Manusmriti Chapter 9 Verse 225 | 'link'

The Sanskrit word used is gopayet , derived from the root gup (to guard, but also to conceal or cover).

When translated literally, Manusmriti Chapter 9, Verse 225 outlines a specific mandate for the ruling monarch regarding various categories of citizens. Literal English Translation

Grouped together as sources of social instability and crime.

Banishment if the sect explicitly teaches subversion of state law.

Traditionally interpreted as followers of non-Vedic religions (such as early Buddhists or Jains) who did not adhere to the Brahminical social order. Doers of Evil Deeds ( Vikarmasthān Those who abandon their prescribed duties ( ) to engage in forbidden or unethical occupations. Dealers in Wine ( Śauṇḍikāṃśca Sellers of intoxicants, which the Manusmriti manusmriti chapter 9 verse 225

Women rarely owned property or had independent incomes. The verse reflects a practical reality of the time—women relied on male kin for food, shelter, and security in a largely agrarian, patrilineal society.

Cruel, violent, or sadistic individuals.

Unregulated liquor manufacturing and distribution were treated as direct hazards to civil stability. Taverns served as primary assembly points for thieves, rebels, and fugitives. By banishing the merchants from the city walls, the state disrupted the infrastructure of the local criminal underworld. The Strategic Logic of Instant Exile

Ultimately, Manusmriti 9.225 is more than a historical curiosity. It stands as a literary monument to an ancient vision of a perfectly ordered society, enforced by a king's power to exclude. Its journey from a directive on a king's duty to a flashpoint in debates about justice and inclusion reveals the enduring, and often uncomfortable, power of ancient texts to speak to the present. The Sanskrit word used is gopayet , derived

+--------------------+-------------------------+------------------------------------------+ | Category (Sanskrit)| Literal Translation | Perceived Administrative & Social Threat | +--------------------+-------------------------+------------------------------------------+ | Kitavān | Gamblers / Cheats | Income tax evasion, underground syndicates| | Kuśīlavān | Dancers / Actors | Public distraction, espionage vectors | | Krūrān | Cruel / Violent Men | Street level thuggery, violent felonies | | Pāṣaṇḍasthān | Heretics / Apostates | Subversion of the state ideological order | | Vikarmasthān | Workers of Evil Deeds | Practitioners of illegal/black market jobs| | Śauṇḍikān | Wine Dealers / Vintners | Public intoxication, civil disorder | +--------------------+-------------------------+------------------------------------------+ 1. Kitavān (The Gamblers)

The verse concludes with a profound causal link: rakṣāṇāṃ hi mūlam idam ("for this is the root of their protection").

Dealers and manufacturers of intoxicating liquors, viewed as suppliers of cognitive impairments that frequently act as a precursor to violent crime. The Jurisprudential Rationale: "Pracchanna Taskarāḥ"

“Trivargaṃ nāvaśeṣayet, mokṣam ekaṃ na karhicit; striyaṃ vā pitarau vā api, hanyād yadi na kiṃcana.” Note: The actual verse numbering can vary slightly between manuscripts. Bühler’s translation for 9.225 is often cross-referenced as 9.224 in some editions. Banishment if the sect explicitly teaches subversion of

The , or the Manusmṛti-śāstra , is one of the most influential and foundational legal texts of ancient India, detailing the Dharmaśāstra or codes of conduct. While Chapter 9 is famously centered on the laws of inheritance, women, and the duties of kings ( Rājadharma ), it also addresses the maintenance of public morality and social security.

The King realized that these characters were like weeds in a garden. If left alone, they would choke the growth of the peaceful citizens. He ordered his guards to identify the troublemakers. The fraudulent gamblers, the cruel men who bullied their neighbors, and those profiting from excessive drinking were all escorted to the city gates.

Its legacy is complex. For centuries, it was cited in legal digests ( nibandhas ) that guided Hindu law, and it gained immense, arguably outsized, influence under British colonial rule, who elevated it as a primary source for codifying Hindu law. This elevation cemented its authority but also made it a central target for social reformers.

Gamblers or cheats. In ancient Indian jurisprudence, gambling ( dyuta ) was viewed not just as a vice, but as a major source of civil unrest, theft, and financial ruin for families.

To cite Manusmriti 9.225 without its historical context is misleading. To ignore its patriarchal violence is dishonest. The only responsible path is to study it as a document of its time—and then gratefully recognize that humanity has, slowly and painfully, moved beyond it.

While Chapter 9 starts by defining the duties of women and men and the laws of partition, it transitions heavily in its latter half into Rajadharma —the duties of the king.