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Vannakkam: I don't know much about the topic, so am requesting some of our more learned scholars to fill me in.
Where does LOM fit in in our scriptures? Are they classified somewhere?
Of what significance are they, if any?
Do you have personal opinions, and if so, please share.
How much have they been altered through the years?
Anyone recommend a good translation, or is it even worth my while?
Thank you in advance.
Aum Namasivaya
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
The laws of manu is considered dharma śāstra. We are told in parāśara smṛti¹ :
It seems wise one may wish to spend some time with various dharma-śāstric literature to get a 'feel' for the parts, values, etc.
- All laws arose in the kṛta¹(krita) age ; all have vanished in the kali age. Expound a part of the rules of conduct fit for the four castes, such as are common (to all)
- For the krita (age) are suited the laws of manu ; for the treta, those by gautama (are) prescribed ; for the dvapara those by shank and likhita ; for the Kali, those by parāśara are prescribed.
One may wish to look to the yājñavalkyasmṛti . Here is a link to the 1st book or adhyāya focusing on ācāra
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=9202
Sage yājñavalkya-ji groups his total work into 3 broad areas of consideration, consisting of 1010 śloka-s ( this number is not by chance but by design):
iti śivaṁ
- ācāra - conduct , manner of action , good behaviour & conduct ; ~ moral code~
- vyavahāra - legal procedure and practices of law; ~civil law~
- prāyaścitta - predominant thought , relating to atonement , some like to call penance
words
- parāśara smṛti http://www.scribd.com/doc/24567432/Parashara-Smriti
- kṛta - the first of the four ages of the world also called satya, some too call it the the golden age
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
Where does this dharma śāstra fit in within the vedic ocean of knowledge ? This post may perhaps help:Quote:
Originally Posted by yajvan
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...ighlight=ocean
iti śivaṁ
Vannakkam Yajvan: Thank you for the information. I think i have a slightly better sense of where it fits in.
But does anyone know how commonly LOM is referred to these days. We hear a lot of referencing to the Gita or Vedas, but for the average ordinary Hindu, do any make reference to or quote from the LOM? Are people very aware of it?
How important its it on a practical level? For example, I believe the Kural is swore on in TN in courts of law, as is the Gita in other places.
Aum Namasivaya
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
If one reads the LOM they are quite strict ( I have a copy in hand). People these days talk little of it because it is for a more ~purer~ time in the history of creation. I find it rare when I hear someone quoting from this śāstra.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eastern Mind
Yet this is very much the opposite for the bhāgavad gītā. Why so ? Because it was offered just prior to this kali yuga and deals with the condition of the human in ignorance, and proper action. In sat yuga the dynamics were completely different. Dharma was in full reign - today, well not so much. Hence the ~rules~ then change for the best to occur within the yuga at hand.
iti śivaṁ
Vannakkam: Indeed the dynamics must have been extremely different. I certainly can't understand it. My understanding of the sat yuga was one of harmony and peace, not one that would need some of the ideas expressed in the LOM. The two seem quite incongruent to me. But I'll leave it at that. Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by yajvan
Aum Namasivaya
The authority of manu-dharma-shAstra is mentioned in the rAmAyaNa of vALmIki, the bhAgavata purANa, and the viShNu purANa, so it was known to the authors of these venerable smRiti-s. Certainly, there are many things in manu that are followed to present day, such as brahmin boys requiring to get upaNayanam by age 8, marriage within one's varNa, protection of women, etc. Then again, there are also some elements that don't seem to have any independent verification in our culture today or in the culture as depicted in the smRiti-s. Examples of the latter include: shUdra-s supposed to have names indicating their wretchedness, financial penalties for raping an innocent girl, etc.
Vannakkam Phil and thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by philosoraptor
After posing the question, I did a search of HDF, and I found some components had been discussed at length. Hopefully this thread won't start a repeat discussion. I would suggest anyone interested in participating to do a search first. Since I have a poor memory and lose interest in threads after awhile, I should have done that earlier. :)
I was just more interested on how much they were in daily use, as resources to go to. I understand there are verses at either end of the 'sensible now?' spectrum.
Aum Namasivaya
Onething I am sure. Evangelicals and Islamists love this shastra, more than they love their own texts!!
They love him so much he was already secretly Beatified by Vatican and was made an honorary Ayatollah by the Ulema...
Thank you Manu for driving hindus out of Hinduism in large droves, may your laws keep doing the same. Long live LOM. . Namaste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charitra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEe7JqBgvg