07-25-2006, 03:10 AM
The good things in Manu Smriti
By K.V. Paliwal
Manu himself believed that the Veda is the foundation of dharma (Vedo Akhilo Dharma Moolam; MS 2:6), and he had said about the dharma according to the Vedas.
Main cause of rejecting Manu Smriti by the VHP appears mainly due to the presence of large scale interpolations in it. Such a case is not only in Manu Smriti, but also in other smrities, Puranas and other ancient Hindu scriptures except the Vedas.
The Manu Smriti is the earliest Smriti, after the Vedas, as concluded by great Vedic scholars such as Pt Bhagwatdatt (Rajarshi Manu No.1) and Surendra Kumar (Manu Smriti 1986), and even earlier than that of Mahabharata as there are several shlokas of MS in the Mahabharata.
The basic principles of Manu Smriti are valid even today not only in Hinduism but also are quite applicable to the entire human race. The rational approach adopted by Manu has been widely appreciated by scholars of East and West.
Context: âThe Vishwa Hindu Parishad totally rejects the Manu Smriti as it has no place in a civilised society.â (Hindu Voice, May, 2006, p. 43).
The VHP appears to reject Manu Smriti (MS) on the plea that, âThere are more than 300 smrities. They have little to do with the eternal values of Dharmaâ. About the authenticity of smrities, Jaimini Rishi says, âThey are authentic to the extent that they are in tune with the Vedas.â (Mimansa, 2.3.3). According to Tandya Brahman (23.16.17) âA word by Manu is supreme, and is like medicine.â Acharya Brahaspati says, âWhen there is contradiction among the smrities, treat Manu Smriti as authentic. But it should be taken like this only, when Manu Smriti is in consonance with the Vedas, and NOT where it contradicts it.â Jabal Rishi says. âIn the event of contradiction between Vedas and smrities, primacy should be accorded to the Vedasâ (Jabal Smriti) In this context Mahabharata says, âPeople should adopt Dharma according to the Vedas. (Shanti Parv 270:1; 297:33).
Following the above criteria, the Hindus have accepted MS as their supreme scripture as being in tune with the Vedas and so it is authentic. The main theme of MS is eternal dharma and provides complete code of conduct for human beings and therefore it is Dharma Shastra (Smriti) based on the Vedas (MS 1.129).
Manu himself believed that Veda is the foundation of dharma (Vedo Akhilo Dharma Moolam MS 2:6), and he had said about the dharma according to the Vedas. Therefore people should adopt it as authentic dharma (MS 2:8,13).
The four founding pillars of Manuâs dharma are Vedas, Dharma Shastra (Smriti as per Veda), noble conduct, and truthful judgement and action based on self-consciousness (MS 1:132), and such a dharma should also prove true to any test of logic (MS 12:106). Manuâs dharma covers all aspects of life as dharma, Arth (Wealth), Kaam (Desires) and Moksha (Salvation), and so Manu deals with the eternal dharma, and not with Yama and Niyama as conceived by the VHP, which are components of Ashtang Yoga (Yoga Dharshan 2:1)
About the theme of Manu, Dr Motwani, a renowned Sri Lankan sociologist with Ph. D in 1958, from California University, USA, writes on Manu Smriti as follows:
âManu Smriti or Manu Dharma Shastra is a treatise that deals with the social life of man...fundamentally the Dharma Shastra contains a statement of principles of social life of man applicable at all times and in all climes, and therefore, has an universal significance; its teachings are aimed at the Homo sapiens, the human race, the manavas as a whole, and they emphasise the element of the permanent, the eternal in the life of man and societyâ (Manu Dharma Shastra, pref. XI. 1958). Thus even modern scholars considers MS of universal significance in the life of man.
Secondly the MS is the earliest Smriti, after the Vedas, as concluded by great Vedic scholars such as Pt Bhagwatdatt (Rajarshi Manu. No. 1) and Surendra Kumar (Manu Smriti 1986), and even earlier than that of Mahabharata as there are several shlokas of MS in the Mahabharata and not the vice versa, says Pt Ram Devâa great indologist (Rajarshi Manu No. 2, p.10). Because it is a fact that the 18 adhyayas of Gita are simply the 18 adhyayas (25th to 42th) of Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata (Mahabharata Vol. 3, pp 2597-2812, Gita Press, Gorakhpur) and thus Gita is a part of Mahabharata, and a later composition than that of MS and thus Gita is not Adi MS.
