Manu Smriti
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The Manu Smriti (Sanskrit मनुस्मृति), translated "Laws of Manu" or "Institutions of Manu", is a foundational work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society, written c.200 in India. It is one of the eighteen Smritis of the Dharma Sastra (or "laws of righteous conduct"); smriti means "what is remembered" and is applied to a Hindu text other than the Vedas, including traditional Indian epics, the Puranas, and science and grammar treatises. Unlike the Vedas which are considered of divine origin, the Smritis are considered to be of human origin. They contain laws, rules and codes of conduct to be applied by individuals, communities and nations. Some of these laws codify the Hindu caste system and discuss the "stages of life for a twice-born man".
- "The whole Veda is the basis of Dharma, as also the Smritis and the conduct of those that know the Vedas, the conduct of the good and the conscience of the disciplined." (Manu Smitri, Book 2, v. 6)
- "One must not pick a quarrel with one's priest, teacher, uncle, guest, and dependant; boys, elders, invalids, doctors, agnates, marriage-relations, parents, sister and female relations, brother, son, wife, daughter and the servants." (Manu Smitri, Book 3, v. 179)
Manusmriti is attributed for having rendered the caste system secure by the elaboration of a system of conventional precepts. It clearly defined the relative position and the duties of the several castes, and determined the penalties to be indicted on any transgressions of the limits assigned to each of them. These laws are conceived with no sentimental scruples on the part of their authors. On the contrary, the offences committed by Brahmans against other castes are treated with remarkable clemency, whilst the punishments inflicted for trespasses on the rights of higher classes are the more severe and inhuman the lower the offender stands in the social scale.
Regarding origin of caste in India, Manusmriti makes the following statement:
- shanakaistu kriya-lopadimah Kshatriya-jatayah |
- vrashalatvam gata loke brahmna-darshanen cha ||43||
- Paundrash-Chaudra-Dravidah-Kamboja-Yavanah-Shakah |
- Paradah Pahlavash-Chinah Kirata Daradah Khashah ||44||
- — (Manusmritti, X.43-44)
which according to Indian History Sourcebook (The Laws of Manu) translates as follows:
- 43. But in consequence of the omission of the sacred rites, and of their not consulting Brahmanas, the following tribes of Kshatriyas have gradually sunk in this world to the condition of Shudras;
- 44. (Viz.) the Paundrakas, the Chodas, the Dravidas, the Kambojas, the Yavanas, the Shakas, the Paradas, the Pahlavas, the Chinas, the Kiratas, the Daradas and the Khashas.
- Indian History Sourcebook: The Laws of Manu, c. 1500 BC, translated by G. Buhler
The Daradas, the Paradas and the Kambojas lived in the region of west India and Afghanistan. The Shakas are Scythians and the Yavanas often (but not always) refer to the Greeks. (Sometimes other western people, such as the Arabs, were also called Yavanas.) The Pahlavas refer to the Persians.
These verses from the Manu Smriti show that these people were considered as Dasyus because they didn't observe the sacred rites and didn't consult the sages, not because of their language.
See also: Yajnavalkya Smriti, Manu
References
Sacred Books of the East, The Laws of Manu, translation by G. Buhler, vol. xxv, Oxford (1886)
