Yajnavalkya Smriti
Topic: Society in Early India: Kinship, Varna-Jati, Women · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Yajnavalkya Smriti is a Sanskrit Dharmashastra (law book), usually dated to about the 3rd–5th centuries CE. It is shorter and better organised than the Manusmriti. It is arranged in three parts: right conduct, legal procedure, and penance (making up for wrongdoing). It became one of the most important law books in later Indian legal history.
Example
In the 12th century, Vijnaneshvara wrote the Mitakshara, a commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti. The Mitakshara later became the main authority on Hindu inheritance and family law across most of India.
Don't confuse with
- Manusmriti: older (c. 200 BCE – 200 CE), longer and less systematic. The Yajnavalkya Smriti is shorter and arranged in clear sections.
- Dayabhaga: Jimutavahana's school of inheritance law, followed in Bengal. Its rules differ from those of the Mitakshara, which is the commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti.
Related concepts
- Dharmasutras
- Dharmashastras
- Manusmriti
- Narada Smriti
- Mahabharata
- Critical Edition of the Mahabharata
- V.S. Sukthankar
- Dharma