Third, the myth that MS is only 2,200 years old, written during Pushyamitraâs reign, is totally fictitious. This myth has been created by Max Muller and George Buhlerâthe editor and translater of MS, (The law of Manu, S.B.E. Vol .25, Motilal Banarasi Das, Delhi), which was further propagated by Dr B.R.Ambedkar who being ignorant of Sanskritâdepended on this English translation. On the contrary, not only Indian indologists but several unbiased western scholars acknowledge MS to be of earlier period than 200 BC. According to Eliphinton (History of India, pp 11-12) MS is of 900 BC while Sir John considers it to be of 600 BC (Institutes of law, introduction) and Hunter accepts it of 500 BC (The Indian Emperor Vol. 1, p 113) and according to Surender Kumar (Manu Smirit 1981) and Raghu Nandan Prasad Sharma (Smrition Men Bhartiya Jeevan Padhyati, 2001) MS is quite ancient as several shlokas of MS are quoted in the Brahman Granthas, Ramayan, Mahabharata, Dharma Sutras, Nirukt and Darshan Shatras, etc. So it is irrevalent to conclude MS to be of 200 BC only.
Fourth the main cause of rejecting MS by the VHP appears mainly due to the presence of large scale interpolations in it. Such a case is not only in MS, but also in other Smrities, Puranas and other ancient Hindus scriptures except the Vedas. These interpolations are unvedic, unhuman, illogical and irrevalent and are against the basic Vedic concepts and doctrines of Manu; and were noticed by the scholars since the 9th century, particularly after the theo-political impact of Muslims in India. According to Dr Rustagi and Dr Narang, different scholars have observed that out of total 2,684 shlokas of MS, 100 to 1,502 shlokas are interpolated, in the existing editions of MS, mostly in those chapters dealing with social, legal and political aspects of life(ManuâManu Smriti and Appraisal).
Dr B.R. Ambedkar used about 300 shlokas of MS in his works (BAW5 Vols. 1, 3.4, 5 &7, 1979-90), and about 235 shlokas were related to Brahmans, women and Shudras, 84 per cent of which were interpolated, and his criticism was mainly due to these interpolations (Paliwal, 1998, Manu Ambedkar and Caste System, p. 55). However Dr Ambedkar accepted no untouchability in MS, and full respect to the Sudras upto Mahabharata period, and Shudras are Aryas. He also acknowledged that Manu did not create the present day birth based caste system.
In view of this problem of interpolations in MS, Prof Surendra Kumar after critically examining and deleting the interpolated shlokas, published Vishuddha Manu Smriti in 1986, which is at par with the Vedic concepts of Manu. It is now fully authentic as per the basic doctrines of the Vedas and is free from all types of criticisms and has been well received by scholars and Hindu Dharamacharyas.
Due to the supremacy and authenticity of MS, Swami Dayanand Saraswati a revivalist of the Vedas incorporated about 250 shlokas of MS in his Satyarth Prakash. Regarding social justice, the uniqueness of MS lies in the fact that it not only provides equal opportunity to the people of every varna to rise upto Brahmanhood, but prescribes much more severe punishment, for the same crime, to the educated and responsible people, like King and Brahman than the illiterate and weaker sections of the society as the Shudras.
The basic principles of MS are valid even to day not only in Hinduism but also are quite applicable to the entire human race. The rational approach adopted by Manu has been widely appreciated by scholars of East and West such as philosopher Nietsche, H.P. Blatavasky, Maurice Materlink Dr Annie Besant, P.D. Oespensky, Swami, Vivekanand, Guru Dev Ravindra Nath Tagore, Dr S.Radhakrishnan etc. Nietsche even said, âClose the Bible and open the Manu Smriti.â (The Will to Power, Vol.1). Recently Raghunandan P.Sharma has summarised the impact of MS on the growth of world civilisations quoting examples of different countries. (Smrition Men Bhartiya Jeevan Paddhyati, 2001 and Vishwa Vyapi Bhartiya Sanskriti, 2001).
