Manusmrti (मनुस्मृतिः)

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Manusmrti (Samskrit: मनुस्मृतिः) is the name of the text written by Manu or Manavacharya known as the father of mankind that prescribes code of conduct with a view to establish a harmonious social life.

Introduction to Manusmriti

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parashara are some of the most celebrated law-givers of Bharata. Bharatiya society is founded on, and governed by, the laws made by these three great rishis. The granthas that enumerate these law codes are termed as Smrtis and many of them are named after their authors. Thus, we have texts like

• Manusmrti or Manava Dharmashastra (Laws of Manu or the Institutes of Manu)
• Yajnavalkya Smrti
• Parashara Smrti, etc.

It is said that the laws of Manu were intended for the Satya Yuga, those of Yajnavalkya for the Treta Yuga, those of Sankha and Likhita for the Dvapara Yuga and those of Parashara for the Kali Yuga. All of them contain code of conduct for mankind. And among them, Manusmrti is noted as the ancient most. Yajnavalkya Smrti follows on similar lines as the Manusmrti and the two are accepted as authoritative works on law all over Bharata.

महत्त्वं प्राचीनत्वं च ॥ Importance and Antiquity

It is said that by the term Smrti is denoted Dharmashastra.

श्रुतिस्तु वेदो विज्ञेयो धर्मशास्त्रं तु वै स्मृतिः । २.१० । śrutistu vedo vijñeyo dharmaśāstraṁ tu vai smr̥tiḥ । 2.10 ।

And there are as many as 71 smrtis enlisted in various smrti texts. Among them, the code of laws known as Manusmrti, ascribed to the first Manu named Svayambhuva Manu, is considered the foremost. Infact, according to Brhaspati, the importance of Manusmrti is due to it collecting the essence of the Vedas. And hence, any smrti that goes tangential to Manusmrti is considered unpraiseworthy.

वेदार्थोपनिबद्धत्वात्प्राधान्यं हि मनोः स्मृतम् । मन्वर्थविपरीता तु या स्मृतिः सा न शस्यते ॥

vedārthopanibaddhatvātprādhānyaṁ hi manoḥ smr̥tam । manvarthaviparītā tu yā smr̥tiḥ sā na śasyate ॥

Moreover, the praise of Manu's tenets are obtained in the shrutis itself that are the basis for all smrtis.

मनुर्वै यत् किंचावदत्तद् भेषजं एवावदत्, तद् भेषजत्वायैव । 2.1.5 ।

manurvai yat kiṁcāvadattad bheṣajaṁ evāvadat, tad bheṣajatvāyaiva । 2.1.5 ।

Meaning: Whatever is proposed by Manu is to be taken like medicine. Similar saying on Manusmrti is also said to be found in the Mahabharata.

पुराणं मानवो धर्मः साङ्गो वेदश्चिकित्सितम् । आज्ञासिद्धानि चत्वारि न हन्तव्यानि हेतुभिः ॥

purāṇaṁ mānavo dharmaḥ sāṅgo vedaścikitsitam । ājñāsiddhāni catvāri na hantavyāni hetubhiḥ ॥

Also, the knowledge of dharma passed on by Manu and his shishya parampara is seen in the form of quotations in other smrti texts like the Parashara Smrti. In fact, the following two verses from the Manusmrti is found in the Valmiki Ramayana.

शासनाद्वा विमोक्षाद्वा स्तेनः स्तेयाद्विमुच्यते । अशासित्वा तु तं राजा स्तेनस्याप्नोति किल्बिषम् । । ८.३१६ । ।

राजभिः कृतदण्डास्तु कृत्वा पापानि मानवाः । निर्मलाः स्वर्गं आयान्ति सन्तः सुकृतिनो यथा । । ८.३१८ । ।

śāsanādvā vimokṣādvā stenaḥ steyādvimucyate । aśāsitvā tu taṁ rājā stenasyāpnoti kilbiṣam । । 8.316 । ।

rājabhiḥ kr̥tadaṇḍāstu kr̥tvā pāpāni mānavāḥ । nirmalāḥ svargaṁ āyānti santaḥ sukr̥tino yathā । । 8.318 । ।

Meaning:

• The thief becomes absolved from the theft either through punishment or through acquittal. By not punishing the thief, the ruler imbibes the guilt of the thief.

• People who, having committed crimes, have been punished by rulers, become freed from guilt and go to svarga just like well-behaved good people.

