Dharmasutras
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Early prose manuals on dharma, law and conduct, attached to Vedic schools. The best known are those of Apastamba, Gautama, Baudhayana and Vasishtha.
| Tradition | Hindu |
|---|---|
| Type | Sutra (Dharmashastra) |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| Period | c. 6th–2nd century BCE (scholarly estimate) |
| Composed or compiled by | Traditionally attributed to the sages whose names they bear |
What it contains
- Part of the Kalpa Sutras, the ritual manuals of each Vedic school.
- Duties of students, householders, ascetics and kings.
- Rules on food, purity, marriage and inheritance.
- Penances and legal procedure.
Significance
They are the earliest texts of the Dharmashastra tradition and a source for the social history of ancient India.