The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers
From time to time, a great law-giver would take his birth. He would codify the existing laws
and remove those which had become obsolete. He would make some alterations, adaptations,
readjustments, additions and subtractions, to suit the needs of the time and see that the way of living
of the people would be in accordance with the teachings of the Veda. Of such law-givers, Manu,
Yajnavalkya and Parasara are the most celebrated persons. Hindu society is founded on, and
governed by, the laws made by these three great sages. The Smritis are named after them.We have
Manu Smriti or Manava Dharma-Sastra (the Laws of Manu or the Institutes of Manu), Yajnavalkya
Smriti and Parasara Smriti. Manu is the greatest law-giver of the race. He is the oldest law-giver as
well. The Yajnavalkya Smriti follows the same general lines as the Manu Smriti and is next in
importance to it. Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti are universally accepted at the present time
as authoritative works all over India. Yajnavalkya Smriti is chiefly consulted in all matters of Hindu
Law. Even the Government of India are applying some of these laws.
There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important are those of Manu,
Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita,
Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama, Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and
Saunaka.
The laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga, those of Yajnavalkya are for the Treta
Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali
Yuga.
The laws and rules which are based entirely upon our social positions, time and clime, must
change with the changes in society and changing conditions of time and clime. Then only the
progress of the Hindu society can be ensured.