The Law Code of Manu

by Olivelle, Patrick

• ISBN13: 9780192802712
• ISBN10: 0192802712
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-03-18
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Law Code of Manu is the most authoritative and the best-known legal text of ancient India. Famous for fifteen centuries it still generates controversy, with Manu's verses being cited in support of the oppression of women and members of the lower castes. A seminal Hindu text, the Law Code is important for its classic description of so many social institutions that have come to be identified with Indian society. It deals with the relationships between social and ethnic groups, between men and women, the organization of the state and the judicial system, reincarnation, the workings of karma, and all aspects of the law. Patrick Olivelle's lucid translation is the first to be based on his critically edited text, and it incorporates the most recent scholarship on ancient Indian history, law, society, and religion.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	viii
Bibliography	ix
Introduction	xvi
The Early Legal Tradition	xviii
Author and Date	xx
Narrative Structure and Composition	xxiii
The Structure of the Treatise	xxvii
The Context of the Treatise	xxxi
The Nature and Purpose of the Treatise	xxxviii
The Socio-Political Background	xli
Note on the Translation	xlvi
Guide to the Pronunciation of Sanskrit Words	xlviii
THE LAW CODE OF MANU
Editor's Outline	3	(10)
Translation	13	(208)
Appendices	221	(13)
I. Fauna and Flora	221	(3)
II. Names of Gods, People, and Places	224	(5)
III. Ritual Vocabulary	229	(4)
IV. Weights, Measures, and Currency	233	(1)
Notes	234	(59)
Index	293