This presentation is on the much maligned text in both India and in the Europe. Given the well known fact that Manusmriti was the 1st ever translated text into English Language, I'm focusing on the very reception of the text by European Indologists and Philisophers, What and How the text has been received, read, interpreted and translated? Is there any Epistemological violence involved in the reading of Manusmriti-- And if yes--how tto confront that forced violence? and what new insights can be seen in the text that leads us to the realm of heterogeneous culture of India which celebrates jagat against world & heaven; actional life against ideological life; nuanced jatis against secularism/ singularity/ universalism; dharma against religion/ god/ sovereignty.

1. Presented By:-
Abhishek.S,
H-1669, 3rd sem.

2.  Sir William Jones:-
Born: 1746
Death: 1794
Occupation: Puisne Judge of Supreme Court of
Judicature, and also a Philologist.
Scholarship: hyper-polyglotist (13+28),
genetic relation b/w Indo-European Languages,
translated Manusmriti in 1794.
the first to propagate the racial division with the Aryan
invasion within the India.
Contributions: Founder of Asiatic Society of Bengal
(1784)and for-runner of the journal Asiatick
Researches.

3. George Buhler:-
Born: 1837
Death: 1898
Occupation: Professor of Oriental Studies and
Translator
Scholarship: published his translations of the
Paiyalachchhi, the oldest Prakrit dictionary.
Contributions: Translated the vol.2,1 4 and 25 of Max
Muller’s “The Scared Books of the East”.

4.  Warren Hastings
 Civil Justice and Policy Executions
 Judicial Plan of 1772: “all suits regarding the
inheritance, marriage, caste and other religious usages, or
institutions, the laws of the Koran with respect to
Mohametans and those of the Shaster with respect to
Gentoos shall be invariably adhered to.”
 Into Persian by 12 Brahmin Pandits
 “A Code of Gentoo Laws or Ordinations of Pandits”
(1776)
 Nathaniel Halhed: Orientalist, Philologist and a
member of the Bengal Squad.

5.  William Jones in the very beginning describes his principle
motives “to know and to publish” manusmriti, so as to let the
Indians be in possession of their laws which in turn confirms
the colonial administration.
 The time period of the composition of the text.
 Then he draws some parallel comparisons between Manu and
Minos and similarly between Sanskrit and Egyptian institutes
of law.
 Later Jones shares the remarks given by Vedas, Vrihaspathi,
Vyasa and others on the importance of Manu.
 Jones focuses on the below four commentators:
Medhatithi— reckoned prolix and unequal
Govindaraj– concise but obscure
Dharani– often erroneous
Finally Jones speaks about Kulluca Bhatta whom he has almost
“implicitly” followed in his translation.

6.  Then he states the sanctity offered to the text and his
hardships in reading the text.
 Later he concludes his preface by constant contrasts.

7. Buhler divides his introduction into 3 parts.
1. The origin of Manusmriti according to the Hindus.
2. The Manava Dharmasastra converted into a
metrical Smriti.
 The Manava Dh.S chosen for conversion on
accounts of myths regarding Manu
 Old and New parts of the work
 Sources of editions made by the editor of metrical
version
 Position of Bhrigu’s Samhita among the various
metrical recensions.
 Probable date of Bhrigu’s Samhita.
1. The commentaries of Manu and principles of
translation.

8.  Title: Manusmriti as ‘Law codes of Manu’.
 Chronology
 Authorship and authenticity

9.  Interpolations:- Buhler and even Patrick Olivelle believes that
Chap.1 and 12 are later added revised interpolations.
 Style:- a thematic coherence
 Similarities b/w Sanskrit, Greek, Latin and Egyptian
 Commentaries

10.  Attempts to emphasize 1 large canonical text.
Dayabagha and Mitakshara in Bengal.
 Ambiguous stand of privileging certain particular
topics.
Contracts, inheritance, and property.
 Misleading the readers by terming Manu as a
Brahmin and Aryans as the addressee of the
Manusmriti.
 Distorting the native culture by perceiving
Manusmriti as a law-book.

11.  Codifying the personal laws of Hindus:- to setup their
legitimizing institutions like Law and Government.
“Laws must be congenial to the disposition and habits, and to all
their ancient usages and established rules of conduct—must
have the sanction of the actual revelation from heaven. The
legislative of Britain is in compliance with the above maxim.
Leaving the Indians in possession of their own laws (contracts
and inheritances)-------> administration of justice and
government will be conformable”—William Jones.
 Theorizing fore front Hindus and Hinduism despite the
absence of such notion in Vedas and Manusmriti.

12.  Differentiating Dhrama from duties and rights. Rajiv
Malhotra in his “Being different: An Indian Challenge to the
West” gives the below 6 postulates of an Abrahamic
theological framework.
Further, the writer enunciates that the commandments are
derived from the above framework but whereas such
commandments cannot be imagined in our culture.
Further Chap.2, verse-6 of Manusmriti articulates dharma as
‘smrithis, shrutis, words of elders & learned,
atmasanthusti are the 4sources of dharma’.

13.  Focusing on the vast Heterogeneity through Jati
culture where its complexity couldn’t be
comprehended by the colonizers. And so, Jati culture
turned out to be a firewall against cultural
imperialism and total proselytization.
 As S.N.Balganghadara says,
So, we need to look at the different learning that is
provided by the cultural space that we are born in to.
 And our class readings have generated new insights
in Manusmriti by reflecting upon Creation, Customs
and Desires.

14.  Then chapters 2, 3 , 11 and 12 gives us the four
stages of living that is mentioned as below.
learning--brahmacharya, householder--grhasta,
preparation-vanaprastha, renunciation--
sanyasa.

15.  In short the translation of Manusmriti by the
Europeans have privileged the do’s and don’ts
rather than focusing on the vast heterogeneous
jati culture and the actional mode of living.
 And so, Epistemological violence has been
committed by such translators and orientalists.
 By developing fresh insights from the
composition of Manusmriti can significantly
reduce the distortion of our culture created by
the colonialism.

16. 1. “The Laws of Manu” by George Buhler.
Introduction. Pg.No.-1 to 142.
2. “Manudharmasastra” by William Jones.
Preface. Pg.No.-1 to 36.
3. “Being Different: An Indian Challenge to the
West” by Rajiv Malhotra; Preface.
4. “Notes towards the study of Caste system in
India”. Pg.No.-1 to 15.

17. Any Questions