The King’s Decree: Maintaining Order in the Ancient City (Manusmriti 9.225)
Sanskrit: kitavān kuśīlavān krūrān pāṣaṇḍasthāṃśca mānavān | vikarmasthān śauṇḍikāṃśca kṣipraṃ nirvāsayet purāt || 225 ||
"Gamblers, dancers and singers, cruel men, men belonging to heretical sects, men addicted to evil deeds, and dealers in wine—these the King shall instantly banish from his town." Breakdown of Categories manusmriti chapter 9 verse 225
In a strict penal system, the natural response to the "rebellious" is exile or punishment. However, Manusmriti 9.225 commands the ruler/society to gopayet (protect/cover) them. This introduces the concept of Containment over Exclusion. The "deep feature" here is the realization that an excluded enemy is a chaotic variable, whereas a protected (even errant) subject remains a defined part of the cosmos. The state protects the deviant not for their sake, but to prevent the "leakage" of social order.
Gamblers & Wine-Dealers: Grouped together as sources of social instability and crime. The King’s Decree: Maintaining Order in the Ancient
In this article, we will dissect this controversial verse: its literal translation, its contextual meaning within ancient law, its intended legal function, and why it remains a lightning rod in contemporary social discourse.
Literal sense: Even if conduct (śīla) has been performed, one should know it as one's own; likewise what is gift (dāna) and what is sacrifice (yajña) — that is what is called dharma. The "deep feature" here is the realization that
Gamblers (Kitavān) & Dancers (Kuśīlavān): Performers and gamblers.
kitavān kuśīlavān krūrān pāṣaṇḍasthāṃśca mānavān | vikarmasthān śauṇḍikāṃśca kṣipraṃ nirvāsayet purāt || 225 || English Translation: