History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s9.3.1

v1.c6.s9.3.1

The contents of the Vas. Dh. S. are :— I Definition of *Dharma*, limits of Āryāvarta, who are sinners, the mortal sins, a brāhmaṇa can marry a girl of any of the three higher castes, six forms of marriage, the king was to regulate the conduct of people and to take the sixth part of wealth as a tax ; II. The four *varṇas*, the greatness of *ācārya*, before *upanayana* there is no authority for religious rites, the privileges and duties of the four castes, in distress a Brāhmaṇa could subsist by resorting to the calling of a Kṣatriya or Vaiśya, a Brāhmaṇa was forbidden to sell certain things, usury condemned, rates of interest allowed ; III. Censure of illiterate Brāhmaṇa, rules on finding treasure-trove, who are *ātatāyins*, when they could be killed in self-defence, who are *paṅktipāvanas*, constitution of a *pariṣad*, rules about *ācamana*, *śauca* and purification of various substances ; IV. The constitution of the four castes is based upon birth and the performance of *saṁskāras*, the duties common to all castes, honouring guests, *madhuparka*, impurity on birth and death ; V. dependence of women, rules of conduct for a *rajasvala*; VI. usage is transcendental *dharma*, praise of *ācāra*, rules about answering calls of nature, moral characteristics of a brāhmaṇa and the peculiar characteristics of a śūdra, censure of partaking food at the houses of śūdras, rules of etiquette and good breeding ; VII the four *āśramas*, and the duties of a student ; VIII.