The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1483 page)

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Authors: John Bowker

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Manu
.
Hindu lawgiver to whom is attributed
Manusm
ti
(The Laws of Manu). If historical, he may have been of the
K
atriya
var
a
, and was probably the compiler of legal traditions antecedent to him.
Manu
(Skt.,
man, ‘think’). In Hindu mythology, a semi-divine patriarch who is progenitor of humanity and ruler of the earth. Each Manu rules over an aeon, or
manvantara
, each of which is shorter than the preceding. Accounts of the number and length of
manvantaras
vary greatly, but the Manus are generally numbered fourteen.
Manual of Discipline
:
Manusm
ti
(Skt.). The Laws of Manu, a Hindu
dharma
stra
attributed to the mythical law-giver
Manu
; also known as
M
nava-dharma
stra
or
Manu-sa
hit
. Manusm
ti
is the most authoritative of Sanskrit legal texts. Although having the authority of
sm
ti
, this authority is rejected by some lower-caste Hindus who regard the
Laws of Manu
as brahman propaganda. The present compilation is no older than 100–300 CE.

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