Section IX – The ‘jātakarma’ sacrament
Section X – The ‘Naming Ceremony’ (nāmadheya)
Section XI – The Ceremony of ‘First Egress,’ (niṣkramaṇa) and that of ‘First Feeding,’ (annaprāśana)
Section XII – Tonsure (cūḍākarma)
Section XIII – Initiation (upanayana)
Section XIV – Hair-clipping (keśānta)
Section XV – Sacraments for Females
Section XVI – General Duties of Twice-born Men
Section XVII – Rules of Study
Section XVIII – Control of Sensual Desires
Section XIX – Twilight Prayers
Section XX – Non-observance of Holidays
Section XXI – Continuation of the Duties of the Initiated Boy
Section XXII – Specially qualified Pupils
Section XXIII – Rules regarding Salutation
Section XXIV – Degrees of Respect
Section XXV – Meaning of the Title ‘Ācārya’
Section XXVI – Chastisement of Pupils
Section XXVII – Equanimity under Ill-Treatment
Section XXVIII – Course and Method of Study
Section XXIX – Meaning of Term ‘Twice-born’
Section XXX – Rules to be observed by the Religious Student
Section XXXI – Acquiring of Learning from the Lowest

Discourse III – Duties of the Householder
Section I – Period of Studentship
Section II – Entrance into the Household
Section III – Marriageable Girls
Section IV – The Eight Forms of Marriage
Section V – Duties of Marital Life
Section VI – Rules Regarding Marriage
Section VII – Duties of the Householder
Section VIII – Śrāddhas
Section IX – The Sanctifiers of Company
Section X – Method of Invitation
Section XI – Origin of the Pitṛs and the Mode of Worshipping them
Section XII – Vessels to be used at Śrāddhas
Section XIII – Order of Sequence
Section XIV – Method of Feeding
Section XV – Procedure after Feeding
Section XVI – Essentials of Śrāddha
Section XVII – Request for Benediction of Ancestors
Section XVIII – Disposal of Offerings
Section XIX – Feeding of Relations
Section XX – Domestic Offerings after Śrāddha
Section XXI – Relative Merits of the Offering-Materials
Section XXII – Time for Śrāddha
Section XXIII – Rewards of Offerings to Pitṛs
Section XXIV – Commended Food
Section XXV – Summing Up

Discourse IV – Duties of the Householder: Means of Livelihood
Section I – General Remarks
Section II – Means of Subsistence
Section III – The Observances of the Accomplished Student
Section IV – The ‘Five Sacrifices’
Section V – The Agnihotra and the Darśa-Pūrṇamāsa
Section VI – The Harvest-Sacrifice
Section VII – Attending upon Guests
Section VIII – Duties of the Accomplished Student: Sources of Wealth
Section IX – Personal Cleanliness
Section X – Gifts not to be Accepted
Section XI – Daily Duties
Section XII – Vedic Study
Section XIII – Days unfit for Study
Section XIV – Other Duties
Section XV – Charity
Section XVI – Avoid Pious Vanity
Section XVII – Accumulate Spiritual Merit
Section XVIII – Relationships and Connections
Section XIX – Accepting of Gifts
Section XX – Control of Speech
Section XXI – End of the Householding Stage
Section XXII – Summing Up

Discourse V – Sources of Evil
Section I – What shortens Life?
Section II – Objectionable Food
Section III – Penalty for eating Forbidden Food
Section IV – Killing of Animals for Food
Section V – Stale Food
Section VI – Lawful and Forbidden Meat
Section VII – Impurity due to Death
Section VIII – Sapiṇḍa: relationship as bearing on ‘Impurity’
Section IX – Other forms of Impurity
Section X – Means of Purification
Section XI – Impurity in the case of persons beyond the pale of Sapiṇḍa relationship
Section XII – Means of Purification for Corporeal Beings (dehin)
Section XIII – Purification of Substances
Section XIV – Duties of Women
Section XV – Conclusion

Discourse VI – Duties of the Hermit and the Renunciate
Section I – Introductory
Section II – The Procedure to be adopted
Section III – Details of the Hermit’s Life
Section XIV – The Renunciate
Section V – The manner of Paying the three Debts
Section VI – Procedure of going forth as a Wandering Mendicant
Section VII – Means of Removing Sin (kilbiṣa)
Section VIII – The Renouncer of the Veda (vedasaṃnyāsika)

