Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c7.135

c7.135

As in its contents, so also in the arrangement of the subject matter the M. exhibits a remarkable advance on the Dharmaśūtras. The old Vedic designations for divisions and sub-divisions, Praśna, Paṭala and Khaṇḍa (Khaṇḍikā) have indeed been retained practically only in the proper Dharmaśūtras while in other works the division in Adhy. is followed as in M. Of the 12 Adhy. in which the M. is divided the first six deal with the creation of the world and the duties of the four Āśramas including the Śrāddha, Vaiśvadeva and other sacrifices ; the other six deal with the duties of the king, particularly the administration of justice and the right to punish, the occupations of the four castes and the mixed castes, the penances, and the transmigration of the soul.