Laws of Manu

In Hindu mythology, Manu is the progenitor of the human race. He is thus the lord and guardian of the living, and his name is attached to the most important codification of Hindu law, the Manava-dharma-sastra (Laws of Manu). Compiled by Brahmanic legalists sometime between 200 BC and AD 200, this code is the earliest of the Vedic texts called the dharma-sutras, manuals on dharma, or duty. Unlike earlier texts, which focus primarily on knowledge of Brahman and self, the code of Manu emphasizes duty in the social context. It defines the specific duties and responsibilities of the individual in terms of varna, or class – Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya, or Sudra – and asrama, or state of life – student, householder, forest hermit, or total ascetic – classifications that remain fundamental to Hinduism to the present day.

This text by Buhler since its first appearance has remained the most authentic and accepted English translation. The text has, for the first time, been rendered in a narrative form, making it an enjoyable reading for the serious scholars as well as the general reader.