National Integration Through Thirukkural And Sanskrit
Crime and Punishment
The Manu Smṛiti or “Laws of Manu”, are guidelines given by Manu on various topics related to dharma such as duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and others.
According to ‘Manu Smriti’, the administration of legal justice and infliction of punishment should be performed on the basis of Varna system. Manu dharma stipulates that the severity of the punishment should take into account the education, social influence, designation, nature of crime and impact of crime while recommending punishments. Manu offers greater respect and status to Brahmins – the educated ones. Dwijas or twice born are those who by virtue of their education in their spheres are provided heightened standing in society so that, they can conduct noble deeds. But when it comes to crimes, they also have to face more severe punishments. The rationale behind the differentiation was, ‘With greater education, more ethical responsibilities are assumed and one when one fails to fulfill those responsibilities, has to undergo stricter punishments’.
In Chapter 8 of Manu Smriti, he defines the punishment for a crime on the basis of Varna system.
அஷ்டாபாத்³யம் து ஶூத்³ரஸ்ய ஸ்தேயே ப⁴வதி கில்பி³ஷம்
ஷோட³ஶைவ து வைஶ்யஸ்ய த்³வாத்ரிம்ஶத் க்ஷத்ரியஸ்ய ச
ப்³ராஹ்மணஸ்ய சது꞉ஷஷ்டி꞉ பூர்ணம்ʼ வா(அ)பி ஶதம் ப⁴வேத்
த்³விகு³ணா வா சது꞉ஷஷ்டிஸ் தத்³தோ³ஷகு³ண வித்³த்³ ஹி ஸ꞉
- The guilt of an uneducated man is one fold. Uneducated men cannot know the good or bad character of actions, and hence they are led to do what should not be done.
- The learned Śūdra’s guilt is eight times that of the ordinary man.
- The guilt of a Vaiśya is double that of the Śūdra; since he is himself entitled to study the Veda and acquire the necessary knowledge.
- The guilt of a Kṣatriya, though, in the point of knowledge, he stands on the same footing as the Vaiśya, yet, in as much as the protecting of people forms part of his duty, his guilt is double that of the Vaiśya.
- As regards the Brāhmaṇa, the author is not content with prescribing any amount of penalty, ‘sixty-four, hundred, hundred and twenty-eight.’, since it is his duty to expound the duties of men and instruct them, and thus guard them against evil.
Thiruvalluvar in his Couplet 957, which according to scholars has similarities with Manu Smriti, states that even a tiny blemish by a noble person will be as conspicuous as the dark spot on the surface of the moon in the sky.
குடிப்பிறந்தார் கண்விளங்கும் குற்றம் விசும்பின்
மதிக்கண் மறுப்போல் உயர்ந்து
Kudip-piran-dhaar Kan-vilangum Kutram Visumbin
Madhik-kan Marup-pol Uyarndhu
பரிமேலழகர் உரை:
குடிப்பிறந்தார்கண் குற்றம் – உயர்ந்த குடியின்கண் பிறந்தார் மாட்டு உளதாம் குற்றம்; விசும்பின் மதிக்கண் மறுப்போல உயர்ந்து விளங்கும் – தான் சிறியதேயாயினும் விசும்பின்கண் மதியிடத்து மறுப்போல ஓங்கித் தோன்றும். (உயர்குடி முதலிய பொருள் வகை மூன்றற்கும் விசும்பு முதலிய உவமைவகை ஒத்துப் பால் மாறுபட்டது. குடியது உயர்ச்சியானும் மதி போன்ற அவர் நற்குணங்களோடு மாறாதலானும், உலகெங்கும் பரந்து வெளிப்படும் என்பதாம்.).
Sanskrit Translation by Shri S.N. Srirama Desikan
மஹா குல ப்ரஸூதேஷு ஸ்தி₂த: ஸ்வல்போ (அ)பி து₃ர்கு₃ண: |
வ்யோம சந்த்₃ர கலங்கேன ஸமம் த்₃ருஸ்₂யேத ஸுஸ்பு₂டம் ||
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