Manusmriti

Introduction	Ideas in Manusmriti
Manusmriti= Dharmashastra Manu= Manas putra of Brahma first law giver, gave dharma of different varnas Dharma= no word in European languages Rig Veda: Prithvim Dharmam Dhritam means: Dharma holds life on earth don't follow dharma= catastrophe Dharma discussed in Dharmashastra. most important is Manusmriti smriti based on Shruti shruti= vedas, they contain revealed knowledge (revealed by Brahma)	Purushartha: 4 goals of life Dharma, Arth, Kaam, Moksha indians took life in comprehensive manner, neither ignored material, nor spiritual features Ashrams: stages of life Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanprastha, Sanyas Varnas: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra each varna has to follow his dharma, otherwise catastrophe (arajakta) king= ensure all follow their dharma Sanskar: 16 essential rituals starting from Garbhadharan to Antim Sanskar
Origin of State	Features of Kingship
quasi contractual theory of origin of state contract between men and god mentioned in Chapter 7 of Manusmriti initially no state prevalence of Matsyanyaya: big fish eating small fish Brahma created Manu, first king and law giver	king have divine personality, not divine rights (as in west) king combined Indra, Varuna, Agni, Vayu, Surya, Chandra, Yama, Kuber king were under law, follow Rajdharma if king does not follow, king will go to hell king is to be from Kshatriya Varna, kinship was hereditary
Duties of King	Features
follow Kshatriya Dharma war is his dharma have knowledge of vedas respect brahmins wake up early, don't sleep during daytime don't indulge in hunting, gambling, drinking, dancing construct public utility, take care of orphans, destitutes help people to achieve Yogkshem (to achieve what they don't have, protect what they have) rakshan and palan  punishment according to shastras (less for higher varna)	no concept of equality before law, higher the varna, lower is the punishment principle of taxation: based upon fertility of land, more fertility, more tax king has share in other commodities like honey, butter which are traded women are kept under supervision of men
Conclusion
Dr. S Radhakrishnan is admirer Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is major critic Annihilation of Caste: put dynamite on vedas and manusmriti Feminists: criticise