Hindu Administrative Institutions c10.s1.1

c10.s1.1

THE conception of the term ‘law’ in ancient India was that of a body of precepts accepted as suitable for the guidance of human action. But law as understood to-day is a general rule of action enforced by a sovereign political authority. The one chief source of law to-day is legislation which consists of definite acts passed by the Legislature of the state in the shape of representative assemblies, for example, the British Parliament. In ancient India there were, no doubt, representative organizations but these were not legislatures in the sense in which we understand the term. The one important source of law for the Hindus is the Veda, all the *Dharmaśāstras* or codes of law having their basis in the Vedas. The law-givers in the classical period of Indian History have taken the floating tradition, customs and usages of each tribe or people, and have established them as laws based on the Vedas and hence they are deemed sacred and inviolable.