Category:According to Manu-samhita
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently cites the Manu-saṁhitā as the authoritative lawbook for human civilization, ordained by the supreme authority. Through these references, he illustrates that a society functions harmoniously only when it adheres to these immutable codes, which cover everything from domestic relationships to state governance and criminal justice. The overarching theme is that these laws are designed not to restrict freedom, but to protect society from degradation and to facilitate spiritual progress.
- The Protection of Women: A central theme in these teachings is the necessity of protection for women at all stages of life—by the father in childhood, the husband in youth, and sons in old age. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the injunction against "independence" is meant to prevent exploitation and ensure women remain safe and chaste for the benefit of family and society.
- Justice and Capital Punishment: The laws regarding crime are strict but beneficial. A murderer is punished with death not merely for retribution, but to free the offender from the heavy karmic reactions they would otherwise suffer in the next life. This principle applies to the killing of animals as well, labeling such acts as murder.
- The Duties of Government: Leadership requires adherence to standard Vedic scriptures. A government or king that fails to rule according to the codes of Manu cannot endure. This includes seeking counsel from learned brahmanas and strictly avoiding the confiscation of their property.
- The Laws of Nature and Karma: The code details the precise karmic reactions for sins such as meat-eating, noting that eight different parties are implicated in the killing of a single animal.
- The Sanctity of Marriage: Under Manu's laws, marriage is an unbreakable bond. Concepts such as divorce or desertion are rejected, emphasizing that duty supersedes temporary distress or happiness.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Social and Legal Principles According to Manu-saṁhitā.
Pages in category "According to Manu-samhita"
The following 23 pages are in this category, out of 23 total.
A
- A brahmana's property is called brahma-sva, and according to Manu's law it cannot be acquired even by the government. Both brahmanas, however, insisted that the cow was theirs and could not be taken back under any condition
- A woman is supposed to be always dependent - in her childhood she is dependent on her father, in youth on her husband, and in old age on her elderly sons. According to Manu-samhita, she is never independent. Independence for a woman means miserable life
- According to Manu's law, when a person commits murder, punishment is beneficial for him because if he is not killed he might commit more and more murders and therefore be entangled in his future lives for having killed so many persons
- According to Manu, the author of civic codes and religious principles, even the killer of an animal is to be considered a murderer because animal food is never meant for the civilized man, whose prime duty is to prepare himself for going back to Godhead
- According to Manu, women, the fair sex, should not have independence at any stage of life
- According to Manu-samhita, a woman is never independent. She must remain the property of the father while she is not married, and she must remain the property of the husband until she is elderly and has grown-up children of her own
- According to Manu-samhita, a woman needs a great deal of protection in order to remain pure and chaste so that her children can be fully engaged for the benefit of human society
- According to Manu-samhita, every woman should be protected, either by her husband, by her father or by her grown sons. Without such protection, a woman will be exploited
- According to Manu-smrti, one should never desert his wife and children
- According to the Manu-samhita, a woman should never be given freedom. When she is not under the protection of her husband, she must be under the protection of her sons
- According to the rulings of Manu, an aggressor, even though he be a brahmana (and what to speak of an unworthy son of a brahmana), is to be killed
- According to Vedic civilization, Manu is the lawgiver. Even today Hindus in India follow the laws given by Manu
- According to Vedic system, there is no independent life of woman. Na stri svatantryam arhati. Manu-samhita, that "Stri" - stri means woman - "should not be allowed independence." They should be given all protection. That's a very nice system
I
- I do not wish to discuss this point very much, but according to our Manu-samhita, it is said that women should not be free. Na svatantryam arhati - Svatantryam is not allowed to the woman class
- If the king or dictator individually, or the members of the government collectively, cannot maintain the state or kingdom according to the rules of Manu-samhita, certainly their government will not endure
- In the time of Maharaja Nabhi, a monarch was supposed to govern strictly according to Vedic principles under the guidance of learned brahmanas, who could advise Him according to the standard Vedic scriptures like Manu-smrti and similar sastras
T
- The laws are given by Bhagavan and are written in books like Manu-samhita and other Vedic literatures. According to the law, we have to obey the government, and according to dharma, we have to obey Krsna, God
- The weight of a murderer's sin is very great, and therefore according to Manu-samhita a murderer must be killed