: In Hindu epics like the Mahabharata , gambling is depicted as a catastrophic vice that can topple kingdoms (as seen in the downfall of the Pandavas). Manu’s strict stance on gambling houses reflects a cultural warning against addictive vices that break the family unit.
Those who abandon their prescribed duties (varna-dharma) to engage in forbidden occupations. Śauṇḍikān (Wine Dealers/Drunkards):
kitavān kuśīlavān krūrān pāṣaṇḍa-sthān ca mānavān .vikarma-sthān śauṇḍikān ca kṣipram nirvāsayet purāt .. 9.225..
The , is a significant verse that deals with the king's duty to maintain social order by banishing certain classes of individuals from the town. manusmriti chapter 9 verse 225
Individuals engaging in professions deemed immoral, illegal, or against their caste duties (dharma).
: Vendors of spirituous liquor or habitual drunkards. Legal Justification (Verse 226)
First, let us establish the exact text. The most widely cited translation of the Manusmriti in the academic world is by George Bühler (1886), published as part of the Sacred Books of the East series. : In Hindu epics like the Mahabharata ,
The verse lists six distinct categories of people that the king (the ruling authority) is ordered to expel from the kingdom. Each category represents a specific threat to the ancient social order:
Modern scholars, such as those cited in Wikipedia , doubt these rules were ever strictly enforced as practical law throughout India. Other contemporary texts like the Narada Smriti actually suggest kings should protect these same groups. Summary of Significance
“For selling or mortgaging (a wife or child) by a person who has no power (to do so), the purchaser shall be punished like a thief; but if (a husband) has power (to sell or mortgage, he shall be punished like a usurer.” recorded by translators like Ganganath Jha
Used as a high-level penalty for social or religious offenses. Comparison with Other Verses
Ancient commentators, like the 9th-century Kashmiri scholar Medhātithi, often elaborated on the verse to expand its meaning. His commentary, recorded by translators like Ganganath Jha, provides further nuance:
It is crucial to note that this verse is not a random decree but belongs to a section (verses 9.220-228) where Manu explicitly equates gambling with "open theft" and outlines severe measures against it. Therefore, this verse is a part of a broader legal code concerning the King's duty to suppress criminal and anti-social elements to ensure the welfare of his people.
: Members of non-Vedic sects (such as the Kṣapaṇaka or extreme materialist schools) who actively preached against the state-sanctioned ethical and cosmic order ( Dharma ).