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LAWS OF MANU.
CHAPTER 1. 1. The great sages approached Manu, who was seated with a collected mind, and, having duly worshipped him, spoke as follows:
2. 'Deign, divine one, to declare to us precisely and in due order the sacred laws of each of the (four chief) castes (varna) and of the intermediate ones.
3. 'For thou, O Lord, alone knowest the purport, (i. e.) the rites, and the knowledge of the soul, (taught) in this whole ordinance of the Self-existent (Svayambha), which is unknowable and unfathomable.'
I. 1. Kull. thinks that pratipügya,'having worshipped,' may also mean after mutual salutations,' and he connects, against the opinion of the other commentators,'duly' with 'spoke.' Gov., Nár., Râgh., and K., as well as various MSS. (Loiseleur I, p. 313 ; Bikaner Cat. P. 419), begin the Samhita with the following verse, omitted by Medh., Kull., and Nand.: Having adored the self-existent Brahman, possessing immeasurable power, I will declare the various eternal laws which Manu promulgated.'
2. After this verse Nand, inserts four lines, the first and last of which are also found in K.: (a) The origin of the whole multitude of created beings, of those born from the womb, of those born from eggs, of those produced from exudations and from germinating seeds, and their destruction;' (b). The settled rule of all customs and rites deign to describe at large, according to their times and fitness.'
3. "The ordinance of the Self-existent,' i.e. 'the Veda' (Kull., Når., and Rågh.), or the Veda or the prescriptive rules (vidhi)
is.
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