History · 2 Sep 2026

Manusmriti colonial translation UPSC

Consider the following statements regarding the Manusmriti and its colonial-era interpretation:

  1. William Jones's English translation of the Manusmriti, which shaped much of its later reading, was published in 1794.
  2. Ancient Indian legal thought recognised four sources of dharma - shruti, smriti, sadachara and atmanastushti.
  3. The category of "Hindu law" as a single, unified legal code predates British rule and was an ancient Indian construct.
A1 only
B2 only
C1 and 2 only
D1, 2 and 3
This question is based on: Lost in Translation: How an 1794 Englishman's Word Choice Still Shapes India's Reading of Manusmriti
Take this in full test mode → Instructions for 2 Sep 2026
About this question

Why in news

A politician's public reference to a contested Manusmriti verse while addressing students in Pune revived debate over whether the text subjugates women or has been distorted by flawed colonial-era translation.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frequently tests the distinction between an ancient text's original content and its colonial-era codification/translation - exactly the "static concept behind the current event" the exam favours over the headline itself.

Prelims summary

The Manusmriti was translated into English by William Jones in 1794; ancient Indian law recognised four sources of dharma (shruti, smriti, sadachara, atmanastushti); and "Hindu law" as a unified code was a British colonial construction, not an ancient one.

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