THE BOOK OF THE LAWS OF MANU.
49
literally, and explain the implied meaning.[1] They often compare a statement in the text with some Vedic text, in order to test the validity of the Mānava text.[2]
In order to illustrate a verse, Medhātithi quite often takes instances from the customs around him as he saw them.[3] He again points out at times any redundant words he may find.[4] Nor does he shrink from declaring many verses as arthvādas, which means that the moral only of the verse is to be believed.[5]
- ↑ Our text lays down a rule: "If a man has a wife, and with the begged money, weds a second wife, then the child (of the second wife) does not belong to the father, but to the giver of the money" (xi, 5). Govindarāja and Kullūka here warn us not to take the verse in a literal sense. "The object of the verse is to forbid that alms shall be asked or given for such a purpose."
- ↑ When our text says (ix, 65) "that Niyoga or the appointment of the widows is nowhere mentioned in the Vedas, Medhātithi, while commenting on ix, 66, points out that the custom is mentioned in Rig-Veda x, 402.
- ↑ The text says (vii, 13). "Let no man therefore transgress that law which the king decrees with respect to his favorites, nor his orders which inflict pain on those in disfavor." In order to illustrate the rule Medhatithi gives the following instances. If a king orders that during the celebration of a wedding in the house of a minister or other favorite, a public festival is to be held in town, that everybody is to appear on the occasion, Or, that during so and so many days no animals are to be killed, no birds are to be snared, no debtors are to be imprisoned by their creditors, then everybody must obey. The same shall be the case if the king orders with respect to persons in disfavor that they are to be shunned by everybody, that nobody is to enter their houses.
- ↑ In the text we find a precept that the names of women should be easy to pronounce, not imply anything dreadful, possess a plain meaning, be pleasing and auspicious, end in long vowels and contain a word of benediction (ii, 33). Medhātithi irreverently, but pertinently, remarks that there is no difference between auspiciousness (mangala) and benediction (ashirvāda) and the latter word is added merely in order to complete the verse.
- ↑ Our text says (iii, 50): "He who avoids women on the six forbidden nights and on eight others, is (equal in chastity to)