Dr Motwani while summarising the impact of MS on world civilisations writes: âManu as the maker of civilisations since the time of recorded history of man, as the patron saint of social thinkers, philosophers and planners is unknown to mankindâ (ibid Pref XII). âManuâs social thought is ahead of the contemporary social thought of the west.... There is no social thinker, in the East or the West, who has covered so thoroughly the field of the human social drama and destiny, and with such amazing insight and amplitude as Manuâ (ibid p.13). âManu does not belong to the dead past of some forgotten antiquity, but is a living force in the life of every civilised human being that breathes on the face of this earth today.â âManu belongs to no single nation or race; he belongs to the whole world. His teachings are not addressed to an isolated group, caste or sect, but to humanity. They transcend time and address themselves to the eternal in man. There is need for a fresh statement, in the light of modern knowledge and experience, of the fundamental teachings of Manu. India, which has been the custodian of his teachings as well as the radiating center from which they went to different parts of the world, is under special obligation to resuscitate the Manus spirit and visionâ (ibid P.15).
It is under pressure of criticism on the pretext of the status of Shudras in the polluted MS then it may be clarified that since today there is no varna system in vogue, in the Hindu society, so none is Shudra or Brahman in the strict term of the Veda. All are equal today. The present day SCs, STs and the OBCs are definitely not the Shudras. Moreover, there are innumberable, illogical and unscientific statements in the Bible and Quran. But their followers are not rejecting them due to the criticism, rather are improving them; and Bible had been regularly revised since the century.
Therefore it would be more appropriate to adopt, propagate and promote the Vishuddha MS which stands next to Vedas in its purport and authenticity, and also to critically examine the other smrities and revise them by rejecting the interpolations there in. Rejection of Vishuddha MS amounts to rejection of Vedas, the supreme scriptures of the Hindus.
By K.V. Paliwal
Manu himself believed that the Veda is the foundation of dharma (Vedo Akhilo Dharma Moolam; MS 2:6), and he had said about the dharma according to the Vedas.
Main cause of rejecting Manu Smriti by the VHP appears mainly due to the presence of large scale interpolations in it. Such a case is not only in Manu Smriti, but also in other smrities, Puranas and other ancient Hindu scriptures except the Vedas.
The Manu Smriti is the earliest Smriti, after the Vedas, as concluded by great Vedic scholars such as Pt Bhagwatdatt (Rajarshi Manu No.1) and Surendra Kumar (Manu Smriti 1986), and even earlier than that of Mahabharata as there are several shlokas of MS in the Mahabharata.
The basic principles of Manu Smriti are valid even today not only in Hinduism but also are quite applicable to the entire human race. The rational approach adopted by Manu has been widely appreciated by scholars of East and West.
Context: âThe Vishwa Hindu Parishad totally rejects the Manu Smriti as it has no place in a civilised society.â (Hindu Voice, May, 2006, p. 43).
The VHP appears to reject Manu Smriti (MS) on the plea that, âThere are more than 300 smrities. They have little to do with the eternal values of Dharmaâ. About the authenticity of smrities, Jaimini Rishi says, âThey are authentic to the extent that they are in tune with the Vedas.â (Mimansa, 2.3.3). According to Tandya Brahman (23.16.17) âA word by Manu is supreme, and is like medicine.â Acharya Brahaspati says, âWhen there is contradiction among the smrities, treat Manu Smriti as authentic. But it should be taken like this only, when Manu Smriti is in consonance with the Vedas, and NOT where it contradicts it.â Jabal Rishi says. âIn the event of contradiction between Vedas and smrities, primacy should be accorded to the Vedasâ (Jabal Smriti) In this context Mahabharata says, âPeople should adopt Dharma according to the Vedas. (Shanti Parv 270:1; 297:33).