Discourse VII – Duties of the King
Section I – Important Position of the King (rājan)
Section II – Punishment (daṇḍa)
Section III – The King’s Assistants (sahāya)
Section IV – Duties of the King
Section V – The Ambassador (dūta)
Section VI – Fortification (durga)
Section VII – Domestic Duties
Section VIII – Duties in Battle (saṅgrāma)
Section IX – Art of Government
Section X – Internal Administration
Section XI – Customs-Duties
Section XII – Daily Routine of Work
Section XIII – War
Section XIV – Consolidation of Conquered Territory
Section XV – General Precepts
Section XVI – Subsequent Routine

Discourse VIII – Law (Civil and Criminal)
Section I – Constitution of the Court of Justice
Section II – The Eighteen Heads of Dispute enumerated
Section III – Constitution of the Court of Justice (continued)
Section IV – The Commencement of Trials
Section V – Protection of the Interest of Minors (bāla)
Section VI – Unclaimed Property
Section VII – Property lost and recovered
Section VIII – Treasure-trove (nidhi)
Section IX – Stolen Property
Section X – Knowledge of Law, Custom and Usage necessary for the King
Section XI – General Rules regarding Judicial Proceedings
Section XII – Non-payment of debt
Section XII (A) – Evidence
Section XII – Exhortation and Examination of Witnesses
Section XIV – Some witnesses to be treated like Śūdra
Section XV – False evidence permissible in special cases
Section XVI – Abstaining from giving evidence
Section XVII – After-effects of Giving Evidence
Section XVIII – Oaths and Ordeals
Section XIX – Effect of False Evidence upon the Suit
Section XX – Penalty for Perjury
Section XXI – Corporal Punishment
Section XXII – Considerations regarding Punishments
Section XXIII – Measures
Section XXIV – Grades Of Fine
Section XXV – Rates of Interest
Section XXVI – Pledges (ādhi)
Section XXVII – Limitation of Interest (kusīdavṛddhi)
Section XXVIII – Sureties (pratibhū)
Section XXIX – Contracts, when invalid
Section XXX – The Royal dues and the King’s duty regarding them
Section XXXI – Liquidation of Debts
Section XXXII – Deposits (nikṣepa)
Section XXXIII – Fraudulent Sale
Section XXXIV – Joint Concerns
Section XXXV – Resumption Of Gifts
Section XXXVI – Non-Payment of Wages
Section XXXVII – Breach of Contract
Section XXXVIII – Rescission of Sale
Section XXXIX – Disputes between Owner and Keeper
Section XL – Disputes regarding Boundaries
Section XLI – Verbal Assault (Abuse and Defamation)
Section XLII – Assaults
Section XLIII – Theft (steya)
Section XLIV – Robbery (sāhasa)
Section XLV – Violence (hiṃsā)
Section XLVI – Adultery
Section XLVII – Summing up of the Sections relating to Criminal Law
Section XLVIII – Laws relating to Civic Misdemeanours
Section XLIX – Summing-up

Discourse IX – Duties of the King (concluded)
Section I – Husband and Wife
Section II – Duty towards Children
Section III – To whom does the Child belong?
Section IV – Duties of Women in Times of Distress (niyoga)
Section V – Repudiation of the Betrothed Maiden
Section VI – Duties of the Husband going Abroad
Section VII – The Recalcitrant Wife: Supersession, Divorce
Section VIII – Seniority among Co-wives
Section IX – The Marriage of Girls
Section X – Impropriety of the Nuptial Fee
Section XI – Summary of the Law Relating to Husband and Wife
Section XI (A) – Inheritance: Equal Division among Sons
Section XII – The entire Property goes to the Eldest Brother
Section XIII – Separation of the Brothers: Partition: Allotment of Shares
Section XIV – Shares of Unmarried Sisters
Section XV – Non-partition oif the Odd Cattle
Section XVI – Detailed Laws of Partition among Sons
Section XVII – Property of one who has no Male Issue: the ‘Appointed Daughter’
Section XVIII – Adoption
Section XIX – Sons not Entitled to a Share in the Parental Property
Section XX – Status of the Son Born by ‘Authorisation’
Section XXI – Shares of Sons born of Mothers of diverse Castes
Section XXII – The Relative Status of the Twelve Kinds of Sons
Section XXIII – The Twelve Kinds of Sons defined
Section XXIV – Inheritance
Section XXV – Strīdhana (property of the wife)
Section XXVI – Disqualifications to Inheritance
Section XXVII – Property of Brothers, and their Mutual Relationship
Section XXVIII – Son’s Property inherited by the Mother
Section XXIX – Impartible Property
Section XXX – Gambling
Section XXXI – Miscellaneous Punishments
Section XXXII – Mortal Sins
Section XXXIII – Disposal of the Fine realised from the Worst Offenders
Section XXXIV – Punishment of the Not Guilty and acquitting of the Guilty
Section XXXV – Consolidation and Settlement of the Kingdom
Section XXXVI – Who are ‘Thorns’ (kaṇṭaka)?
Section XXXVII – Detection of Criminals
Section XXXVIII – Treatment of Criminals and their Punishment
Section XXXIX – The Seven ‘Limbs’ of the Kingdom (saptāṅga)
Section XL – Personal Behaviour of the King
Section XLI – The Treatment of Brāhmaṇas
Section XLII – Summing Up
Section XLIII – Duties of the Vaiśya and the Śūdra
Section XLIV – Conclusion

