Manusmriti

Recently, the Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University criticised the Manusmriti, the ancient Sanskrit text, over its gender bias.

About Manusmriti: Also known as the Manavadharmasastra or the Laws of Manu, it is a Sanskrit text belonging to the Dharmasastra literary tradition of Hinduism.

• The text is attributed to the mythical figure of Manu, considered to be ancestor of the human race in Hinduism.
• The ancient text has 4 major divisions:
  1. Creation of the world,
  2. Sources of dharma,
  3. The dharma of the four social classes, and
  4. Law of karma, rebirth, and final liberation.
• It is encyclopaedic in scope, covering subjects such as the social obligations and duties of the various castes and of individuals in different stages of life.
• It also discusses aspects of the Arthashashtra, such as issues relating to statecraft and legal procedures.