Manu's word is Medicine?

 Manu's word is Medicine?


I often hear people put Manu on a pedastal because of a certain verse found in the Vedic texts which say that Manu's word is medicine. 

More specifically, that verse is found in the Krishna Yajur Veda, Taittriya Shaka 2.2.10:

"Yonder sun did not shine, the gods sought an atonement for him, for him they offered this oblation to Soma and Rudra: verily thereby they bestowed brightness upon him. If he desires to become resplendent, he should offer for him this oblation to Soma and Rudra; verily he has recourse to Soma and Rudra with their own portion; verily they bestow upon him splendour; he becomes resplendent. He should offer on the full moon day of the month Tisya; Tisya is Rudra [1], the full moon is Soma; verily straightway he wins splendour. He makes him sacrifice on an enclosed (altar), to acquire splendour. The butter is churned from milk of a white (cow) with a white calf; butter is used for the sprinkling, and they purify themselves with butter; verily he produces whatever splendour exists. 'Too much splendour is produced', they say, 'he is liable to become a leper'; he should insert the verses of Manu's; whatever Manu said is medicine; verily he makes medicine for him. If he fear, 'I shall become a leper', he should offer an oblation to Soma and Pusan; man has Soma as his deity, cattle are connected with Pusan; verily he makes him a skin by means of his own deity and cattle; he does not become a leper. He who desires offspring should offer an oblation to Soma and Rudra; Soma is the bestower of seed, Agni is the begetter of offspring; verily Soma bestows on him seed, Agni begets offspring; he obtains [3] offspring"

It seems like the passage is talking about a certain Vedic ritual in which some verses expounded by Manu is used. The statement that whatever Manu says is medicine seems to be Arthavada enjoining the usage of verses by Manu, nothing more nothing less.

In what context would this refer to the Manusmriti? Why would verses smriti texts be used for Vedic rituals. Moreover, why would the eternal, authorless Vedic texts mention an embodied being like Manu, even Swayambhuva Manu. If it is Kalpabedha, there is nothing to suggest that the Manu of the previous Kalpa would have made statements similar to the ones found in the Manusmriti of the present Kalpa.   

So what type of verses of Manu is the quoted passage refering to? Probably something Kanda XIII, adhyaya 4, brahmana 3:


" 'King Manu Vaivasvata,' he says;--'his people are Men, and they are staying here[5];'-householders , unlearned in the scriptures, have come thither[6]: it is these he instructs;--'The Ṛk (verses) are the Veda[7]: this it is;' thus saying, let him go over a hymn of the Ṛc, as if reciting it[8]. Masters of lute-players have come thither: these he calls upon, 'Masters of lute-players,' he says, 'sing ye of this Sacrificer along with righteous kings of yore[9]!' and they accordingly sing of him; and in thus singing of him, they make him share the same world with the righteous kings of yor"

Here, Manu is teaching Rk- verses, or the class of verses that make up the Rig veda. Curiously, we have verses in the Rig veda attributed some person named "Manu".


Rig Veda 8.27 Rsi Manu Vaivasvata:


 "Agni is the Purohita at the sacrifice; the stones, the sacred grass (are prepared) for the ceremony. Iinvoke with the holy verse the Maruts, Brahmaṇaspati, and all the gods, for their desirable protection.” 

You come (Agni) to the victim, to the dwelling (of the worshipper), to the touchwood, to the Soma, atdawn and at night; universal deities, givers of wealth, knowing all things, be the defenders of our pious actṣ 

Let the ancient sacrifice proceed first to Agni, then to the gods, -- to the Ādityas, to Varuṇa, observantof obligations, to the all-resplendent Maruts. 

May the universal deities, possessors of all opulence, destroyers of foes, be (near) to Manu for hisprosperity; do you, who know all things, secure to us an abode safe from robbers through unassailableprotections 

Universal deities, united together and of one mind, come this day to us, (attracted) by the sacred praiseaddressed to you; and do you, Maruts, and the mighty goddess Aditi, (come) to the dwelling, (our) abode 

Direct, Maruts, your beloved horses (to our rite); Mitra, (come to our) oblations; and may Indra, andVaruṇa, and the swift leaders, the Ādityas, sit down on our sacred grass 

Bearing the clipped sacred grass, offering in due order the (sacrificial) food, presenting the effusedSoma, and having the fires kindled, we invoke you, Varuṇa, (and the rest), as did Manus 

Maruts, Viṣṇu, Aśvins, Pūṣan, come here (induced) by my praise; may Indra, the first (of the gods),also come, the showerer (of benefits), he who is praised by (his) worshippers as the slayer of Vṛtra 

He enlarges his dweling, he has abundant food who offers you (oblations) to obtain a blessing; throughhis pious acts he is born on every side in his children; all prosper (through your favour) unharmed (by enemies). 

He gains (wealth) without war, he travels along the roads with quick (horses), whom Aryaman, Mitraa nd Varuṇa, alike munificent, and acting in concert, protect. 

You enable him (Manu) to proceed by an unobstructed road; you grant him easy access to difficultpasses; may the weapon (of the foe) be far from him, and, inflicting no injury, perish.

We solicit of you, resplendent deities, as a son (of a father), that which is to be enjoyed by many;offering oblations, may we obtain that (wealth), Ādityas, by which we may possess abundance"


We also have Rig Veda 9.101.10-13 Manu Samvarana:

"The brilliant Soma juices flow for us knowing the right path, friendly (to the gods), effused sinless, contemplative, all-knowing.

Effused by the stones, recognized upon the cowhide acquirers of wealth they bestow food upon us from all sides.

These filtered Soma juices, intelligent, mixed with curds, swift-moving, firm in the water (are) brilliant as suns"

Finally there is Rsi Manu Apsava 9.106.7-9:

"Flow, Indu, in your strength with your streams for the banquet of the gods; sit down, Soma, who are sweet-flavoured, in our pitcher

 Your drops, goint to the water, have exalted Indra to exhilaration; the gods have quaffed you, the delighter, for immortality

 Bring us wealth, bright Soma juices effused, filtered, filling the sky with rain, shedding water (upon the earth) acquiring all things. "


In all probability, the Yajur Veda texts was refering to Manu's verses from Rig Veda 8.27. Even if we are to consider any other person named Manu, instead of Vaivasvata Manu, then we have the other two. No where can we conclusively establish a link between these statements and the Manusmriti. 

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