Manu's Code of Law: A Critical Edition and Translation of the M-anava-Dharma's-astra (South Asia Research) Review

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Manu's Code of Law: A Critical Edition and Translation of the M-anava-Dharma's-astra (South Asia Research) ReviewIt is an interesting fact that Western scholars have paid more attention to Indian texts, than have the Indians themselves. Or perhaps, Western scholarship is more visible and accessible - Indian scholarship is by and large restricted to Gurukuls, and ashrams. These people rarely publish or if they publish, then seldom in the mainstream press. As a result, the contextual misconceptions formed by a person who does not live the Indian traditions or is not familiar with Indian culture can mar a work seriously.
For instance, Sanskrit `dharma' does not translate to `law' - but then there is no equivalent term for it in English. Dharma is not enforced by an external agency - it is a natural rule of cause and effect, as discovered by humans. It does not have to be enforced by any human being (though it sometimes is) - the cause and effect relationship is its own natural enforcer. However, `law' always needs an external agency to enforce it. However, most English translators use `law' and that completely alters the way a person understand the topic.
Much of Western scholarship on India is fatally affected by this handicap. Yet, unfortunately, in a world of knowledge increasingly driven by the market, unpublished scholarship is probably of no significance, at least in the immediate future. As a result, more and more people are dependent on works such as Patrick Olivelle's.
Professor Patrick Olivelle has clearly put in a lot of painstaking effort to produce the above book. The book is a critical, annotated study of the famous Manu Smriti. The work includes an annotated rendering of the text in Devnagari, with a substantial commentary in a separate section. There is also an index to Sanskrit verses, apart from the normal word index. All in all, the book is well-positioned to emerge as the most authoritative work on Manu Smriti.
The book is primarily intended for scholars, and as a reference work. Thus it will probably influence future secondary scholarship significantly.
A worthwhile addition to your reference shelf.
Note: A Hardcover edition published by Oxford University Press, Delhi is cheaper (Rs.1,100), with cheapskate binding. Check the binding carefully before you pay for the book.
Manu's Code of Law: A Critical Edition and Translation of the M-anava-Dharma's-astra (South Asia Research) OverviewManu's Code of Law is one of the most important texts in the Sanskrit canon, indeed one of the most important surviving texts from any classical civilization. It paints an astoundingly detailed picture of ancient Indian life-covering everything from the constitution of the king's cabinet to the price of a ferry trip for a pregnant woman-and its doctrines have been central to Indian thought and practice for 2000 years. Despite its importance, however, until now no one has produced a critical edition of this text. As a result, for centuries scholars have been forced to accept clearly inferior editions of Sanskrit texts and to use those unreliable editions as the basis for constructing the history of classical India. In this volume, Patrick Olivelle has assembled the critical text of Manu, including a critical apparatus containing all the significant manuscript variants, along with a reliable and readable translation, copious explanatory notes, and a comprehensive introduction on the structure, content, and socio-political context of the treatise. The result is an outstanding scholarly achievement that will be an essential tool for any serious student of India.

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