In the Kishkindhakanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, Rama quotes the above verses from the Manusmrti as those given by Manu as follows. He says,

श्रूयते मनुना गीतौ श्लोकौ चारित्र वत्सलौ ॥ गृहीतौ धर्म कुशलैः तथा तत् चरितम् मया ॥४.१८.३०॥

राजभिः धृत दण्डाः च कृत्वा पापानि मानवाः । निर्मलाः स्वर्गम् आयान्ति सन्तः सुकृतिनो यथा ॥४.१८.३१॥

शसनात् वा अपि मोक्षात् वा स्तेनः पापात् प्रमुच्यते । राजा तु अशासन् पापस्य तद् आप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥४.१८.३२॥

śrūyate manunā gītau ślokau cāritra vatsalau ॥ gr̥hītau dharma kuśalaiḥ tathā tat caritam mayā ॥4.18.30॥

rājabhiḥ dhr̥ta daṇḍāḥ ca kr̥tvā pāpāni mānavāḥ । nirmalāḥ svargam āyānti santaḥ sukr̥tino yathā ॥4.18.31॥

śasanāt vā api mokṣāt vā stenaḥ pāpāt pramucyate । rājā tu aśāsan pāpasya tad āpnoti kilbiṣam ॥4.18.32॥

Meaning:

• We hear two verses that are given to the advocacy of good conventions, which the experts of rightness have also accepted, and which are said to be coined by Manu, and I too conducted myself only as detailed in those verses of law.

• 'When rulers impose proper punishment on people who have committed crime, they become freed of the 'Papa' and enter svarga just as the pious people with good deeds do', says one verse of Manu.

• Either by punishment or by mercy a thief will be absolved from 'papa' but the ruler who does not impose proper punishment will derive the blot of that 'papa', says the other verse of Manu.

It is seen here that though some 'pathabheda' (change in text) has crept over the period of time, the meaning of these verses in Manusmrti and the Valmiki Ramayana is the same. This shows that Manusmrti was prevalent in the times of Valmiki. Thus, Manusmrti is an ancient Smrti shastra whose verses are found in the Valmiki Ramayana as well as other smrti texts.

शास्त्रप्रचारः ॥ Propagation

The story of propogation of Manusmrti is mentioned in the Manusmrti itself. It is said that Maharshi Bhrgu learnt all the dharmas from Manu. And on his advice, he taught the same to other rshis for the benefit of all that became popular by the name Manusmrti. Infact, this is the reason that the line भृगुप्रोक्तायां संहितायां ॥ bhr̥guproktāyāṁ saṁhitāyāṁ is found at the end of all the adhyayas in Manusmrti.

इदं शास्त्रं तु कृत्वासौ मां एव स्वयं आदितः । विधिवद्ग्राहयां आस मरीच्यादींस्त्वहं मुनीन् । । १.५८ । ।

एतद्वोऽयं भृगुः शास्त्रं श्रावयिष्यत्यशेसतः । एतद्धि मत्तोऽधिजगे सर्वं एषोऽखिलं मुनिः । । १.५९ । ।

ततस्तथा स तेनोक्तो महर्षिमनुना भृगुः । तानब्रवीदृषीन्सर्वान्प्रीतात्मा श्रूयतां इति । । १.६० । ।

idaṁ śāstraṁ tu kr̥tvāsau māṁ eva svayaṁ āditaḥ । vidhivadgrāhayāṁ āsa marīcyādīṁstvahaṁ munīn । । 1.58 । ।

etadvo'yaṁ bhr̥guḥ śāstraṁ śrāvayiṣyatyaśesataḥ । etaddhi matto'dhijage sarvaṁ eṣo'khilaṁ muniḥ । । 1.59 । ।

tatastathā sa tenokto maharṣimanunā bhr̥guḥ । tānabravīdr̥ṣīnsarvānprītātmā śrūyatāṁ iti । । 1.60 । ।

Also, over the period of time, there have been many commentaries on the Manusmrti out of which the ones by Medhatithi, Sarvajna Narayana, Govindaraja, Kulluka, Raghavananda, Nandana and Ramachandra are well-known.

