Revival of Manu Smriti

[barney]

Manu Smriti

(contributed by Prof. G.C.ASNANI, MSc., Ph.D. (United Nations Service, Retd.)

 

 

Selections from Hindu Scriptures, Series No.1, “SMRITIS”

 

IN India, particularly after Independence in 1947, the younger generation of Hindus has been ignorant and indifferent about the teachings of Hindu religion. There has also been persistent effort from some quarters to speak ill of Hindu religion. This has had the natural effect of younger generation developing indifference towards and even ridicule of Hindu religion in India. The Constitution of India encourages non-Hindu youngsters to be given education about the teachings of their respective religions in the Govt.- aided educational institution of India, but Hindu youngsters cannot be given such education about Hindu religion in Govt.-aided educational institutions.

 

Outside India, the Christian missionaries have consistently worked for over three centuries to paint Hindu religion as demonic barbarism. These missionaries collect huge amounts of money and recruit large number of persons from outside India to remove Hinduism from the surface of the earth. This type of propaganda against Hinduism has affected and is affecting the political policies of foreign governments towards India.

 

By now, we have also become familiar with Taliban Movement in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It correctly represents Islam without any hide-and-seek game. Government-aided Madrasas in India become factories for Talibanism inside India, for destruction of Hinduism.

 

It is time that we Hindus assert ourselves and place the basic teachings of Hinduism before the whole world, for the people to read for themselves and come to their own conclusions directly without interference from those who have been profiting by hurling abuses at Hinduism. This is the first in the series of publications which we propose to publish.

 

We are sure that a better knowledge about Hinduism inside India will strengthen the Hindu society, give it the self- confidence to understand, practise and propagate the noble teachings of Hinduism; this shall be for the benefit of the whole world which is being engulfed by inter-religious warfare under various pretexts. Religion is essentially a matter of self-discipline, self-culture, enriching of one’s inner self, realisation of divinity which lies dormant in every living being and the manifestation of this divinity in our daily conduct of life. Religion cannot be used and should not be used as a weapon in our hands and mouths to conquer and subjugate others, to win political power and destroy other religious communities; that would be barbarism and not religion. Religion should bring peace, tranquility and happiness to everyone on this earth.

 

In this first book of the series, we are presenting Selections from some of the Smritis like Manu Smriti and Vasistha Smriti, and Smritis of Yagnavalkya, Apastamba, Gautama, and Baudhayana. In this collection, we have taken help from the following publications :

 

a) Sacred Books of the East, edited by Max Muller, published by Motilal Banarsidass, Vols. 1 to 50.

 

b) Publications of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune. Smritis are the Rules of conduct framed by Rishis at various stages of history of the Hindu Society. While there is some apparent diversity in these rules, it is not difficult to trace the underlying unity of self-discipline and the object of welfare of the society. With this underlying unity, there have been changes in rules from time to time, and no one would be right in picking up a sentence here and there and making much noise about it. We should look at the underlying structural basis of the Smritis. It may not be out of place to mention here that the Constitution of India framed by Independent India in 1948 has had 75 Amendments upto the year 1995. If in the course of less than half a century, the law makers of India have found it necessary to have Amendments at the rate of more than one Amendment per year, some changes in the rules of conduct suggested by Rishis into the sacred books of the Hindu society, over a period of several hundred centuries, should not be a cause of complaint by any rational reasoning. And then there is also the Grand Principle of Freedom of thought, belief and action given to every Hindu by the Hindu Scriptures:

 

“For choosing your course of conduct at any time and place, keep in view the instructions given first in Sruti(Vedas), then in Smritis, Itihaas(History of great personalties) and finally you act according to your conscience.” (Manu Smriti, II, 6)

 

This Grand Principle of Freedom given to an individual by the Hindu religion will, in course of time, form the basis for ending inter-religious and intra-religious conflicts. I have great pleasure in acknowledging the help given in this Collection, Compilation and Computer typesetting by Shri N. Madhavan, Shri Sudhindra Mujumdar and Shri Sanjay Chakane, without whose constant support, it would not have been possible at all to bring out this booklet. All of us have worked together with a common objective of rendering a little service to the Hindu Society, and our Sanatana Hindu Dharma. May the message be transmitted further and further.

 

There has been too much public criticism against Manu Smriti, which criticism is not based on sound reasoning and thoughtful study. Before criticising Manu Smriti, we should consider the following points:

 

i) Manu Smriti was compiled several thousand years back during which interval, social, economic and political conditions have changed in Hindu society. If Indian Constitution has required more than one Amendment per year, how many Amendments would be necessary in Hindu Constitution compiled several thousand years back?

 

ii) There were no printing presses and standard reference editions several thousand years back. Naturally, the current edition of Manu Smriti has suffered from many interpolations for which Maha Rishi Manu cannot be held responsible and for which criticism of Maha Rishi Manu will not be justified.

