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What is Dharmashastra?
Dharmashastra encompasses a vast body of Sanskrit texts that codify dharma — the principles governing righteous conduct, legal procedures, social obligations, and ritual practices. These texts evolved over millennia, shaping the moral, legal, and spiritual fabric of Indian civilization.
Dr. Kane himself acknowledged the profound challenge: finding an English equivalent for dharma is nearly impossible, for it transcends simplistic translations like "moral code" or "religion."
The Treatise
Published between 1930 and 1962 by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, this multi‑volume treatise remains the most comprehensive scholarly work on the religious and civil law of ancient and medieval India.
Kane wrote every word by hand while maintaining his legal practice and various public responsibilities. The bibliography alone spans 257 pages — a testament to the exhaustive research underlying this work.
Enduring Significance
Far from being an antiquarian exercise, the History of Dharmashastra demonstrated that dharma is not static dogma but an ever‑evolving framework of social, economic, religious, and legal thought — continuously revised across centuries to address changing circumstances.
To this day, courts in India consult Kane's work when adjudicating matters of Hindu personal law — a testament to its enduring authority.