Manusmriti is formalized much later than Mahabharata.
In Mbh, which is of the late Vaidik period, Gangaputra Bhishma basically abducts Amba, Ambika and Ambalika from Kashi during their Swayamvara in the presence of dozens of other princes who are competing to win their bride. He plans to marry them to his half-brother Vichitra-Virya (lol name).
Clearly, this is an accepted Kshatriya custom of the period. It is not clear whether this same custom was followed by other Varnas, probably it wasn't.
However, when Amba states that she is already in love with another prince, Shalva, Bhishma frees her and let's her do her own thing. The other two sisters have no such objections. So, the story clearly also makes clear that the princesses had a choice.
Of all the misogynistic texts in the world, the Manusmriti reserves a special hatred for women. Here's a verse that actually legalises kidnapping women on the battlefield, along with chariots, horses and elephants! And then sharing a portion of the loot with the chief!
In case such tidbits of history interest you I run a YouTube channel. Link in Bio
I condemn the horrific acts we are seeing unfold today in Israel against children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed people who are being slaughtered and taken hostage by Hamas. Such senseless violence will only repeat the back and forth cycle we've seen, which we cannot allow to continue. We need to call for deescalation and ceasefire. I will keep advocating for peace and justice throughout the Middle East.
@shrikanth_krish I seriously doubt it. It's simply because Israel is surrounded by bloodthirsty barbaric jihadis on all sides who have ethnically cleansed Jews since ages, but is still able to stand it's ground. Indians are obviously going to side against the Jihadis.
A certain history PhD makes a claim that #Manusmriti legalizes kidnapping women on the battlefield and the only verse she presents as evidence for supposed kidnapping does not even mention kidnapping! 1/4
From the same video. https://t.co/4TmgRcCMe9
New cult member went on Carnivore diet 6 months ago. LDL-C shot up to 362 lol. The doctor here is telling them why all this doesnt matter for Heart disease risk.
I'm very proud to share the fruits of my linguist brother Steve Bonta's 33-year effort to decipher the Indus Valley Script. Despite studying Dravidian languages out the wazoo, he ultimately found it to be an early form of Sanskrit. https://t.co/XuEzhlf9am