99. A Brâhmana, coming into existence, is born as the highest on earth, the lord of all created beings, for the protection of the treasury of the law.

100. Whatever exists in the world is the property of the Brahmana; on account of the excellence of his origin the Brâhmana is, indeed, entitled to it all.

IOI. The Brâhmana eats but his own food, wears but his own apparel, bestows but his own in alms; other mortals subsist through the benevolence of the Brahmana.

102. In order to clearly settle his duties and those of the other (castes) according to their order, wise Manu sprung from the Self-existent, composed these Institutes (of the sacred law).

103. A learned Brâhmana must carefully study them, and he must duly instruct his pupils in them, but nobody else (shall do it).

104. A Brâhmana who studies these Institutes (and) faithfully fulfils the duties (prescribed therein), is never tainted by sins, arising from thoughts, words, or deeds.

105. He sanctifies any company (which he may enter), seven ancestors and seven descendants, and he alone deserves (to possess) this whole earth.

106. (To study) this (work) is the best means of securing welfare, it increases understanding, it procures fame and long life, it (leads to) supreme bliss.

100. 'On account of the excellence of his origin,' i. e. because he sprang from Brahman's mouth.

103. The verse is not intended to exclude Kshatriyas and Vaisyas from the right of studying the Manusamhitâ, but merely from teaching it.

104. Samsitavratah, who faithfully fulfils the duties,' is based on Gov.'s full explanation etadarthâvabodhena samsitavrato visishtayamaniyamah san, with which Medh. closely agrees.

107. In this (work) the sacred law has been fully stated as well as the good and bad qualities of (human) actions and the immemorial rule of conduct, (to be followed) by all the four castes (varna).

108. The rule of conduct is transcendent law, whether it be taught in the revealed texts or in the sacred tradition; hence a twice-born man who possesses regard for himself, should be always careful to (follow) it.

109. A Brâhmana who departs from the rule of conduct, does not reap the fruit of the Veda, but he who duly follows it, will obtain the full reward.

110. The sages who saw that the sacred law is thus grounded on the rule of conduct, have taken good conduct to be the most excellent root of all austerity.

III. The creation of the universe, the rule of the sacraments, the ordinances of studentship, and the respectful behaviour (towards Gurus), the most excellent rule of bathing (on return from the teacher's house),

107. 'The good and bad qualities of (human) actions,' i. e. according to Medh., Gov., Kull., and Nand. the good and the bad results of actions,' or according to Râgh. and Nâr. the prescribed actions which are good and the forbidden ones which are bad.'

108. My translation of âtmavân, 'who possesses regard for himself,' follows Medh. and Kull. Gov. explains it by 'of excellent disposition,' Nâr. by endowed with firmness,' and Râgh. by who believes in a life after death.'

109. Vedaphalam, 'the fruit of the Veda,' i.e. 'the rewards for the acts prescribed by the Veda' (Medh., Gov., Kull., and Nâr.).

110. Vas. VI, 1-8. The rule of conduct or good conduct' (âkâra), mentioned here and in the preceding verses, comprises the numerous usages prescribed partly in the Veda and partly in the Dharmasâstras, such as anointing oneself with butter on the occasion of particular sacrifices or sipping water on certain occasions.

112. (The law of) marriage and the description of the (various) marriage-rites, the regulations for the great sacrifices and the eternal rule of the funeral sacrifices,

113. The description of the modes of (gaining) subsistence and the duties of a Snâtaka, (the rules regarding) lawful and forbidden food, the purification of men and of things,

114. The laws concerning women, (the law) of hermits, (the manner of gaining) final emancipation and (of) renouncing the world, the whole duty of a king and the manner of deciding lawsuits,

115. The rules for the examination of witnesses, the laws concerning husband and wife, the law of (inheritance and) division, (the law concerning) gambling and the removal of (men nocuous like) thorns,

116. (The law concerning) the behaviour of Vaisyas and Sûdras, the origin of the mixed castes, the law for all castes in times of distress and the law of penances,

117. The threefold course of transmigrations, the result of (good or bad) actions, (the manner of attaining) supreme bliss and the examination of the good and bad qualities of actions,

118. The primeval laws of countries, of castes (gâti), of families, and the rules concerning heretics and companies (of traders and the like)—(all that) Manu has declared in these Institutes.