ग्रन्थरचना विषयाश्च ॥ Structure and Contents

Manusmrti contains twelve adhyayas or chapters. The contents of each of these chapters in brief along with the number of verses contained in each chapter are given below:

Adhyaya	Contents	Number of Shlokas
1	The first chapter deals with origin of the smrti and origin of the world. Infact, this is a special feature of Manusmrti to be noted as no other smrti begins in this manner.	119
2	The Second chapter deals with the Indriyas (sense organs) and stresses the importance of conquering and controlling them. It also describes the qualities of a brahmana.	249
3	The Third chapter contains the duties of a householder after his course of study of the Vedas. Eight different kinds of marriages are described in it. It further also deals with methods of giving protection to women and children.	286
4	The Fourth chapter includes duties of a brahmana, study of the Vedas and responsibilities of a Snataka, etc.	260
5	The Fifth chapter deals with pure and impure foods, concept of impurity and methods of purification, women and their responsibilities.	169
6	The Sixth Chapter contains duties of those who have entered the ashrama of vanaprastha and also of ascetics.	96
7	The Seventh chapter deals with duties of Rulers and ministers.	226
8	The Eighth chapter deals with law and justice. It contains laws for the proper conduct of justice and includes ways and means of settling disputes and handling cases of debts, sale without right, partnership, duels, theft, prostitution, boundary disputes and all such matters as are to be decided by a court of law.	420
9	The Ninth chapter deals with the duties of a husband and wife. It also contains matters relating to property rights, partition and the duties of a ruler with regard to these.	336
10	The Tenth chapter deals with duties of the different varnas, mixed varnas and the duties of one in times of danger.	131
11	The Eleventh chapter deals first with penance, observation of Vratas, Yagas, Yajnas and dakshina to the priests. It then deals with punishments of crimes, expiation for murder, prostitution etc.	266
12	The Twelfth chapter deals with the theory of births and describes how your deeds in the present life are directive of the nature of life of your next birth; What deeds would fetch you what life is also explained. It contains instructions on Atmajnana and the way to obtain moksha (absolute bliss).	126

विषयानुक्रमणिका ॥ Topic-wise Index

आचारकाण्डः ॥ Achara Kanda

Sr.no	Topic	Adhyaya	Shlokas
1	Beginning	1	1-4
2	Gross and Subtle creation	1	5-57 61-84 87
3	Propogation of shastra	1	58-60 119
4	Praise of the shastra (Achara Mahatmya)	1	102-110
5	Subject matter of the Shastra	1	111-118
6	Entitlement to the shastra	2	16
7	Unauthoritative shastra	12	95-96
8	Base of Dharma (Dharma Pithika)	2	1-5
9	Dharma	2	6-15 (Proof in Dharma)
		4	170-176 238-243
		8	15-17
		1	85-86
		6	91-93 (10 lakshanas of Dharma)
		10	63 (Sadharana Dharma), 97
10	Just assembly (Dharmika Sabha)	12	107-117 105-106 (Qualification as a Dharma shastra)
11	Code of Conduct (Achara)	4	155-158 (Dharma mula)
12	Places appropriate for Dharmika practices (Yajniya Desha)	2	17-25 (Desha Vibhaga)
13	Brahmana Varna	1	92-101
14	Activities of a Brahmana	1	88
		10	74-76
15	Importance of a Brahmana	2	150-156
		3	183-186
		9	313-321
		11	35
		10	3
16	Brahmana Dharma	2	162-163 167
		4	1-17 33-36 80-81 84-91 110-111 117 186-187 (Pratigraha Nishedha) 205-206 (Bhojana Nishedha) 247-252
		10	109-114
		11	24-25 38-43
17	Apaddharma of Brahmanas	4	223
		10	81-93 101-104
		11	16-17
18	Permitted and Forbidden food for Brahmanas (Bhakshya and Abhakshya)	4	207-222
		11	96
19	Unfit Brahmana	2	103 118 168
		11	36-37
20	Foolish Brahmana	2	157-158
		3	132-133
		4	188-191
21	Kshatriya Varna	1	89
		10	77 79-80 117
22	Vaishya Varna	1	90
		9	326-333
		10	78 98
23	Shudra Varna	1	91
		5	139-140
		9	334-335
		10	99-100 121-131
		4	253-256
24	Brahmachari	2	69 109-116 (Teaching the deserving) 140-144 147-149
25	Dharma of a Brahmachari	2	70-87 101-108 159-161 164-166 169-223
		3	1-3
		4	95-127
		5	88 159
26	Grhastha	3	77-80 63-66
		6	87-90
		10	1-2 115-116
		11	28-30
27	Varna Dharma (Samskara)	2	26-68
28	Ahnika (Dinacharya)	3	67-76 81-121
		4	45-52 92-94 201-203
		5	132-139
29	Snataka Dharma and Grhastha Dharma	2	224-240
		3	45-50
		4	18-32 37-44 53-79 82-83 128-153 159-169 175-185 192-204 224-237 244-246 256-260
		11	6-10
30	Respectful behaviour (Sammana)	2	117 119-139 145-146
		4	154
31	Emergency	8	348-351
		11	31-34
32	Vivaha	3	20-21 22-44 51-54
		9	47
33	Dharma of the Groom	3	4-19
34	Dharma of the Bride	9	90-92
35	Rules of Vivaha	3	171-172
		5	167-169
		8	204-205 224-227
		9	69-73 88-89 93-100 80-83 175-176
		11	5
36	Appointing One's heir in the daughter's lineage (Putrika karana)	9	127-129 139-140
37	Stri	3	55-62
		9	1-25 26-46 48-56 74-79
		11	177-178
38	Stri Dharma	5	146-158 160-166
		9	84-87
39	Dharma of Stri and Purusha	9	101-102
40	Niyoga	9	57-68
41	Putra	9	137-138 182-183 158-181
42	Varna and Life	10	4-62 64-73 (Bija and Kshetra)
43	Shraddha	3	122-286
44	Bhaksya and Abhakshya of Dvijatiyas	5	1-25
45	Prohibition of meat	5	26-56
46	Purification of things	5	110-131
47	Dharma Bhikshu	11	1-4 11-16 18-23