 

iii) Further, as has been seen the practice of Hindu religion, there is enormous, almost complete freedom for an individual to believe or to disbelieve any dogma, to accept or to discard any instruction written in any book, and to use one's own intelligence and conscience before adopting any course of action. This is the beauty of Hindu religion.

 

vi) Maha Rishi Manu himself says that if there is anything in his Smriti which is not acceptable to the conscience of any person, that person should reject it and act according to his/her own conscience. Then, where is any reasonable ground for criticising Maha Rishi Manu? Rather, he deserves our respect for his giving us instructions to reject what is against our conscience even in his Manu Smriti.

 

Which other religious scripture in the world outside Hindu religion and its branches gives such freedom?

 

MALIGNING HINDUISM

 

(i) Communalism:

 

Proselytizing religious like Christianity and Islam are rabid communal religions which have created and continue to create inter-religious and inter-communal warfare. While indulging in activities of such perpetual inter-communal warfare, any resistance from Hindu society in India is termed by them as "Communalism! Communalism!". It is like a thief shouting "Thief, Thief" and getting away!

(ii) Caste System:

 

These proselytizing religions also accuse and nearly abuse Manusmriti for caste system. The underlying spirit behind Hindu religion codified by Maharishi Manu is that Religion is essentially a matter of self-discipline, self-culture, enriching of one's inner self, realisation of divinity which lies dormant in every living being irrespective of creed, colour or caste and the manifestation of this divinity in our daily conduct of life. Anything found in Manusmriti contradicting this spirit is a later interpolation and manipulation for which we cannot blame Maharishi Manu. We can easily identify such manipulations. If somebody does not care to find out this truth, then also the great Maharishi Manu has clearly stated in his Manusmriti, which statement fortunately remains inside Manusmriti till today, that if there is any statement in Manusmriti which is contrary to your conscience, please reject it outright and follow your own conscience. Then, where is the justification for decrying Maharishi Manu as is customary for critics of Hinduism? Maharishi Manu tells you to follow your conscience inspite of whatever is written in this or that Book. Our salutations to this Maharishi Manu for this freedom! Anti-Hindu fanatics call Hindus as "MANU-VADIS". Have they cared to read and understand Manusmriti, or they are just parroting what anti-Hindu missionaries have taught them to repeat and repeat? "Above every Book, follow your conscience" is the watchword of great Maharishi Manu; hundreds of salutations to Maharishi Manu who gave this freedom of thought, belief and action.

Superiority by Birth or by Conduct ?

 

Also, Maharishi Manu made it clear that superiority is not by birth but by Conduct. This Principle was further emphasized later by Maharishi Veda Vyasa in Mahabharata; relevant extract from Mahabharata Vana Parva, Section 179 is also given below. (Unfortunately, some selfish politicians in India are now taking a retrograde steps by giving superior positions not on merit but by birth caste-certificates).

 

CASTE IS BY CONDUCT, NOT BY BIRTH

 

* The Seniority of Brahmanas is from Sacred Knowledge, that of Kshatriyas from valour, that of Vaisyas from wealth in grain, but that of Sudras is from age alone. (II, 155)

 

* A man is not therefore considered Venerable just because his head is gray; him who, though young in age, has learned the Veda, the Gods consider to be Venerable. (II, 156)

 

* As an elephant made of wood, as an antelope made of leather, such is an unlearned Brahmana; those three have nothing but the names of their kind. (II, 157)

 

* Just as a eunuch is unproductive with women, as a cow with cow is unprolific, and as a gift made to an ignorant man yields no reward, likewise is a Brahmana worthless, who does not know the Richas (Vedic Verses). (II, 158)

 

NON - IMPORTANCE OF CASTE

 

* He who possesses faith may receive pure learning even from a man of lower caste, the highest law even from the lowest, and an excellent wife even from a base family. (II, 238)

 

* Even from poison, nectar may be taken; even from a child, good advice; even from a foe, a lesson in good conduct; and even from an impure substance gold. (II, 239)

 

* Excellent wives, learning, the knowledge of Law, the rules of purity, good advice, and various arts may be acquired from anybody. (II, 240)

 

POSITION OF WOMEN

 

* Women must be honoured and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who desire their own welfare. (III, 55)

 

* Where women are honoured, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honoured, no Sacred rite yields rewards. (III, 56)

 

* Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers. (III, 57)

 

* The houses on which female relations, not being duly honoured, pronounce a curse, perish completely as if destroyed by magic. (III, 58)

 

* Hence men who seek their own welfare, should always honour women on holidays and festivals with gifts of ornaments, clothes, and dainty food. (III, 59)

 

IS EVERY BRAHMAN TO BE ADORED ?

