Ganganatha Jha's Multi-volume Manusmrti, originally published by the University of Calcutta between 1920 and 1939, is, as indicated by its subtitle "The Laws of Manu with the Bhasya of Medhatithi", mainly an edition and translation of the Mula text together with the 'explanation' of the most celebrated commentator. Medhatithi's Manubhasya has been characterized by one of the leading scholars on Dharmasastra, J. Duncan M. Derrett, as a large repertory of opinion on the meaning of the Smrti and on some fundamental questions of Dharma and Law.
The present work is divided into three sets, i.e. Sanskrit Text (Mula), English Translation and Notes. These comprise of two, five and three volumes-in all the ten volumes. The first two volumes are devoted to (Mula) Sanskrit Text. The first consists of first six Adhyayas and the subsequent carries next six Adhyayas from VII to XII and a detailed Index for both volumes. The next five volumes (Vol. 3 to 7) belong to English Translation. The Vol. 3 carries Adhyayas I and II, Vol. 4 contains Adhyayas II and IV, Vol. 5 has Adhyayas V to VII, Vol 6 has Adhyaya 8, and Vol. 7 has last four Adhyayas (IX to XII). All volumes contains a detailed Index. The last three volumes (8 to 10) are devoted to detailed Notes conducive to understanding the subject of the Smrti even to an interested average reader. These belong to textual, explanation and comparative respectively. These contain much useful informations.
Dr. Ganganatha Jha (b. 1871) was a versatile Sanskrit scholar who will ever be remembered for his dedicated and selfless pioneer work and immense contribution in the field. He was Professor of Sanskrit in the Old Muir Central College, Allahabad, and later became Principal of the Government Sanskrit College, Banaras and then the Vice-Chancellor of the Allahabad University for nine years. He wrote more than fifty works on different Indian philosophical systems. He translated many important Sanskrit texts into English. He was the first scholar to write a thesis on The Prabhakara School of Purvamimamsa. |
