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388
LAWS OF MANU.
IX, 259.
259. Officials of high rank and physicians who act improperly, men living by showing their proficiency in arts, and clever harlots,
260. These and the like who show themselves openly, as well as others who walk in disguise (such as) non-Aryans who wear the marks of Aryans, he should know to be thorns in the side of his people).
261. Having detected them by means of trustworthy persons, who, disguising themselves, (pretend) to follow the same occupations and by means of spies, wearing various disguises, he must cause them to be instigated to commit offences), and bring them into his power.
259. Mahâmâtra, officials of high rank,' i.e.'courtiers such as councillors and domestic priests' (Medh.), or 'ministers' (Nar.), is taken by Kull. and Râgh. in its other sense, elephant-breakers.' Silpopakârayuktah, men living by showing their proficiency in arts,' i. e. such as cut figures out of chips of cane and the like' (Medh., Râgh.), or painters and the like' (Kull.). Nâr. and Nand. read silpopakârayuktah, i.e. 'artists such as painters and persons adorning (upakâra) people such as hairdressers' (Nâr.), or 'umbrella and fan makers' (Nand.). Medh. says that asamyakkârinah,' who act improperly,' must be taken with all the four classes of persons enumerated.
260. När. and Nand. read vigâtîyân, such and the like open (rogues) of many kinds,' and connect the accusatives in this verse with viditvâ in the next. Kull, takes vigânîyât, 'let him know (to be),' in the sense of let him discover (through spies).'
261. The translation follows Nâr.'s explanation, who reads protsahya (likewise found in Gov., Râgh., and K.) instead of protsadya, found in the editions, in Kull.'s and probably also in Medh.'s version. The reading protsadya, 'having destroyed them,' is objectionable on account of the following verse. Râgh. explains protsâhya differently; he says, 'having inspired them with energy by saying, "you must give up this livelihood and earn money by agriculture, trade, and the like," he shall induce to adopt a honest mode of line through desire for money.' Nand. seems to
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