Dharmasastra and the making of Bharatiya Civilization: Manusmriti, Kingship, Law and Society

Dharmasastra and the Making of Bharatiya Civilization: Manusmriti, Kingship, Law, and Society offers a comprehensive and balanced study of one of the foundational traditions of Indian thought. Moving beyond stereotypes and fragmented readings, the book examines Dharmasastra as a living system that shaped law, governance, social institutions, and ethical life across centuries. Drawing on primary texts such as the Manusmriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti, and Narada Smriti, along with classical commentaries and inscriptional evidence, the authors demonstrate how dharma functioned in practice—through kingship, village assemblies, temple economies, guilds, and educational institutions. Special attention is given to South India, where the Cholas and other dynasties integrated Vedic learning, agraharams, and local governance within a dharmic framework. The book also addresses complex and often debated issues such as varna, women’s property (stridhana), mixed marriages, and social mobility with scholarly nuance and historical depth. It situates these discussions within the broader philosophical traditions of India, including Mimamsa and Vedanta, thereby offering a more complete understanding of the relationship between law, society, and spirituality. Written in clear and accessible language while grounded in rigorous scholarship, this work is valuable for students, researchers, and general readers interested in Indian civilization, legal history, and cultural studies. It presents Dharmasastra not as a rigid code, but as a dynamic and evolving framework that played a central role in shaping the civilizational ethos of Bharat. Contents: Foreword Preface What is Dharma? Concept, Meaning, and Civilizational Significance Sources of Dharma: Sruti, Smriti, and the Authority of Tradition The Evolution of Dharmasastra: From Dharmasutras to Smritis and Nibandhas Manusmrti: Structure, Philosophy, and the Vision of Dharmic Order Yajnavalkya Smriti and the Development of Legal Thought Interpolations and Reinterpretations: Understanding the Smriti Tradition Varna and Social Order: Theory, Practice, and Historical Reality Vyavahara (Judical Procedure and Law) in the Manusmrti The Role of the King in Dharmasastra: Rajadharma and the Administration of Justice Sabha, Panchayat, and Local Governance in Dharmasastra Temple, Economy, and Dharmasastra: The Temple as a Legal-Economic Institution Inheritance Law in Dharmasastra: Mitaksara and Dayabhaga Traditions Crime and Punishment in Dharmasastra: Law, Order, and Danda Bibliography Index Email to a Friend