Burning Copies of Manusmriti in JNU In Retrospect
J.P.Sharma
Sabarmati Dhaba in JNU premises, the venue of the notorious anti-national demonstrations of 9 Feb 2016 witnessed another demonstration by some 60 JNU students on 8 March 2016 on the International Women’s Day, held again despite being denied permission by the university administration. The highlight of the demonstration was the public burning of copies of the Manusmriti, an ancient Sanskrit text, also known as Manavdharma Shastra, supposed to be a compendium of laws laid down by Manu for social organization. The demonstrators also shouted slogans like “Manuwad ki kabar khudegi JNU ki dharti par”, “Manuwad ho barbad, Brahmanwad ho barbad, Jatiwad ho barbad.”The demonstration was organized with the support of the leftist Unions, -AISA,and DSF, and the Congress-affiliated NSUI. Jatin Goraya the current Vice President of the JNU unit of ABVP and some ex-members of ABVP who had left the student body after Government action against Kanhaiya Kumar also joined in the demonstration. Alleging that Manusmriti was anti-women and anti-Dalit, the demonstrators claimed that the” burning of Manusmriti will symbolize burning of the history of exploitation”.
It can safely be presumed, (as has been reportedly admitted by one of the demonstrators) that most of those participating in the demonstration would not have heard of Manusmriti before joining JNU and that they acquired the animus against Manusmriti after learning something about the book from their seniors and their teachers most of whom are known to harbor leftist leanings. Obviously they took it for granted that the book they were burning was authored by Manu who was responsible for laying the foundations of Manuwad, Brahmanwad and Jatiwad as also the exploitation of Dalits and women in India. Had their minds not been poisoned by the virus of Communism pervading the atmosphere of that supposed institution of higher learning, they should have tried to satisfy themselves whether the book they were burning was really authored by Manu (whoever he might have been). An objective enquirer would have gone on to ask pertinent questions like, who really was Manu?, when did he live?, what authority did he enjoy?, did he really lay down the norms which the demonstrators found repulsive?, when exactly was the treatise known as Manusmriti come to be written or compiled?, whether any of the fifty plus manuscripts of Manusmriti known to exist at present is the unadulterated version of the original? And whether is it not possible that the repugnant provisions in what passes for Manusmriti at present are interpolations inserted by unscrupulous writers down the ages? etc,etc.,
It is plainly illogical to expect such circumspection from the Manusmriti burners of JNU who instead of being groomed for true scholarship in the various disciplines they are pursuing, are being programmed to become storm troopers of the various anti-national and anti –Hindu ideologies being resolutely promoted by those wanting the disintegration of India. Manusmriti being one of the weapons most frequently used for the denigration of Hinduism, it will be worthwhile to state here some basic facts about Manu and Manusmriti.
WHO WAS MANU?
According to Hindu scriptures, the creation and destruction of the universe is a cyclic process, which repeats itself forever. Each cycle starts with the birth and expansion (lifetime) of the universe followed by its complete annihilation. Within each cycle there are sub-cycles . One sub-cycle is denominated ‘Manvantara’— literally meaning the duration of a Manu, or his life span.
Each Manvantara is created and ruled by a specific Manu, who in turn is created by Brahma, the Creator himself. Manu creates the world and all its species during that period of time, at the end of which, Brahma creates another Manu to continue the cycle of Creation or Shristi. Presently we are in the seventh Manvantar beginning with the creation of Vaivaswat Manu. Besides being the creator of all living beings and everything that is included in the universe, Manu also lays down rules and regulations for the maintenance of a just and equitable society.
Manu does not seem to have been a mere figment of imagination of the ancient sages. The most common appellation used for human beings –man, and its Sanskrit predecessors –Manushya (=of Manu), Manuj (=born to Manu) , Manav (=progeny of Manu) all strongly point to some extraordinary person named Manu having been our common ancestor.
MANUSMRITI
Frankly it is not possible to ascribe a definite date to our Manu. According to some Hindu scholars Manu lived some six thousand years ago. As the title of the text itself indicates Manusmriti – meaning memories of Manu, or commemoration of Manu could not have been authored by Manu or even written during Manu’s lifetime. Howsoever that may be, it is worth noting that long before the colonial era, the fame and influence of Manusmriti had spread far beyond India to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and even Indonesia.
It was not only the lands to the east of India where the early lawmakers drew inspiration from Manu. According to some scholars “law- makers in the world in general and the Indian sub-continent in particular have been inspired by Manu and indebted to him”.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a renowned German “Philologist and Philosopher’, who considered “Manusmriti”, as incomparably spiritual and superior work to the Bible, says: “Close the Bible and open the Manusmriti. It has an Affirmation of Life, a Triumphing agreeable sensation in life and that to draw up a law book such as Manu means to permit oneself to get the upper hand, to become perfection, to be ambitious of the highest art of living”.
POLLUTION OF MANUSMRITI
Western scholars who have done some researches on the subject variously ascribe to Manusmriti the period of circa 1000 BCE to 2nd century BCE or 2nd/3rd century CE. It would be reasonable to assume that like other renowned ancient texts, the laws/regulations prescribed by Manu would have been memorized and passed down from one generation to the next till they came to be recorded. It is also reasonable to assume that during this process of oral transmission extending over thousands of years, and even during the later years the original prescriptions would have suffered adulteration by unscrupulous persons taking advantage of the prestige of Manu to give currency and authority to their own beliefs or prejudices.
