Discuss the significant contributions of Manu as the father of Indian polity. (15 Marks)
Manu was the most important figure of his times and his Manava Dharma-shastra (Laws of Manu) is the most famous of the texts. It is also called the Manu smriti . It is in the form of the dharma exposed by Brahma to Manu, the first man, and passed on through Bhrigu, one of the ten great sages. Manu is considered as the father of Indian polity due to the following reasons:
- Manu was profoundly influenced by Hindu traditions and philosophy in writing the ManusmritI .
- He presented, in his smriti a picture of the socio- economic, cultural and religion environment prevailing in the ancient India.
- He focused on the institution of kingship.
- Based on Hindu religion traditions he presented a rigid social framework of chatrurvarna system consisting of Brahmana Kshatriya , vyasya and shudra. This hierarchy of social castes and their relations formed the integral theme of his political philosophy.
- Manu exhibited a deep concern for the protection of ethical autonomy of the society.
- Manu had not attempted the political phenomenon as a distinct identify by the had discussed it in the context of wider social purposes connected with religion and morality.
- Manu has not presented a theory of state but provided an account of government and its functions.
- Manu laid stress on the division of power and discrimination of functions.
- Manus smriti deals with judicial administration, the evidence the procedure of court different types of courts etc.
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