Talk:Manusmrti

By Swami Harshananda

Manusmrti (‘the smṛti of Manu’)

The Manusmrti—among the Hindu religious works—has the unique distinction of being thoroughly misunderstood and even reviled, in the modern days, especially in post-independence India. However, it goes to the credit of Manu himself (4.176) that rules which cause widespread resentment among the people, even if they are dharma (by earlier standards), should be given up. This is akin to changing the constitution if the people of a country so desire.

The extant Manusmrti which comprises 12 adhyāyas or chapters, has 2694 ślokas or verses in the anuṣṭubh metre.

Scholars have battled for years to establish the identity and the time of Manu, the author of this treatise. He is certainly not one of the 14 Manus (progenitors of mankind and rulers over the manvantaras) mentioned in the epics and the purāṇas. He must have been a great sage and an erudite law-giver since he has been widely quoted by many a writer of dharmaśāstras.

The present work probably took the final shape during the period 200 B. C.-A. D. 200. Though it contains earlier and later strata, as seen from quite a few conflicting or contradictory statements on the same

point, the number of recasts do not seem to be many.

Sometimes, a theory is hazarded that the extant Manusmrti is a work based on an earlier one called Mānavadharmasutra. This, however, has been rejected by well-known scholars in this field (vide Dr. P. V. Kane, History of Dharmaśāstra, vol. 1, part 1, p. 149, Poona, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, 1968).

A brief account of the contents of the extant work may now be given:

Chapter 1 (119 verses)

Creation of the world and various creatures; divisions of time; varṇadharmas or duties of the four castes; greatness of the brāhmaṇa.

Chapter 2 (249 verses)

On dharma; divisions of the land of Bhāratavarṣa as Brahmāvarta, Āryāvarta and so on; samskāra; definitions of the terms ācārya, upādhyāya and others.

Chapter 3 (286 verses)

Eight forms of marriage; mutual relation between husband and wife; pañca-yajñas or five daily sacrifices; śrāddha and tarpaṇa (obsequial rites).

Chapter 4 (260 verses)

Means of livelihood; rules of conduct; condemnation of immoral enjoyments; efficacy of ācāra or good conduct.

Chapter 5 (169 verses)

Causes of death; on food and drink; aśauca or ceremonial impurity; duties of women.

Chapter 6 (97 verses)

Exhaustive treatment of the Vāna-prasthāśrama.

Chapter 7 (226 verses)

Political science and statecraft including the details like punishment for transgressions, taxation, appointment of ministers, espionage, envoys and political expedients.

Chapter 8 (420 verses)

Administration of justice; eighteen titles of law such as ṛnādāna (non-repay-ment of debt), asvāmivikraya (sale of property by one who is not the legal owner), vetanādāna (non-payment of wages), sīmāvivāda (boundary dispute), vibhāga (partition) and so on.

Chapter 9 (336 verses)

Duties of men and women; inheritance; succession; strīdhāna (property of women); and, gains of learning.

Chapter 10 (131 verses)

Duties of brāhmaṇas; mixed castes; āpad-dharma (duties in emergencies).

Chapter 11 (265 verses)

Duties of a snātaka (a brahmacāri who has completed his studies); sins and their expiation.

Chapter 12 (126 verses)

Results of good and bad deeds; nature and knowledge of the ātman, the Self within; benefits of studying the Manusmrti.

The Manusmrti has several Sanskrit commentaries. The bhāṣyas of Medhātithi (A. D. 900), Govindarāja (Manvāśayānu-sārinī) (A. D. 1100) and the Manvartha-muktāvali of Kulluka (earlier than A. D. 1100) are more well-known among them.

Nārāyaṇa (Manvarthavivrti), Rāghavā-nanda (Manvarthacandrikā), Nandana (.Nandinī) and Rāmachandra are the other commentators about whom not much is known.

The Manusmrti seems to have influenced the law-books of some other countries outside India also. The Culovamśa of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), the Kutasa Mānava and the Dawagama of Indonesia have been greatly influenced by Manu.

Works very similar to Manusmrti have been found in China and Japan. A deity of the old Persian pantheon has been called ‘Vaivasvata Manu’. Darius (600 B. C.) is said to have framed his laws according to Manu’s work. There is a statue of Manu in the Philippines.

In later works, two more treatises— the Brhanmanu and the 'Vrddhamanu— have been referred to. It is difficult to say whether they were independent works or redactions of Manusmrti.

See also MANVANTARA.

References

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

OLD CONTENT

Manusmrti (‘the smṛti of Manu’) The Manusmrti—among the Hindu religious works—has the unique distinc¬tion of being thoroughly misunderstood and even reviled, in the modern days, especially in post-independence India. However, it goes to the credit of Manu himself (4.176) that rules which cause widespread resentment among the people, even if they are dharma (by earlier standards), should be given up. This is akin to changing the constitution if the people of a country so desire. The extant Manusmrti which compri¬ses 12 adhyāyas or chapters, has 2694 ślokas or verses in the anuṣṭubh metre. Scholars have battled for years to establish the identity and the time of Manu, the author of this treatise. He is certainly not one of the 14 Manus (progenitors of mankind and rulers over the manvantaras) mentioned in the epics and the purāṇas. He must have been a great sage and an erudite law-giver since he has been widely quoted by many a writer of dharmaśāstras. The present work probably took the final shape during the period 200 B. C.-A. D. 200. Though it contains earlier and later strata, as seen from quite a few conflicting or contradictory statements on the same point, the number of recasts do not seem to be many. Sometimes, a theory is hazarded that the extant Manusmrti is a work based on an earlier one called Mānavadharmasutra. This, however, has been rejected by well- known scholars in this field (vide Dr. P. V. Kane, History of Dharmaśāstra, vol. 1, part 1, p. 149, Poona, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, 1968). A brief account of the contents of the extant work may now be given: Chapter 1 (119 verses) Creation of the world and various creatures; divisions of time; varṇadharmas or duties of the four castes; greatness of the brāhmaṇa. Chapter 2 (249 verses) On dharma; divisions of the land of Bhāratavarṣa as Brahmāvarta, Āryāvarta and so on; sarhskāra; definitions of the terms ācārya, upādhyāya and others. Chapter 3 (286 verses) Eight forms of marriage; mutual relation between husband and wife; pañca- yajñas or five daily sacrifices; śrāddha and tarpaṇa (obsequial rites). Chapter 4 (260 verses) Means of livelihood; rules of conduct; condemnation of immoral enjoyments; efficacy of ācāra or good conduct. Chapter 5 (169 verses) Causes of death; on food and drink; aśauca or ceremonial impurity; duties of women. Chapter 6 (97 verses) Exhaustive treatment of the Vāna- prasthāśrama.