The Dharmasastra (An Introductory Analysis)

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This book contains thirty-one learned articles on different subjects of Dharmaśāstra to give a meaningful introduction to Dharmaśāstra literature of India. Although subject matter of Dharmaśāstra is traditionally arranged in three sections: namely acara, vyavahara and prayascita relating to custom, behaviour and ethics respectively, articles included in this book have been designed in a very modern way of postulation. That, origin and development of Dharmaśāstra are the subjects of history of this literature, is placed at the outset. Unlike other topics included in it, modern value of Dharmaśāstra has been successfully dealt with in it at last. Between these two, is an introductory analysis of subjects like origin of religion, law, rajadharma, ancestor worship. stages of life, inheritance, sacraments, śraddha, adoption. expiation, spiritualism and pilgrimage etc.

The author Prof. Brajakishore Swain besides being an eminent scholar in Oriental Studies and Professor of Dharmaśāstra (33 years in Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University, Puri) is known for his unquenchable thirst in not only allied areas but arcas beyond that horizon. To his credit he has authored thirty-one books and one hundred and twenty-two research papers in noted journals and lives the life of a student quite true to the Indian tradition of an ideal Acarya.

The Dharmaśāstra is one of the celebrated disciplines of Indian Sciences. It occupies a place of prominence next to the Vedas in regards to its authority. As Hinduism is known as a way of life, the Dharmaśāstra, here, is a discipline which determines this way of life. A life full of decency, discipline, serenity, etc. giving a real meaning to human existence is regarded as dharma. The Dharmaśāstra is a science to analyze, interpret, determine and finalize the characteristic of dharma. Among traditional disciplines, the Dharmaśāstra comes under Kalpa which comprises Śrauta, Grhya, Dharma and Sulba in the form of sūtras. The Srautasūtras determine the principles of śrauta sacrifices whereas the Grhyasūtras formulate the rules for domestic rituals. The Sulbasūtras form the norm of Vedic engineering whereas the Dharmaśāstra details out social activities. The way of life, to a very large extent, naturally depends on the Dharmaśastras. Since man is a social animal and he is bound to live in a society, his activities are required to be society-oriented. As Dharma- śastras regulate social activities, the way of life of human beings is certainly relied upon the Dharmaśāstras.