Discourse X – Abnormal Social Conditions
Section I – The Four Castes and their Purely Legitimate Progeny
Section II – Mixed Castes
Section III – Status of the Mixed Castes
Section IV – Occupations of the Mixed Castes
Section V – Habitation and Dress of the Mixed Castes
Section VI – Other Functions of the Mixed Castes
Section VII – Men of Impure Origin: their Characteristics
Section VIII – Improvement in the Status of Castes
Section VIII (b) – Functions of the Castes
Section IX – Variations in the Functions of the Brāhmaṇa due to Abnormal Conditions
Section X – Occupation of the Kṣatriya during Abnormal Times
Section XI – The Functions of the Vaiśya in Abnormal Times
Section XII – Functions of the Śūdra during Abnormal Times
Section XIII – The Brāhmaṇa in Times of Distress
Section XIV – Sources of Income (vittāgama)
Section XV – Summary

Discourse XI – Expiation of Sins
Section I – ‘Snātakas’ and their Treatment
Section II – The Brāhmaṇa’s Responsibilities and Privileges regarding Sacrificial Performances
Section III – Expiation for the Neglect of the Agnihotra Fire
Section IV – Expiation: General Laws (prāyaścitta)
Section V – Physical Effects of Unexpiated Offences committed in Previous Lives
Section VI – Offences: their Classification
Section VII – Special Expiation for Special Offences: (a) For Killing a Brāhmaṇa
Section VIII – Expiation of drinking Wine (surā)
Section IX – Expiation for stealing Gold (suvarṇa)
Section X – Expiation for the violating of the Preceptor’s Bed (gurutalpa)
Section XI – Expiation of “Minor Offences”: Cow-killing (goghna)
Section XII – Expiation for the Immoral Religious Student (avakīrṇa)
Section XIII – Expiation for Offences causing Loss of Caste
Section XIV – Expiation for the killing of a Kṣatriya, or a Vaiśya or a Śūdra
Section XV – Expiation for the killing of Cats and other Animals
Section XVI – Expiation for cutting Trees and other Offences
Section XVII – Expiation for the Sin of taking Forbidden Food
Section XVIII – Expiation for Theft (steya)
Section XIX – Expiation for Wrongful Sexual Intercourse
Section XX – Expiation for associating with Outcasts
Section XXI – Expiation for the Neglect of ‘Sāvitrī’
Section XXII – Expiation for Brāhmaṇas acquiring Property by Improper Means
Section XXIII – Expiation for the abandoning of Refugees
Section XXIV – Expiation for Dog-bite and similar Offences
Section XXV – Expiation for the Man excommunicated from Repasts
Section XXVI – Expiation for riding a Camel and other similar Offences
Section XXVII – Expiation for hurting and insulting a Brāhmaṇa
Section XXVIII – General Expiation: covering all Unspecified Cases
Section XXIX – Description of the Expiatory Penances
Section XXX – Confession and Repentance
Section XXXI – Austerity (tapas): its Value
Section XXXII – Expiation of Secret Sins

Discourse XII – Philosophy
Section I – Question
Section II – The Philosophy of Action and its Retribution (karmayoga)
Section III – Fruits of Action
Section IV – Meaning of Tridaṇḍa (“triple control”)
Section V – The Responsible Agent: the Self
Section VI – Transmigration
Section VII – The Three Guṇas
Section VIII – States of Existence due to the Three Qualities
Section IX – Details of Transmigration
Section X – The Highest Good
Section XI – Supremacy of the Veda
Section XII – Doubtful Points of Law to be decided by the Assembly
Section XIII – Summing up of the Esoteric Teaching