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Part of a series on Hindu scriptures

Vedas Rigveda · Yajurveda Samaveda · Atharvaveda Divisions Samhita · Brahmana Aranyaka · Upanishad

Upanishad Aitareya · Brihadaranyaka Isha · Taittiriya · Chandogya Kena · Mundaka · Mandukya Katha · Prashna · Shvetashvatara

Vedanga Shiksha · Chandas · Vyakarana Nirukta · Jyotisha · Kalpa

Mahakavya (epics) Mahabharata · Ramayana

Other scriptures Smriti · Śruti Bhagavad Gita · Purana Agama · Darshana Pancharatra · Tantra · Sutra Stotra · Dharmashastra Divya Prabandha Tevaram · Akhilathirattu Ramacharitamanas Shikshapatri · Vachanamrut

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The Manusmriti (Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति), which, if you rearrange and add a preposition to, becomes smriti of Manu is a work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society. It is one of the nineteen^[1] Dharmasastra, which are part of the Smriti literature. It is considered the oldest and one of the most important texts of this genre.^[2][3] Some of these codes of conduct pertain to the caste system and discuss the stages of life for "twice-born" males (the āśrama system).^[4][5] It explains itself as a discourse given by Sage Manu to rishis who begged him to enlighten them on the topic. There are 2,684 verses divided into twelve chapters.^[6]

A range of historical opinion generally dates composition of the text any time between 200 BCE and 200 CE.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12]} The dating is significant because the work was written during the period when Brahmanical tradition was seriously threatened by non-Vedic movements.^[13][14] The Manu Smriti and other dharmashastras and the views of society that they represent were Brahmanical responses to those threats.^[15] After the breakdown of the Maurya and Shunga empires, there was a period of uncertainty that led to renewed interest in traditional social norms.^[16] In Thapar's view, "The severity of the Dharma-shastras was doubtless a commentary arising from the insecurity of the orthodox in an age of flux."^[17]

The dharma class of texts were also noteworthy because they did not depend on the authority of particular Vedic schools, becoming the starting point of an independent tradition that emphasized dharma itself and not its Vedic origins.^[18]

The work is considered an important source for sociological, political and historical studies. Manusmriti is one of the most heavily criticized of the scriptures of Hinduism, having been attacked by a gamut of people including colonial scholars, modern liberals, Hindu reformists, Dalit advocates, feminists,^[19] and Marxists.

The Bhagvat-geeta contradicts many statements including the fixture of one's varna at birth, and has always been accorded a higher authority by the people in daily life. In northern/southern India Vaishnavism and Shivaism were the common practices and people were unaware of the Manusmriti as such.

Travelers from earlier days (300 B. C.), like Megasthenes, mentioned that the people around the Mathura region worship Harculas (Hari-Krishna) and follow the Geeta as daily life principles. Also Fahn-sain did not mention anything about rigid-ness of the varna systems. The learned brahmin Chanakya never mentioned any social laws prevailing in the society during the chandragupta reign.

The Manu Smriti was one of the first Sanskrit texts studied by the British. It was first translated into English by the founder of Indology, Sir William Jones, and the translated version was published in 1794.^[20] British administrative requirements encouraged their interest in the Dharmashastras, which they believed to be legal codes, but which were in fact not codes of law but norms related to social obligations and ritual requirements.^[21] According to Avari:

The text was never universally followed or acclaimed by the vast majority of Indians in their history; it came to the world's attention through a late eighteenth-century translation by Sir William Jones, who mistakenly exaggerated both its antiquity and its importance. Today many of its ideas are popularised as the golden norm of classical Hindu law by Hindu universalists. They are, however, anathema to modern thinkers and particularly feminists.^[22]

Dr. Surendra Kumar, who counts a total of 2,685 verses, finds that only 1,214 are authentic, the other 1,471 being interpolations on the text.^[23]

In reply to the criticism of the Shudras, the verses critical of the Shudras and women are considered to be later interpolations, but not later than Adi Shankara (7th-8th century CE). The law in Manu Smriti also appears to be overtly positive towards Brahmins (priests) in terms of concessions made in fines and punishments. The stance of Manu Smriti about women is also an issue. While certain verses such as (III - 55, 56, 57, 59, 62) glorify the position of women, other verses (IX - 3, 17) seem to attack the position and freedom women have. The education of women is also an issue. Certain interpretations of Verse (IX - 18) claim that it discourages women from reading Vedic scriptures. Verse (II - 240), however, allows women to read Vedic scriptures. Similar contradictory phrases are encountered in relation to child marriage in verses (IX - 94) and (IX - 90).

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in his book "Revolution and Counter-Revolution in India" says that Manusmriti was written by a sage named Brigu during the times of Pushyamitra of Sangha in connection with social pressures caused by the rise of Buddhism.^{[citation needed]} However, historians, such as Romila Thapar, debunk these claims as gross exaggerations. She writes that archaeological evidence casts doubt on the claims of Buddhist persecution by Pushyamitra.^[24] Support of the Buddhist faith by the Sungas at some point is suggested by an epigraph on the gateway of Bharhut, which mentions its erection "during the supremacy of the Sungas"^[25] Incidentally, it is also noted that Hinduism does not evangelize.^[26][27]

Prominent Hindu figures such as Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Srila Prabhupada however hold the scripture to be authentic^{[citation needed]} and authoritative^{[citation needed]}, while widely appreciated by figures such as Annie Besant, P.D. Ouspensky, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Pandurang Shastri Athavale and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Nietzsche is noted to have said "Close the Bible and open the Manu Smriti."^[28]

The Hindu sage Paramahansa Yogananda author of the worldwide bestseller Autobiography of a Yogi writes that Manu was a king in the last Golden Age (before 5000BC). He is believed to have formulated the Laws for the coming lower ages.

• Flood, Gavin (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43878-0. 
• Hopkins, Thomas J. (1971). The Hindu Religious Tradition. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company. 
• Keay, John (2000). India: A History. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3797-0. 
• Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (1986). A History of India. New York: Barnes & Noble. ISBN 0-88029-577-5. 
• Thapar, Romila (2002). Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-24225-4. 
• Translation by G. Bühler (1886). Sacred Books of the East: The Laws of Manu (Vol. XXV). Oxford.  Available online as The Laws of Manu
• "The Laws of Manu". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.