मनुस्मृति
[manusmrti] IAST: MANUSMṚTI
A code of conduct written by मनु alias मानवाचार्य who was the father of man-kind for the harmonious existence of a social life. The book contains twelve chapters. The first chapter deals with the origin of the स्मृति and the origin of the world. No other स्मृति begins like this and so it is believed that this chapter must have been added to it later. The contents of each of the other eleven chapters are given below:
Second chapter
It deals with the sense organs and stresses the importance of conquering and controlling them. It describes the qualities of a ब्रह्मिन् .
Third chapter
It contains the duties of a householder after his course of study of the Vedas. Eight different kinds of marriages are described in it. It also deals with methods of giving protection to women and children.
Duties of a ब्राह्मण , study of the वेदस् and responsibilities of a स्नातक are all described in this chapter.
Fifth chapter
This deals with pure and impure foods, impurity and methods of purification, women and their responsibilities.
Sixth Chapter
This contains the duties of those who have entered the आश्रम of वानप्रस्थ and also of ascetics.
Seventh chapter
---
It deals with the duties of Kings and ministers.
एइघ्थ् chapter
It deals with law and justice. It contains laws for the proper conduct of justice and includes ways and means of settling disputes and handling cases of debts, sale without right, partnership, duels, theft, prostitution, boundary disputes and all such matters as are to be decided by a court of law.
Ninth chapter
It deals with the duties of a husband and wife. It also contains matters relating to property rights, partition and the duties of a King with regard to these.
Tenth chapter
It deals with the duties of the different castes, mixed castes and the duties of one in times of danger.
Eleventh chapter
It deals first with penance, observation of व्रतस् , यागस् , यज्ञस् and fee to the priests. It then deals with punishments of crimes, expiation for murder, prostitution etc.
Twelfth chapter --- Mark Title as "empty".
It deals with the theory of births and describes how your deeds in the present life are directive of the nature of life of your next birth. What deeds would fetch you what life is also explained. It contains instructions on आत्मज्ञान and the way to obtain मोक्ष (absolute bliss).
The basis of the present Hindu Law is मनुस्मृति and it is believed to have been written in B.C. 500.
Project अर्थ (Artha): X, yashbonde.com, LinkedIn. See Sources