Patrick Olivelle - Dharmasutras: The Law Codes of Ancient India

OXFORD WORLDS CLASSICS

DHARMASTRAS

PATRICK OLIVELLE is the Chair, Department of Asian Studies, and Director, Center for Asian Studies, at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is the Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Religions. Among his recent publications are The Sanysa Upaniads: Hindu Scriptures on Asceticism and Renunciation (Oxford, 1992), The rama System: History and Hermeneutics of a Religious Institution (Oxford, 1993), Rules and Regulations of Brahmanical Asceticism (State University of New York Press, 1994), and The Early Upaniads: Annotated Text and Translation (Oxford, 1998). His translations of Upaniads and Pacatantra were published in Oxford Worlds Classics in 1996 and 1997.

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The Law Codes of pastamba, Gautama, Baudhyana, and Vasiha

Translated from the Original Sanskrit and Edited by
PATRICK OLIVELLE

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Patrick Olivelle 1999

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First published as an Oxford Worlds Classics paperback 1999

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ISBN 0192838822

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For
Anne, Gregory, and Richard
kalyamitrebhya

IN 1879 George Bhler published his English translation of the Dharmastras of pastamba and Gautama under the title The Sacred Laws of the ryas as the second volume of the Sacred Books of the East edited by Max Mller. Three years later he brought out the translations of Vasiha and Baudhyana, and in 1886 he published the translation of the law book of Manu (Manu Smti) in the same series. With the benefit of a hundred years of scholarship and numerous printed editions of the Dharmastras to work from, it is easy to find fault with his pioneering translations. But Bhler had to work directly from manuscripts and without the benefit of much that scholars today take for granted. I have benefited enormously from his translation and from his thorough and detailed comments in the introductions and notes. I want to acknowledge my deep debt of gratitude to Bhlers pioneering work.

There are many individuals and institutions that helped me during the years when I was preparing this translation. A Guggenheim Fellowship and a faculty research assignment from the University of Texas in 19967 allowed me a years freedom to concentrate on several research projects, including this translation. Ludo Rocher came to the rescue and made sense of several difficult and corrupt passages, as did Richard Lariviere. Gregory Schopen read the introduction and much of the translation and as usual made wise and judicious suggestions. Their input has made this work better and the translations more accurate and accessible.

My wife, Suman, read the entire work several times and caught numerous errors and lapses. I want to thank her and my daughter, Meera, for their love and support. The editorial staff in Oxford, especially Judith Luna, Joanna Rabiger, and Elizabeth Stratford, have been friendly, efficient, and generous. Thanks to all of them.