1217. i.e., punishments were not necessary in former times, or very light ones were sufficient.  The Burdwan version of this verse is thoroughly ridiculous.

1218.  Hence extermination is the punishment that has become desirable.

1219.  Hence, by slaying them no injury is done to any one in this or the other world.

1220.  Padma means, the ornaments of corpses.  Grave-stealers that were in every country.  Pisachat is Pisachopahatat.  Evidently, idiots and mad men were the persons who were regarded to have been possessed by evil spirits.  Daiyatam is an accusative which, like, Samayam is governed by the transitive verb Kurvita.  Yah kaschit means yah kaschit mudyhah, na tu prajnah.  The Burdwan version of this verse shows that the person entrusted with this portion of the Canti was altogether incompetent for the task.  K.P.  Singha gives the meaning correctly.

1221.  The commentator supposes that after sadhun the word kartum is understood.  The line may also be taken as meaning,—­’If thou dost not succeed in rescuing the honest without slaying (the wicked).’  Bhuta bhavya is sacrifice.  The prince speaks of exterminating the rogues by slaying them as animals in a sacrifice because of the declaration in the Srutis that those killed in sacrifices ascend to heaven, purged of all their sins.  Such acts, therefore, seem to be merciful to the prince, compared to death by hanging or on the block.

1222.  The world thus improves in conduct and morality through the king only behaving in a proper way.  Cruel punishments are scarcely needed to reform the world.

1223.  The period of human life decreases proportionately in every succeeding age, as also the strength of human beings.  In awarding punishments, the king should be guided by these considerations.

1224.  The word satya is used here for Emancipation.  Mahaddahrmaphalam is true knowledge, so called because, of its superiority to heaven, etc.  The way pointed out by Manu is, of course, the religion of harmlessness.  In verse 35, there is an address to prince Satyavat.  It seems, as I have pointed out, that verses 32 to 35 represent the words of the grandsire to whom the prince refers in verse 31.

1225.  The redundant syllable is arsha.

1226.  Both acts and knowledge have been pointed out in the Vedas.  The Vedas, therefore, being authority for both, one or the other cannot be censured or applauded.

1227.  Arsha means here Vedic injunctions declared through the mouths of inspired Rishis and compiled by Rishis.  Viditatmanah is the Supreme Being himself.  The object of the speaker is to show that no part of the Vedas can be censured, for every word in them is equally authoritative, all being God’s own.

1228.  Deva-yanah is explained by the commentator as Devam atmanam janti ebhiriti, i.e., those by which the Soul is reached.  The relative strength or weakness of the four modes of life hath been thus indicated.  The Sannyasin attains to Moksha or Emancipation; the forest recluse to the region of Brahman; the house-holder attains to heaven (region of the deities presided over by Indra) and the Brahmacharin attains to the region of the Rishis.