[Advaita-l] Vedasamrakshanam / Qn. on 'Nirukta'

[Anand Hudli]

>I am looking for a good translation of the following verse from the
Nirukta:

>य आतृणत्त्यवितथेन कर्णावदुःखं कुर्वन्नमृतं संप्रयच्छन् |
>तं मन्येत पितरं मातरं च तस्मै न द्रुह्येत कतमच्चनाह || (Nirukta 2.1.4)

Dear Subrahmanian-ji,

One translation is:

One should regard him as a father and mother, and should never offend him
who pierces ears with truth, without causing pain, and bestowing nectar
(amR^ita).

The vR^itti on the Nirukta by durgAcharya quotes here a reference from the
Manu Smriti (2.146):

utpaadakabrahmadaatrorgariiyaan.h brahmadaH pitaa |
brahmajanma hi viprasya pretya chaiha cha shaashvatam.h ||

Between the natural father who (is responsible for) the birth and one who
gives (the knowledge of) the Veda, the latter is greater, because birth for
the Veda yields eternal (rewards) in this life and after death.

Regarding Nirukta 2.1.4, the Manu Smriti contains a similar sounding shloka
(2-144):

ya aavR^iNotyavitathaM brahmaNaa shravaNaavubhau |

sa maataa sa pitaa GYeyastaM na druhyet.h kadaa chana ||

One who fills both the ears with the Veda (avitathaM) truthfully (i.e.
teaches the Veda truthfully) should be considered as the mother and father;
he must never be offended.

Similar verses are found in vAsiShTha dharma sUtra, the ViShNu dharma sUtra,
and the Apastamba dharma sUtra.

All the four verses of the Nirukta 2.4 are found in the Samhitopanishad as
per the footnote.

Regards,

Anand