Manusmriti Verse 9.225 mandates that the king immediately banish gamblers, deceptive individuals, cruel men, heretics, those acting against scriptures, and liquor sellers from the city to maintain public order. Commentators emphasize that this directive serves as a measure against public nuisances and threats to social morality, requiring the swift expulsion of these specific groups. For more information, visit Wisdomlib. Manusmriti Verse 9.225
offers a fascinating glimpse into how ancient lawgivers viewed "public nuisances" and the king's responsibility to protect the moral and social fabric of his capital. The Verse (Sanskrit & Translation)
Why the distinction?
Manu’s logic appears to be one of intentionality and necessity: manusmriti chapter 9 verse 225
Verse (transliteration, common scholarly rendering): yady api kṛtaṃ śīlam tady ātmanā veditavyam | yad dānaṃ ca yad yajñaś ca tad eva hi dharmaḥ smṛtaḥ ||9.225||
Interpreted by commentators as those who might entrap others or lead them away from their duties. Krūrān (Cruel Men): Men of "crooked behavior" or those who act with malice. Pāṣaṇḍasthān (Heretics): Manusmriti Verse 9
To understand this verse, one must consider the social realities of ancient India (c. 200 BCE – 200 CE):
The Manusmriti (The Laws of Manu) is one of the most ancient and debated legal texts in the history of the Indian subcontinent. Composed roughly between the 2nd century BCE and the 3rd century CE, it is a Dharmaśāstra—a treatise on righteous living, social duties, and legal procedures. For centuries, it served as a reference point for Hindu jurisprudence, particularly concerning the varna (caste) system and the roles of women. Krūrān (Cruel Men): Men of "crooked behavior" or
"The king who protects his people, justly and according to the dictates of truth, and who is a protector of the law, obtains the highest happiness."