Manu - critically

[Richard Lariviere]

I am very grateful to Dr. Pathak, and, facing the prospect of dealing
with the collation of more than 600 manuscripts, I would like to encourage
him to delete all the verses relating to varna, jati, asrama, or any other
subject that strikes him. . . . . and the sooner the better!

Richard W. Lariviere

Thanks also to Mr. Gruenendahl for passing on this wonderful piece.

On Tue, 24 May 1994, GRUENENDAHL wrote:

> All those from Austin to Benares who may have embarked on a critical 
> edition of the Manusmrti may be interested to hear that help is on the 
> way to reduce their work load by some 20 verses, which is not bad for 
> a start :-)
> 
> THE TIMES OF INDIA, April 16, 1994, "Capital", p. II, had the 
> following thought-provoking article (which is given in full to avoid 
> possible distortion):
> 
> DEBUNK MANUSMRITI OF UNTOUCHABILITY
> (By a staff reporter)
> New Delhi, April 15
> A pledge to delete those slokas in Manusmriti which sanction 
> untouchability was taken by a large gathering here today.
>    The vow was taken after Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh 
> International Social Service Organisation, laid the foundation stone 
> for setting up a statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar to mark his birth 
> anniversary. The statue will be installed at the Sulabh Development 
> Promotion Centre, Palam.
>    Mr Pathak said the deletion of these slokas is necessary to end 
> caste conflict in society. The under-privileged people should also be 
> educated in English medium so that they could compete in the job 
> market. "Dr Ambedkar was a highly educated man. But for his modern, 
> English-based education, he would not have been able to unite forces 
> against social injustice to the poor and the under-privileged. And 
> also frame the Indian Constitution, one of the finest documents in 
> the world."
>    Sulabh International has set up an English-medium public school at 
> Palam where children of scavengers are given science and computer-
> based quality education. Dr. Pathak said such schools should be set 
> up all over the country.
>    Earlier, Mr Arun Pathak, IAS (retd.), former Bihar chief 
> secretary, spoke about the future programmes of the organisation.
> 
> ***************
> 
> 
> Reinhold Gruenendahl
> Niedersaechsische Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek
> 37070 Goettingen
> Germany
> Phone: 0551/395283
>