119. As Manu, in reply to my questions, formerly promulgated these Institutes, even so learn ye also the (whole work) from me.

CHAPTER II.

I. Learn that sacred law which is followed by men learned (in the Veda) and assented to in their hearts by the virtuous, who are ever exempt from hatred and inordinate affection.

2. To act solely from a desire for rewards is not laudable, yet an exemption from that desire is not (to be found) in this (world): for on (that) desire is grounded the study of the Veda and the performance of the actions, prescribed by the Veda.

3. The desire (for rewards), indeed, has its root in the conception that an act can yield them, and in consequence of (that) conception sacrifices are performed; vows and the laws prescribing restraints are all stated to be kept through the idea that they will bear fruit.

4. Not a single act here (below) appears ever to be done by a man free from desire; for whatever (man) does, it is (the result of) the impulse of desire. 5. He who persists in discharging these (prescribed duties) in the right manner, reaches the deathless

II.

2.

2o, I−4.

Âp. I, 6, 20, 1-4. 'Is not laudable,' because such a disposition leads not to final liberation, but to new births' (Gov., Kull.). 3. Nand. takes the beginning of the verse differently,' The desire for rewards is the root of the resolve to perform an act' (samkalpa). 'Vows,' i. e. 'acts to be performed during one's whole lifetime, like those of the Snâtaka' (chap. IV), Medh., Gov., Nâr.; 'the vows of a student,' Nand.; 'the laws prescribing restraints,' i. e. 'the prohibitive rules, e. g. those forbidding to injure living beings,' Medh., Gov., Nâr.; the rules affecting hermits and Samnyâsins,' Nand. Kull. refers both terms to the rules in chap. IV.

5. In the right manner,' i. e. ' as they are prescribed in the Vedas and without expecting rewards.' 'The deathless state,' i. e. final liberation.'

state and even in this (life) obtains (the fulfilment of) all the desires that he may have conceived.

6. The whole Veda is the (first) source of the sacred law, next the tradition and the virtuous conduct of those who know the (Veda further), also the customs of holy men, and (finally) self-satisfaction.

7. Whatever law has been ordained for any (person) by Manu, that has been fully declared in the Veda for that (sage was) omniscient.

8. But a learned man after fully scrutinising all this with the eye of knowledge, should, in accordance with the authority of the revealed texts, be intent on (the performance of) his duties.

6. Âp. I, I, I, I−3; Gaut. I, I-4; XXVIII, 48; Vas. I, 4–6 ; Baudh. I, 1, 1, 1–6; Yâgñ. I, 7.

Sila, virtuous conduct,' i. e. the suppression of inordinate affection and hatred,' Medh., Gov.; 'the thirteenfold sîla, behaving as becomes a Brahmana, devotedness to gods and parents, kindliness,' &c., Kull.; that towards which many men who know the Veda naturally incline,' Nâr.; 'that which makes one honoured by good men,' Nand. Customs,' e. g. such as tying at marriages a thread round the wrist of the bride (Medh., Gov.), wearing a blanket or a garment of bark (Kull.). Though the commentators try to find a difference between sîla and âkâra, it may be that both terms are used here, because in some Dharma-sûtras, e. g. Gaut. I, 2, the former and in some the latter (e. g. Vas. I, 5) is mentioned. The 'self-satisfaction,' i. e. of the virtuous (Medh., Gov., Nand.), is the rule for cases not to be settled by any of the other authorities (Nâr., Nand.), or for cases where an option is permitted (Medh., Gov., Kull.).

7. The last clause is taken differently by Gov., who explains it, 'for that (Veda) is made up, as it were, of all knowledge.' Medh. gives substantially the same explanation.

8. All this,' i.e. the Sâstras' (Medh., Gov., Kull.); 'these Institutes of Manu' (Nâr.); these different authorities' (Nand.). 'With the eye of knowledge,' i.e. 'with the help of grammar, of the Mîmâmsâ, &c.' (Medh., Kull.).