The Manusmriti mainly describes:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Codes of social behaviour.
Brahmanas laid down codes of social behaviour in great detail, compiled from c. 500 BCE in the Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras; the most important of these works, the Manusmriti, was compiled between c. 200 BCE and 200 CE.
NCERT (2026-27): “2.3 Rules of marriage … With the emergence of new towns (Chapter 2), social life became more complex. People from near and far met to buy and sell their products and share ideas in the urban milieu. This may have led to a questioning of earlier beliefs and practices (see also Chapter 4). Faced with this challenge, the Brahmanas responded by laying down codes of social behaviour in great detail. These were meant to be followed by Brahmanas in particular and the rest of society in general. From c. 500 BCE, these norms were compiled in Sanskrit texts known as the Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras. The most important of such works, the Manusmriti, was compiled between c. 200 BCE and 200 CE.…” |