The Spirit of Hindu Law

Lawistoooftenperceivedsolelyasstate-basedrulesandinstitutionsthatprovidearationalalternativetoreligiousritesandancestralcustoms.TheSpiritofHinduLawusestheHindulegaltraditionasaheuristictooltoquestionthisviewandrevealthecloselinkagebetweenlawandreligion.Emphasizingthehousehold,thefamily,andeverydayrelationshipsasadditionalsociallocationsoflaw,itcontendsthatlawitselfcanbeunderstoodasatheologyofordinarylife.AnintroductiontotraditionalHindulawandjurisprudence,thisbookisstructuredaroundkeylegalconceptssuchasthesourcesoflawandauthority,thelawsofpersonsandthings,procedure,punishmentandlegalpractice.ItcombinesinvestigationofkeythemesfromSanskritlegaltextswithdiscussionofHindutheologyandethics,aswellasthoroughexaminationofbroadercomparativeissuesinlawandreligion.