Book Description

The work, in two volumes, contains 40 comprehensive studies on Ancient Indian Law, each of which is an entity in itself. The first volume contains articles on ancient Indian Law proper based on Dharmasastras, the Smrtis and the Arthasastras are liberally illustrated with quotations and references from these sources. These studies deal in particular with the theory and practice of the law of deposit; pledge; suretyship; labour; debts; and marriage. It also deals with the legal position of prostitutes and physicians; legal, fiscal, social and penal privileges; the protection of plants; infanticide and many other aspects of life in ancient India. The second volume deals in particular with the application of law and the manner in which the technical legal rules were reflected in Sanskrit literary works, such as the katha literature. The author comes to the conclusion that the often theoretical legal rules, as included in the Dharmasastras, Smrtis and other sources of ancient Indian Law are faithfully relfected in the Sanskrit classics.