About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

66 Fordham L. Rev. 1185 (1997-1998)
Practitioners of Hindu Law: Ancient and Modern

handle is hein.journals/flr66 and id is 1203 raw text is: PRACTITIONERS OF HINDU LAW: ANCIENT AND MODERN K.L. Seshagiri Rao* Practice Dharma, not adharma speak the truth, not untruth, Look far ahead, not near Look at what is the highest, not what is not highest. Vasista Dharma Sfitras, X 30 INTRODUCTION T HE practice of law is the pursuit of truth and justice in interper- sonal relationships. Practitioners of law have a great responsibil- ity to make sure that the laws are just and that they are administered fairly. In what follows, this theme is briefly addressed from the an- cient Hindu perspective, and then it is compared with the modem sit- uation in India. By looking to how ancient Hindu religious concepts helped form a dynamic and effective legal system, perhaps we will conclude that the inclusion of religious ideas can inform and improve the legal systems of today. I. TRADITIONAL HINDU SOCIErY A fundamental feature of the Hindu tradition is that there is no dividing line between the sacred and the secular. No contradiction is perceived between temporal ends and the eternal goal. There is no area of life, accordingly, which is alien to spiritual influence. In fact, according to the Hindu principle of dharma, secular and sacred con- cerns are inextricably interwoven; dharma espouses an integrated view of life and world. Dharma is the ordered behavior of human beings; it gives coherence to the different activities of life; it gives di- rection to the harmony of the whole person, helping him find the right way to adhere to the just law of living. A human being is a composite personality expressing physical, vital, mental, and spiritual dimensions of life. The harmonization of these aspects of life is the primary do- main of dharma. One's duty to one's family, group, society, humanity, and to God are all part of dharma. DHARMA The word dharma is derived from the root dhr, which means to up- hold, sustain, and nourish. Dharma is a comprehensive term, that encompasses notions of duty, morality, ritual, law, order, and justice. * Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia; Chief Editor, Encyclopedia of Hinduism. 1185

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most