Following the above criteria, the Hindus have accepted MS as their supreme scripture as being in tune with the Vedas and so it is authentic. The main theme of MS is eternal dharma and provides complete code of conduct for human beings and therefore it is Dharma Shastra (Smriti) based on the Vedas (MS 1.129).
Manu himself believed that Veda is the foundation of dharma (Vedo Akhilo Dharma Moolam MS 2:6), and he had said about the dharma according to the Vedas. Therefore people should adopt it as authentic dharma (MS 2:8,13).
The four founding pillars of Manuâs dharma are Vedas, Dharma Shastra (Smriti as per Veda), noble conduct, and truthful judgement and action based on self-consciousness (MS 1:132), and such a dharma should also prove true to any test of logic (MS 12:106). Manuâs dharma covers all aspects of life as dharma, Arth (Wealth), Kaam (Desires) and Moksha (Salvation), and so Manu deals with the eternal dharma, and not with Yama and Niyama as conceived by the VHP, which are components of Ashtang Yoga (Yoga Dharshan 2:1)
About the theme of Manu, Dr Motwani, a renowned Sri Lankan sociologist with Ph. D in 1958, from California University, USA, writes on Manu Smriti as follows:
âManu Smriti or Manu Dharma Shastra is a treatise that deals with the social life of man...fundamentally the Dharma Shastra contains a statement of principles of social life of man applicable at all times and in all climes, and therefore, has an universal significance; its teachings are aimed at the Homo sapiens, the human race, the manavas as a whole, and they emphasise the element of the permanent, the eternal in the life of man and societyâ (Manu Dharma Shastra, pref. XI. 1958). Thus even modern scholars considers MS of universal significance in the life of man.
Secondly the MS is the earliest Smriti, after the Vedas, as concluded by great Vedic scholars such as Pt Bhagwatdatt (Rajarshi Manu. No. 1) and Surendra Kumar (Manu Smriti 1986), and even earlier than that of Mahabharata as there are several shlokas of MS in the Mahabharata and not the vice versa, says Pt Ram Devâa great indologist (Rajarshi Manu No. 2, p.10). Because it is a fact that the 18 adhyayas of Gita are simply the 18 adhyayas (25th to 42th) of Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata (Mahabharata Vol. 3, pp 2597-2812, Gita Press, Gorakhpur) and thus Gita is a part of Mahabharata, and a later composition than that of MS and thus Gita is not Adi MS.
Third, the myth that MS is only 2,200 years old, written during Pushyamitraâs reign, is totally fictitious. This myth has been created by Max Muller and George Buhlerâthe editor and translater of MS, (The law of Manu, S.B.E. Vol .25, Motilal Banarasi Das, Delhi), which was further propagated by Dr B.R.Ambedkar who being ignorant of Sanskritâdepended on this English translation. On the contrary, not only Indian indologists but several unbiased western scholars acknowledge MS to be of earlier period than 200 BC. According to Eliphinton (History of India, pp 11-12) MS is of 900 BC while Sir John considers it to be of 600 BC (Institutes of law, introduction) and Hunter accepts it of 500 BC (The Indian Emperor Vol. 1, p 113) and according to Surender Kumar (Manu Smirit 1981) and Raghu Nandan Prasad Sharma (Smrition Men Bhartiya Jeevan Padhyati, 2001) MS is quite ancient as several shlokas of MS are quoted in the Brahman Granthas, Ramayan, Mahabharata, Dharma Sutras, Nirukt and Darshan Shatras, etc. So it is irrevalent to conclude MS to be of 200 BC only.
Fourth the main cause of rejecting MS by the VHP appears mainly due to the presence of large scale interpolations in it. Such a case is not only in MS, but also in other Smrities, Puranas and other ancient Hindus scriptures except the Vedas. These interpolations are unvedic, unhuman, illogical and irrevalent and are against the basic Vedic concepts and doctrines of Manu; and were noticed by the scholars since the 9th century, particularly after the theo-political impact of Muslims in India. According to Dr Rustagi and Dr Narang, different scholars have observed that out of total 2,684 shlokas of MS, 100 to 1,502 shlokas are interpolated, in the existing editions of MS, mostly in those chapters dealing with social, legal and political aspects of life(ManuâManu Smriti and Appraisal).
