visṛjya rājyaṁ tapase

śatarūpā-patiḥ prabhuḥ

visṛjya rājyaṁ tapase

sabhāryo vanam āviśat

The husband of Śatarūpā, Svāyambhuva Manu, detached from material enjoyment, gave up his kingdom and entered the forest with his wife to practice austerities.

|| 8.1.8 ||

sunandāyāṁ varṣa-śataṁ

padaikena bhuvaṁ spṛśan

tapyamānas tapo ghoram

idam anvāha bhārata

O descendant of Bharata! Svāyambhuva Manu, standing on one leg on the bank of the River Sunandā, performed great austerities for one hundred years. At that time, he chanted as follows.

Avāha means “he chanted.”

|| 8.1.9||

śrī-manur uvāca

yena cetayate viśvaṁ

viśvaṁ cetayate na yam

yo jāgarti śayāne 'smin

nāyaṁ taṁ veda veda saḥ

Manu said: The Lord brings the universe to life. The universe does not bring the Lord to life. While the universe sleeps, the Lord is awake. The universe does not know him, but he knows everything.

Yena here means yaḥ (he who brings the universe to life.) The people in the universe do not know he who brings the universe to life and whom the universe does not bring to life, who is awake while the universe is sleeping in deep sleep, or in pralaya, and who sleeps in yoga-nidrā, while the universe is not awake (this phrase should be added). The Lord knows the universe.

 

|| 8.1.10||

ātmāvāsyam idaṁ viśvaṁ

yat kiñcij jagatyāṁ jagat

tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā

mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam

Whatever exists in this universe is the dwelling place of the Lord. Enjoy wealth that is given by the Lord and do not hanker for what is not given by him. Whose wealth is it, except the Lord’s?

Showing the nature of God as the controller, Manu teaches his sons and daughters. Whatever place, body or senses (jagat) exist in the three worlds (jagatyām) is meant for the Lord to dwell in (āvāsyam), since it has been created by the Lord for his pastimes. Therefore one should build the temple of the Lord at various places and establish a deity of the Lord. Then, taking his permission, with the mentality of being his servant, one should build one’s own house, of inferior quality. One should not consider that place to be one’s own, and by that reasoning not built the Lord’s temple. Even if one is wealthy, one should enjoy only what is given by the Lord, just as workers are given pay by their master. Enjoy what is given, and do not desire what is not given. Spending profusely on the Lord and his devotees, one should take the remainder and use that for feeding oneself and one’s family, friends and other worthy people. “But wife and children will not accept such conduct.” Scolding, Manu says, “Whose wealth is this?”  Svit indicates a question. Thought the wealth is in your house, whose is it, except the Lord’s? Nārada says:

 

yāvad bhriyeta jaṭharaṁ tāvat svatvaṁ hi dehinām

adhikaṁ yo ’bhimanyeta sa steno daṇḍam arhati

 

One may claim proprietorship to as much wealth as required to maintain his body. He who desires proprietorship over more than that is considered a thief, and he deserves to be punished. SB 7.14.8

 

Or another meaning is “Do not hanker for anyone else’s wealth.” This verse is similar to the śruti mantra of Īśopaniṣad:

 

īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat

 tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam

 

This visible world, and whatever exists beyond perception, is under the control of the Lord. Because of this you should enjoy only what is allotted to you by the Lord through karma. Do not hanker for more than that. Whose property is it?

|| 8.1.11||