The Manusmriti, also known as the Manava-Dharmashastra or the Laws of Manu, is a major legal text among the Dharmashastras of Hinduism. It contains rules on many aspects of dharma and is especially known for its discussion of separate rules for the four varnas, the inherited social classes often called caste. The metrical Sanskrit text is dated to between the second century BC and the second century AD and presents itself as a discourse given by the sages Manu and Bhrigu on duties, rights, conduct, and virtue. In 1776 it became one of the first Sanskrit texts translated into English, by the British philologist William Jones, and it was subsequently used to help construct the Hindu law code applied in territory administered by the East India Company.
Facts
Document TypeLegal text (Dharmashastra) 1 Original Language Document Type
Document Type (category) Connections
In Era
Source Manusmriti, Wikipedia
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1. Manusmriti, Wikipedia
Lead, first sentence, type clause
is a major legal text among the many Dharmaśāstras of Hinduism
Lead, second sentence
The metrical text is in Sanskrit
Lead, first sentence, name clause
also known as the Mānava-Dharmaśāstra or the Laws of Manu
Lead paragraph
is a major legal text among the many Dharmaśāstras of Hinduism
In Group: Constitutions, Charters and Statutes of Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, Lead
The metrical text is in Sanskrit, is dated to the 2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE, and presents itself as a discourse given by Manu (Svayambhuva) and Bhrigu on dharma topics such as duties, rights, laws, conduct, varna, gender norms, and virtues.
In Era: Classical Antiquity, Article text
However, the majority of scholars agree that it was composed sometime between 200 BCE and 200 CE.
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