 

* Manu has declared that those Brahmanas who are thieves, outcasts, eunuchs, or atheists are unworthy to partake of oblations offered to gods and ancestors. (III, 150)

 

KILLING OF ANIMALS

 

* He who injures harmless creatures from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness, neither living nor dead. (V, 45)

 

* He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, must all be considered as the slayers of the animal. (V, 51)

 

* There is no greater sinner than that man who, though not worshipping the gods or the manes seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings. (V, 52)

 

 

[maadhav]

this article is good.

 

in my view the writer means revival of hinduism.

 

hindus need to understand dharm for gita

and live by it. no malpractice.

 

if manu smriti was buried by ambedkar on the vedic land

(as a gesture of burying hindu malpractice of varnasrama)

then there should not be any thing wrong in burying koran and hadith on the vedic land. when it happens as pecefuly as was manu smriti burial, our islam problem in india would be sloved.

 

[Guest guest]

This is an interesting article regarding selections from the manu smriti and it should thus be used as part of the basis of a godly religious govenrment that could and definately should be formed in India. What I wholly disagree with you about is the use of phrases such as "Hindu revival" and the like which misuse the great scriptures. I do not want such terms used to pollute the greatness of God's word and the promotion of true Religion.

[Guest guest]

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- Amit

[barney]

Gods and Demons (2)

This happened a long long time ago.

A little boy asked his father : "Daddy, what is the difference between gods and demons?"

The father said to the little boy: "Son, I will organise a big banquet at our residence where I will invite both the gods and the demons. At the end of the banquet you will get your answer."

And the father sent out invitations to both the gods and the demons. On the appointed day, a most lavish banquet was organised and hundreds of gods and hundreds of demons arrived at the house.

The demons were an impatient lot, disorganised and noisy. They asked the host that they wanted VIP (very important person) treatment, and therefore wanted to have their food served first to the demons and the gods must eat last.

The host agreed to their request on one condition that the demons tie wooden planks to both hands when eating. The demons said that if the same condition was also applied to the gods as well then they had no objection to tying the wooden planks on both their hands when eating.

All the demons had wooden planks tied to both their hands and they immediately sat on the floor, seating one next to the other in one straight line. They were all very eager to be served with delicious food.

The first course of food arrived. It was the best smelling soup in a bowel with spoon. Now when the demons got spoons filled with the soup, they realised that they could not bend their hands to bring the spoons to their mouths. They tried to lift their hands over their heads and tilt the spoons with their mouths wide open. They got the soup falling in their eyes and all over the face and also on their expensive garments.

 

The demons got noisier, became angry and started swearing at the host. Some of the demons wanted to beat up the host. Some demons tried to restrain the other demons and they started fighting among themselves. The demons agreed that it was totally useless for them to remain at this banquet, as it was not possible to eat the food without bending their hands. It was impossible to eat the food without messing up their beautiful and expensive garments. With angry words the demons left the banquet.

Now it was the turn of the gods to eat. The gods were of a peaceful nature. They also sat in a line on the floor. Both their hands were also tied with wooden planks. When the first course of food was served, which was the delicious soup, the gods first recited the food prayer. The gods realised that they could not bend their hands, and therefore it was impossible to eat the soup.

Each of the gods thought: "Never mind if I cannot eat the soup, but let me be of help to my fellow brother who is seated next to me."

The gods turned towards each other and started feeding each other. They thus enjoyed the most delicious soup. Then the next course of meal was served and they enjoyed that delicious meal. They went through five course meals and ate to their hearts content. They thanked the host, presented the host with gifts they had brought, and peacefully went back to their homes.

The son was observing all that happened. The father told him that a major difference between the gods and the demons was the difference in their attitude of ‘Giving’ and the attitude of ‘Taking.’ The demons thought only about their individual self-interest whereas the gods thought about selflessly serving others. When you open your heart and give selflessly, you receive also much more than you give.

[Note: Although this story relates to what happened a long, long time ago, this is an eternal story. It relates to all ages and to our modern times as well. The following comments are by Sri A. Parthasarathy from his book ‘Vedanta Treatise’]

 

EASIEST WAY OF PRACTISING RELIGION

By Sri A.Parthasarathy

From his book Vedanta Treatise

 

What is the easiest way of practising and bringing religion into our lives? There are two broad principles governing human action. The first of the two principles is based on the attitude of GIVING. The second is based on the attitude of TAKING.

If the attitude of TAKING prevails in a society you will find its members possessed with multi fold selfish demands and desires. Consequently, there is struggle, stress and strain in that society with crimes, robbery, rapes, corruption, inconsiderate selfish behaviour, becoming prevalent at national, community, family and individual levels.