According to its detractors, Manusmriti contains numerous provisions against women and Shudras and promoting the hierarchical caste system. These provisions are found present together with the original provisions eulogising women and treating Shudras with respect. Even a person with a modicum of common sense can see that a text containing mutually contradictory provisions cannot be the original work of an exalted sage. The extant versions of Manusmriti have been closely examined by several scholars including Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj, and found to be adulterated. Mention must be made in this context of, Professor Surendra Kumar, presently the Vice Chancellor of Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar,who after a painstaking research has come out with “Vishuddha Manusmriti” i.e. pure Manusmriti. Now what does the original Manusmriti say about the caste system, women and Shudras? We will quote only a few of the most famous Shlokas of Manusmriti.
Re;Women
3/56. Where women are honored, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not, no sacred rite yields the desired result.
3/62. Where the wife is radiant and happy, the whole house is heaven-like; but if she is unhappy, all will appear as hell.
9/26. Women who bear (our) children secure many blessings (for the family and the society at large); they are worthy of worship, who suffuse (their) dwellings with prosperity; there is no difference between them and goddesses of good fortune.
Re; Caste System and Shudras.
A simple reading of Manusmriti makes it clear that Manu laid down a four class system of society (varna vyavastha) in which everybody’s class (varna) was determined not by his parentage but by his qualifications, aptitudes, and actions. This varna was determined after the completion of his education. It is further seen that Manu considered anyone who is without knowledge or capacity for skilled deeds as a Shudra; so any uneducated person is fit only for being in the service, under the guidance, of others who have the requisite knowledge and skills.
Isn’t that how we are organized even today?
Manu also advises people to exert in order to acquire a higher varna, and change his or her allotted Varna. The advisory leaves varna vyastha changeable, fluid, and not based on birth but on merit alone.
Here are some shlokas about Shudra and other varnas;–
1/31. But for the sake of the prosperity of the worlds he caused the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the Vaisya and the Shudra varna origin in form of the body of the society : as its mouth, its arms, its thighs and its feet, respectively.)
..
1/87. But in order to protect this universe He (God), the most resplendent one, assigned separate (duties and) occupations to those as done in a body by mouth, arms, thighs, and feet.
1/88. To Brahmanas He assigned teaching and studying (the Vedas), sacrificing for their own benefit and for the welfare of others, giving and accepting (of alms).
1/89. The Kshatriya he commanded to protect the people, to bestow gifts, to offer sacrifices, to study (the Vedas), and to abstain from attaching himself to sensual pleasures;
1/90. The Vaisya to tend cattle, to bestow gifts, to offer sacrifices, to study (the Vedas), to trade, to lend money, and to cultivate the land.
1/91. One occupation only the Lord prescribed to the Shudra : to serve these (other) three varnas.
PERMITTING RISE to A HIGHER VARNA OR SINKING TO A LOWER VARNA
2/103. But he who does not worships in morning, nor in the evening, is like a Shudra and he shall be excluded, just like a Shudra, from all the duties and rights of an Arya (one of noble qualities).
2/168. A twice-born man who, not having studied the Vedas, applies himself to other (and worldly study), soon falls, even while living, to the condition of a Shudra; and so do his descendants (after him).
9/335. (A Shudra who is) pure, accompanies his betters and is gentle in his speech, free from pride, and always seeks a refuge with Brahmanas, attains a higher Varna (Brahmana, Kshatriya or Vaisya) based on his qualities
10/65. (Thus) a Shudra attains the rank of a Brahmana, and (in a similar manner) a Brahmana sinks to the level of a Shudra; and know that it is the same with the offspring of a Kshatriya or of a Vaisya.
RE TREATMENT of LOWER VARNAS
4/141. Let him not insult those who have redundant limbs or are deficient in limbs, nor those destitute of knowledge, nor very aged men, nor those who have no beauty or wealth, nor those who are of low birth
2/238. He who possesses faith may receive pure learning even from a man of lower caste (Shudra), the highest law even from the lowest, and an excellent wife even from a base family
2/136. Wealth, kindred, age, (the due performance of) rites, and, fifthly, sacred learning are titles to respect; but each later-named (cause) is more weighty (than the preceding ones).
3/116. After the Brahmanas, the kinsmen, and the servants have dined, the householder and his wife may afterwards eat of what remains.
RE PUNISHMENTS
8/335. Neither a father, nor a teacher, nor a friend, nor a mother, nor a wife, nor a son, nor a domestic priest must be left unpunished by a king, if they do not keep within their duty.
8/336. Where another common man would be fined one karshapana, the king shall be fined one thousand; that is the settled rule.
8/337. In (a case of) theft the guilt of a Shudra shall be eightfold, that of a Vaisya sixteen fold, that of a Kshatriya two-and-thirtyfold …
8/338. … that of a Brahmana sixty-fourfold, or quite a hundredfold, or (even) twice four-and-sixtyfold; (each of them) knowing the nature of the offence.
We have quoted only some of the most significant provisions of Manusmriti to illustrate how uninformed/misinformed and prejudiced the critics of Manusmriti are. It also seems clear that the false propaganda against Manusmriti is not the result of lack of information or research but happens to constitute one of the major planks in the drive against Hinduism, Indian Civilization, and the Integrity of India, being waged and funded by those seeking the disintegration of India and their Indian collaborators and hirelings.
………..J P SHARMA