Dr B.R. Ambedkar used about 300 shlokas of MS in his works (BAW5 Vols. 1, 3.4, 5 &7, 1979-90), and about 235 shlokas were related to Brahmans, women and Shudras, 84 per cent of which were interpolated, and his criticism was mainly due to these interpolations (Paliwal, 1998, Manu Ambedkar and Caste System, p. 55). However Dr Ambedkar accepted no untouchability in MS, and full respect to the Sudras upto Mahabharata period, and Shudras are Aryas. He also acknowledged that Manu did not create the present day birth based caste system.
In view of this problem of interpolations in MS, Prof Surendra Kumar after critically examining and deleting the interpolated shlokas, published Vishuddha Manu Smriti in 1986, which is at par with the Vedic concepts of Manu. It is now fully authentic as per the basic doctrines of the Vedas and is free from all types of criticisms and has been well received by scholars and Hindu Dharamacharyas.
Due to the supremacy and authenticity of MS, Swami Dayanand Saraswati a revivalist of the Vedas incorporated about 250 shlokas of MS in his Satyarth Prakash. Regarding social justice, the uniqueness of MS lies in the fact that it not only provides equal opportunity to the people of every varna to rise upto Brahmanhood, but prescribes much more severe punishment, for the same crime, to the educated and responsible people, like King and Brahman than the illiterate and weaker sections of the society as the Shudras.
The basic principles of MS are valid even to day not only in Hinduism but also are quite applicable to the entire human race. The rational approach adopted by Manu has been widely appreciated by scholars of East and West such as philosopher Nietsche, H.P. Blatavasky, Maurice Materlink Dr Annie Besant, P.D. Oespensky, Swami, Vivekanand, Guru Dev Ravindra Nath Tagore, Dr S.Radhakrishnan etc. Nietsche even said, âClose the Bible and open the Manu Smriti.â (The Will to Power, Vol.1). Recently Raghunandan P.Sharma has summarised the impact of MS on the growth of world civilisations quoting examples of different countries. (Smrition Men Bhartiya Jeevan Paddhyati, 2001 and Vishwa Vyapi Bhartiya Sanskriti, 2001).
Dr Motwani while summarising the impact of MS on world civilisations writes: âManu as the maker of civilisations since the time of recorded history of man, as the patron saint of social thinkers, philosophers and planners is unknown to mankindâ (ibid Pref XII). âManuâs social thought is ahead of the contemporary social thought of the west.... There is no social thinker, in the East or the West, who has covered so thoroughly the field of the human social drama and destiny, and with such amazing insight and amplitude as Manuâ (ibid p.13). âManu does not belong to the dead past of some forgotten antiquity, but is a living force in the life of every civilised human being that breathes on the face of this earth today.â âManu belongs to no single nation or race; he belongs to the whole world. His teachings are not addressed to an isolated group, caste or sect, but to humanity. They transcend time and address themselves to the eternal in man. There is need for a fresh statement, in the light of modern knowledge and experience, of the fundamental teachings of Manu. India, which has been the custodian of his teachings as well as the radiating center from which they went to different parts of the world, is under special obligation to resuscitate the Manus spirit and visionâ (ibid P.15).
It is under pressure of criticism on the pretext of the status of Shudras in the polluted MS then it may be clarified that since today there is no varna system in vogue, in the Hindu society, so none is Shudra or Brahman in the strict term of the Veda. All are equal today. The present day SCs, STs and the OBCs are definitely not the Shudras. Moreover, there are innumberable, illogical and unscientific statements in the Bible and Quran. But their followers are not rejecting them due to the criticism, rather are improving them; and Bible had been regularly revised since the century.
Therefore it would be more appropriate to adopt, propagate and promote the Vishuddha MS which stands next to Vedas in its purport and authenticity, and also to critically examine the other smrities and revise them by rejecting the interpolations there in. Rejection of Vishuddha MS amounts to rejection of Vedas, the supreme scriptures of the Hindus.