A book discussion on “From Fire to Light: Rereading the Manusmriti” by Prof. Arvind Sharma took place on Saturday, 23rd August 2025, at 6:00 PM at the India International Center, New Delhi. The event began with tea for speakers in the Board Room from 5:30–6:00 PM. A welcome address was delivered from 6:00–6:05 PM by Usha Munshi from IIC, followed by a moderation by Prof. C. Upendra Rao from the School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies at JNU.
In his remarks, Prof. Upendra Rao stated, “The Manusmriti is an ancient Hindu text classified as Dharmaśāstra. It outlines the principles of dharma, which include duties, ethics, laws, and social conduct. This text serves as a framework for an organized society and details the responsibilities associated with various castes and life stages. It also includes rules concerning kingship, legal procedures, and guidelines for social relationships.
“Today, writing about the Manusmriti is a challenging and complex task. Although there are many manuscripts of the Manusmriti, the most authentic version is the Kolkata manuscript, which includes commentary by Kulluka Bhatta. Numerous books have been written about the Manusmriti; however, why is another one necessary? In ‘From Fire to Light,’ esteemed scholar Prof. Arvind Sharma argues that the common perception of the Manusmriti—as a text created by higher castes, particularly Brahmins, to oppress lower castes and women—only presents a partial view of the narrative. He demonstrates that this understanding, when examined through textual evidence, is often limited and can be misleading or incorrect.”
Prof. Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University and the author of the book, presented an overview of his work with several examples, followed by insights from Prof. Bharat Gupt, Former Professor at Delhi University and Vice Chairman of the National School of Drama. The program also included a very engaging question and answer session. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof. C. Upender Rao.
