According to the Laws of Manu, what keeps the world in order?

The Laws of Manu emphasize the role of social order and the importance of dharma (righteousness or duty) in maintaining harmony within society. According to this ancient Hindu text, punishment is an essential tool to uphold justice and moral order. The idea is that laws and their enforcement, including punishment for wrongdoing, serve as a means to regulate behavior and ensure that individuals act in accordance with their prescribed roles and duties within the social hierarchy. This system of accountability helps to maintain societal stability and moral conduct, which are crucial for keeping the world in order.

In contrast, divine intervention, wealth distribution, and ritual sacrifices, while significant in various contexts within religious and social frameworks, do not hold the primary focus in the Laws of Manu regarding societal order. Divine intervention may play a role in cosmology or mythology, but the text primarily emphasizes human responsibility for maintaining order through law and consequence. Similarly, wealth distribution and ritual sacrifices address different aspects of social and spiritual life but are not viewed as the central mechanism for ensuring societal order within this particular legal context.