THE MANUSMRITI AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE "VISHUDDHA MANUSMRITI" WITHOUT INTERPOLATED SHLOKAS

The Manusmriti is one of the oldest books in the vast realm of Vedic literature. It is as well one of the first treatises on political science. It is the jewel in the crown of the Sanatana Vedic Dharma. The Samskrita literature comprises three classes of scriptures; the Revealed, the Arsha and the Anårsha. The revealed class comprises only the Veda. The Arsha Sterature is made up of those scriptures which were composed by the Rishis. These rishi-made books are mostly commentaries or a systematic presentation of the different sciences revealed in the Vedas, both spiritual and material. The Anärsha class of books comprises those Samskrita writings which do not follow the precepts of the Vedas, like the Puranas, the Upapuranas, the Tantras, etc. The Manusmriti is an Ärsha scripture composed by Maharishi Manu. Maharishi Manu was the first sovereign of the first state on this earth. The Manusmriti is a set of rules for the proper administration of a welfare state. The Manusmriti deals with all the important aspects of civil and criminal laws which are necessary for the protection of the rights of the individuals and the society, that is, of the governed and the governing body. Maharishi Manu acclaims the Vedas to be the प्रमाण-Pramanam (परम-Paramam)," that is, the Veda is the Supreme Authority. He outlines the glory and great ness of the Vedas in his Smriti at several places. He says, "वेदोऽखिलो धर्ममूलम् "। -Vedo'khilo Dharma Moolam," that is, the Veda is the source of all knowledge of Dharma. He lays great stress on the practice of those codes of living which are