Let their attitude change to GIVING. Their demands and desires drop their selfishness. Harmony, peace and happiness will reign in that very same society. The dignity of human race is founded upon the principle of GIVING. Life is to give, not to take. One ought not to demand from society. Perhaps one's only right in the world is to give, to serve. To serve one and all, serve the nation, serve the society, the family and yourself. This is the first of the elements of right living. We need to do service to maintain our proper spiritual well being. While the physical body resorts to service, the mind must embrace the world with love.

This is the second element of right living. All our emotions must be amalgamated into a mass of universal love. Our pleasures and pains are identical with those of our fellow creatures. This is true love. The feeling of true love arises from purity. Such purity of love upgrades us to greater spiritual heights.

Knowledge of Vedanta inculcates the elements of right living into our physical, mental and intellectual personalities. Our actions develop a spirit of true service. Our emotions get chastened with pure love. Our discrimination gains subtlety to distinguish between the higher and the lower aspects of life with the result that our attachment for the lower drops off. By maintaining these disciplines at the three levels of our personality, we live an ideal life.

 

[Guest guest]

definitely agree there, but without realisation of the Supreme Lord, people have no motivation to serve others...once they realise that everyone is a part and parcel of God, they realise that by serving each other they satisfy everyone...

 

We are all parts of a whole body, we must work together so that the Body is functioning...

 

What would happen if your hand suddenly said 'I want to eat the food, I want to enjoy'? The body would not work properly...the hand would also not enjoy, since it's constitutional position is to serve the body, not to enjoy independently...

 

We must all learn to serve the Whole...by serving the Whole the parts of the body are automatically satisfied...that is true spirituality...

[barney]

There are atheist who do not realize the Supereme Lord but yet they serve others in whatever way they can. They do not expect anything in return for their service whereas there those who say they realize the Supreme Lord yet they expect something in return for serving the Lord. Is it the individul quality of a person or the enviroment they have been groomed. I find that not every individual is granted such but only those selected or shall I say destined to realize the Supreme Lord are the ones dedicated to serving fellow human and the Lord. So, I think karma plays a part here. In some families you can see both parents are spritually dedicated and humble in approach but the ofspring would be the opposite. So, what is the reaon for such? Can you explain on that?

[maadhav]

<< a major difference between the gods and the demons was the difference in their attitude of ‘Giving’ and the attitude of ‘Taking.’ The demons thought only about their individual self-interest whereas the gods thought about selflessly serving others. When you open your heart and give selflessly, you receive also much more than you give. >>

 

barney,

 

some how this time our minds are tuned with each other very well. i was thinking to share the same story here, and you posted it very well. thanks.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

There are atheist who do not realize the Supereme Lord but yet they serve others in whatever way they can.

---if you connect this propensity to serve with the realization of god you reach perfection. If you serve others without giving them god, you are giving a service destined to die with their body. If you give also god, this advantage follows them eternally

 

They do not expect anything in return for their service whereas there those who say they realize the Supreme Lord yet they expect something in return for serving the Lord.

--it is not exact and very ingenuous.. because who is serving others without being spiritually realized lives surely a gratification in serving, and it is good and this is their pleasure and advantage. And it is worth to say that in vedic literature is well described the stage of love to god when one does not want any advantage from it.. neither liberation from material suffering, paradise or vaikunta

 

so it is very difficult to say that atheists are detached and spiritualists are egoist

 

I find that not every individual is granted such but only those selected or shall I say destined to realize the Supreme Lord are the ones dedicated to serving fellow human and the Lord

--potentially, realizing that all the living beings are son of god, they can help them in the external body and in the real self... thing that atheists cannot do because they know only the body

 

So, I think karma plays a part here

--spirituality is above karma and depends from god's grace and superficial respect of some religious behaviour given by birth, familiar tradition and so on does not mean too much

 

In some families you can see both parents are spritually dedicated and humble in approach but the ofspring would be the opposite. So, what is the reaon for such?

--the reason is that our character, propensities, guna and karma do not start with our present birth.... so the influence given by our present family, can be, in percentage very little in comparison with the ones that we had from the billions of families we had in our previous lives

 

Can you explain on that?

--do you agree on what i've said?

 

[Guest guest]

1) there are atheist who do much philanthropy...but not enough...the point is that atheism is the root of the selfish civilization we live in today 'just enjoy, just enjoy...'

 

2) The reason why offspring may be atheist, but parents spiritually committed: FREE WILL .... that offspring ultimately has the free will to choose to follow the good example of his parents, or to go on his own atheistic path...

[barney]

"spirituality is above karma and depends from god's grace and superficial respect of some religious behaviour given by birth, familiar tradition and so on does not mean too much"

 

"the reason is that our character, propensities, guna and karma do not start with our present birth.... so the influence given by our present family, can be, in percentage very little in comparison with the ones that we had from the billions of families we had in our previous lives"

 

You are contradicting your own statement. So, you agree Karma is at work here no matter who spritually one is groomed?

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Karma is at work on everybody unless one is pure devotee...