Who was the author of the Manusmriti?

Question

Who was the author of the Manusmriti?

Now many of you might say "Manu", but it's actually not quite clear from the text itself.

First of all, the word "Manusmriti" means "recollection of Manu", where "smriti" means "recollection."

And second, the first line of Medhatithi's Manuscript of the Manusmriti says this:

The Great Sages, having approached Manu, paid their respect to him in due form, and finding him seated with mind calm and collected, addressed him these words—(1).

And the last verse:

The twice-born man who reads these Ordinances of Manu, shall be ever equipped with virtue and shall attain whatever state he may desire.—(126)

It's referring to Manu in the 3rd person, which means that Manu did not write the verses of the Manusmriti.

If you continue reading, you'll notice that the Manusmriti reads like a story with a certain narrator.

So who was this narrator who wrote the Manusmriti?

From scripture, we know that Valmiki wrote the Ramayana and Vyasa narrated the Mahabharata, which was penned by Ganesha.

But who wrote or penned the Manusmriti?

According to Medhatithi on this Manusmriti verse which talks about the nature of the Dharma Shastras, he says the words of Manu were recorded in an "unbroken lineage."

Which basically means this, according to Indologists:

Answer 1

So who was this narrator who wrote the Manusmriti?

It depends on whether you are looking for the traditional answer or an academic (non-faith) scholarly opinion. Based on your citing the example of Vyasa/Ganesha for the Mahabharata, it appears you are looking for the former.

In that case, the narrator of the Manu-Smriti is Bhrigu Maharshi.

The last verse of the text reads:

इत्येतन् मानवं शास्त्रं भृगुप्रोक्तं पठन् द्विजः ।
भवत्याचारवान्नित्यं यथेष्टां प्राप्नुयाद् गतिम् ॥ १२-१२६ ॥ ityetan mānavaṃ śāstraṃ bhṛguproktaṃ paṭhan dvijaḥ |
bhavatyācāravānnityaṃ yatheṣṭāṃ prāpnuyād gatim || 12-126 ||

Bhṛguproktaṃ means 'spoken by Bhṛgu'

Additionally, if you look at the ending colophon of every chapter in the Manu-Smriti, it says:

iti mānave dharmaśāstre bhṛgu-proktāyāṃ saṃhitāyām

meaning that the Mānava dharmaśāstra is from the Saṃhitā spoken by Bhṛgu.

Here's an example from the end of the first chapter (version edited by Mahamahopadhyaya Ganganatha Jha)

To be clear, the Manu Smriti is a smaller portion of the Bhrigu Samhita that is authored by Bhrigu. It is not clear if Bhrigu quotes Manu verbatim or whether he is paraphrasing / summarizing / rewording the content of what Manu spoke. This is not very different from the Bhagavad Gita (words of Krishna) appearing in the Mahabharata (written by Vyasa).

Answer 2

Manu Smriti does not mention whether the laws are composed by someone or not. It is somewhat addressed in the following verse from Parashara Smriti:

Na kashchitvedakartA cha vedam smritvA chaturmukham |
Tathaiva dharmAn smarati manuh kalpAntareantare ||

The author of the Veda there is none ; (he) the fourfaced (God), at each succeeding revolution of a Kalpa, recalls to mind the Veda ; and so does Manu remember the law (at each succeeding revolution of a Kalpa)

PS 1.21

Since Veda's authorlessness and Manu's recalling of the laws are mentioned together here, this is, IMO, hinting towards the fact that the laws are eternal as well in nature and eventually of a divine origin.

And, Manu simply does the job of recalling the laws which were sprouted from God.

Also, we have the following verse from Yajnavalkya Smriti's 1st chapter:

Manu, Atri, Vishnu, Harita, Yajnavalkya, Usana (or Shukracharya), Angira, Yama, Apastambha, Samvarta, Katyana, Vrihaspati, Parashara, Vyasa, Sankha, Likhita, Daksha, Gotama, Satatapa and Vashishta are the promulgators of Dharma Shastras (Smritis).

The exact word used in the Sanskrit original is DharmashAstrayojakA and not DharmashAstra rachaitA (which means authors of the Dharma Shastras).

Various meanings for the word Yojaka can be found from a dictionary and are as follows:

connectors, hyphen, arranger, user, preparer, manager etc ...

So, it seems they (including Manu) were not the authors of the respective texts but mere compilers/arrangers of the laws which eventually has a divine origin.

UPDATE:

Manu Smriti itself shows the "divine" nature of the laws contained there in.

Needless to say, Bhrigu, who was the son of Manu, was not the author of Manu Smriti.

See the following verses:

Manu Smriti 1.57. Thus he, the imperishable one, by (alternately) waking and slumbering, incessantly revivifies and destroys this whole movable and immovable (creation)

1.58. But he having composed these Institutes (of the sacred law), himself taught them, according to the rule, to me alone in the beginning; next I (taught them) to Mariki and the other sages.

1.59. Bhrigu, here, will fully recite to you these Institutes; for that sage learned the whole in its entirety from me.

The imperishable one composed the laws - this shows the divine nature of the laws, as was also evident from Parashara's quote which says Manu simply recalls them

Also, what Bhrigu was doing is simply narrating the laws. He was not the author of the laws.

Answer 3

A short, crisp and precise answer is found in the Kurma Purāṇa.

As per Kurma Purāṇa 1.12.265,
Svāyambhuva-Manu is the "author" of Manusmṛti.

The great goddess, Umā, herself says so -

श्रीकूर्मपुराणे पूर्वविभागे द्वादशोऽध्यायः

वर्णानामनुकम्पार्थं मन्नियोगाद्विराट् स्वयम् ।
स्वायंभुवो मनुर्धार्मान् मुनीनां पूर्वमुक्तवान् ॥ १२.२६५
श्रुत्वा चान्येऽपि मुनयस्तन्मुखाद् धर्ममुत्तमम् ।
चक्रुर्धर्मप्रतिष्ठार्थं धर्मशास्त्राणि चैव हि ॥ १२.२६६

265. It is out of compassion (and for the welfare of) all the four castes, that the great personality of Swayambhu Manu himself, formerly promulgated 'the Code of Conduct (viz. the Manusmṛti)' to the sages, at my behest.

266. After hearing the excellent Dharmas from his mouth (as propounded by him), other sages also composed other scriptures as 'codes of Dharmas or pious behavior', for establishing the Dharma.

English Translation by Motilal Banarsidass Publication.

But, more than an author, it's like a "recaller". But that's kinda true for most texts.

Any case, the authorship of the Manusmṛti maybe safely credited to the Svāyambhuvamanu only.

Answer 4

According to tradition, Svayambhuva is regarded as the author of the Manusmriti. He was the first Manu among the fourteen Manus in this Kalpa. He was born from Brahma. That is why he was known as Svayambhuva. He was married to Brahma's daughter Shatarupa.

Reference: Puranic Encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani, Page-483