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Introduction
tain summary verses in the body of the chapters.
Most of them seem to be his own, while some might
have been taken from some earlier source. "Many
of the words used in the Arthasāstra are now obso-
lete, and a few violate the canons of Panini".12
The Works of Manu and Yājňavalk ya
The Smrti works of Manu and Yajñavalkya are
another two very important works as original
sources. The Manu Smrti (also called Manu Sam-
hita) was written between 200 B.C. and 200 A.C.
while the Yajnavalkya Smrti was composed bet-
ween 100 and 300 A.C. In chapters VII, VIII and
IX of the Manu Smrti we have discussions on
duties and responsibilities of the King, functions
of the different officers, the theories and principles
concerning foreign policy, and civil and criminal
law. At times these discussions seem to be a sum-
marisation of what is given in the Mahābhārata
and the Arthaśāstra. Yajnavalkya discusses rāja-
dharma (i.e., the total duty of the King) in section
13 of Ch. I. Whole of the Ch. II, comprising 25 sec-
tions, in the Yājñavalkya Smṛiti is a treatise on civil
and criminal law.
15
It is to be noted here that according to the doc-
trine of these Smṛtis, duties for each and every one
of the four Varnas remain well defined. Any
breach in the limits of duties constitutes an offence.
"For every offence there is both a civil penalty and
a purification, and without both, one is not absolved
from the effects of the offence". That is why, in
18
12. Shamasastry, loc cit.
13. K.V. Rangaswami Aiyangar, Brhaspati Smrti, Preface,
p. 11.
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
tain summary verses in the body of the chapters.
Most of them seem to be his own, while some might
have been taken from some earlier source. "Many
of the words used in the Arthasāstra are now obso-
lete, and a few violate the canons of Panini".12
The Works of Manu and Yājňavalk ya
The Smrti works of Manu and Yajñavalkya are
another two very important works as original
sources. The Manu Smrti (also called Manu Sam-
hita) was written between 200 B.C. and 200 A.C.
while the Yajnavalkya Smrti was composed bet-
ween 100 and 300 A.C. In chapters VII, VIII and
IX of the Manu Smrti we have discussions on
duties and responsibilities of the King, functions
of the different officers, the theories and principles
concerning foreign policy, and civil and criminal
law. At times these discussions seem to be a sum-
marisation of what is given in the Mahābhārata
and the Arthaśāstra. Yajnavalkya discusses rāja-
dharma (i.e., the total duty of the King) in section
13 of Ch. I. Whole of the Ch. II, comprising 25 sec-
tions, in the Yājñavalkya Smṛiti is a treatise on civil
and criminal law.
15
It is to be noted here that according to the doc-
trine of these Smṛtis, duties for each and every one
of the four Varnas remain well defined. Any
breach in the limits of duties constitutes an offence.
"For every offence there is both a civil penalty and
a purification, and without both, one is not absolved
from the effects of the offence". That is why, in
18
12. Shamasastry, loc cit.
13. K.V. Rangaswami Aiyangar, Brhaspati Smrti, Preface,
p. 11.
Digitized by
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN