The "Law of Manu" was cited favorably by Friedrich Nietzsche, who deemed it "an incomparably spiritual and superior work" to the Christian Bible.
This is in line with the Manusmrti injunction against teaching to lower castes, whereby if a Brahmin were to teach a Shudra, he would fall into Asamvrita, or hell; conversely, if a Shudra were to hear or utter the Veda, the penalty was that molten lead was poured into his ears and a hot stylus be thrust in his tongue, respectively.