Manu Smriti

The Manusmṛti, or Mānava Dharmaśāstra, is a classical Sanskrit legal and ethical text attributed to Manu. It discusses dharma, social duties, life stages, kingship, law, inheritance, purification, conduct, punishment, and ritual obligations. As a Dharmaśāstra, it reflects normative ideals of ancient society rather than a single uniform practice. It became highly influential in later debates on law, ethics, caste, gender, and tradition.