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The book “Judicial System in Ancient India” is a comprehensive introduction
to the civil and criminal law in ancient India. It traces the origins of law
from the Vedic times, analyzes the sūtra literature and the smṛti literature.
There are eighteen main texts of smṛti literature such as the Manusmriti,
yājñavalkyasmṛti, parāśarasmṛti, nāradasmṛti. These texts usually are in
three sections – the first section known as ācārakāṇḍa, dealing with ethical
conduct, the second section known as vyavahāra kāṇḍa, dealing with
jurisprudence and the third section known as prāyaścittta kāṇḍa, dealing
with the penances for unethical or sinful conduct.