Vyavahara Kanda

Sr. no.	Topic	Adhyaya	Shlokas
1	Importance of Raja	7	1-13
		9	301-302
2	Raja Dharma	7	26-40 41-42 43-53 77-86 99-112 145-169 212-226
		8	172-175 395
		9	300 303-312 322-325
3	Rajya Prabandha	7	54-76 141-144 113-126
		8	27-41 386-387
		9	294-299
4	State Taxation	7	127-140
		8	394 404-409
		10	118-120
5	Sangrama	7	87-98 170-211
6	Rna	8	1-14 18-26 42-112 140-171 176-178
		7	113-123
7	Nikshepa	8	179-196
8	Paradhana Vikraya	8	197-203
9	Sambhuya Karmakari (Business Partner)	8	206-213
10	Salary	8	214-217
11	Maryada Bhedana	8	218-221
12	Krita Paravartana	8	222-223 228
13	Pashu Svamipala	8	229-244
14	Border	8	245-265
15	Vak Parushya	8	266-277
16	Danda Parushya	8	278-300
17	Theft	8	301-331 333-347
18	Dacoity	8	332
19	Vyabhichara	8	352-385
20	Dyuta (Gamble)	8	220-228
21	Importance and legislation of punishment	7	14-25
		8	124-139 388-393 396-403 410-420
		9	229-293
		10	96
22	Share of the brother	9	103-117 119-126 204-216 218-219
23	Share of the son	9	134-136 141-142 145-147 184
24	Ekayoniputra Bhaga	9	148-157
25	Share of the sister	9	118
26	Niramsha	9	143-144 201-203
27	Aputradhana Bhaga	9	130-133 185-191 217
28	Stridhana Bhaga	9	192-200

Prayashchitta Kanda

Sr. no.	Topic	Adhyaya	Shlokas
1	Preta Shuddhi	5	57-60 64-73
2	Vaideshika Pretashuddhi	5	74-78
3	Janma shuddhi	5	61-63
4	Janma Marana Shuddhi	5	79
5	Acharyadi Marana Shuddhi	5	80-82
6	Shuddhi Dina	5	83
7	Shuddhi Vishesha	5	84-88 91
8	Preta Kriya Nishedha	5	89-90
9	Shava Nirharana Dvara	5	92
10	Madya Shaucha	5	93-99
11	Asapinda Pretashuddhi	5	100-104
12	Shuddhi Hetu	5	105 107-109
13	Artha shaucha	5	106
14	Nanavidha Shaucha	5	141-145
15	Prayashchitta	11	44-47
16	Mahapatakadi	11	55-72
17	Mahapatakadi Prayashchitta	11	73-131
18	Nanavidha Himsa Prayashchitta	11	132-146
19	Abhakshya bhakshana prayashchitta	11	147-162
20	Nanavidha Steya Prayashchitta	11	163-170
21	Agamyagamana Prayashchitta	11	171-176 179-180
22	Samsargi Prayashchitta	11	181-189
23	Grahyagrahya Vyavastha	11	190-191
24	Nanavidha Prayashchitta	11	192-209
25	Concept of Prayashchitta	11	210
26	Deva Brahmana Svaharana Prayashchitta	11	26-27
27	Gupta Prayashchitta	11	248-266
28	Prajapatyadi Vrata	11	211-227
29	Pashchatapa and Tapa	11	228-247
30	Papacihna	11	48-53 1-9 52-81
31	Vanaprastha	6	1-32
32	Sannyasa	6	33-86 94-97
		2	88-100
		12	10-51 82-94 97-104 118-126