smriti
Meaning. “That which is remembered”: the Hindu law texts composed by sages, such as Manu, Yajnavalkya and Narada.
The smritis are the second source of classical Hindu law after the sruti (Vedas). They record rules of conduct, law and procedure as remembered and taught by sages. The leading ones are the Manusmriti, the Yajnavalkya Smriti (on which the Mitakshara commentary is based) and the Narada and Brihaspati smritis, the latter two being important for law of procedure.
Where sruti and smriti conflict, sruti prevails. Commentaries and digests (such as Mitakshara and Dayabhaga) later interpreted and reconciled the smritis. Much of this law is now codified in the Hindu Code Acts of 1955–56.
Example
The Mitakshara school is based on Vijnaneshwara's commentary on the Yajnavalkya smriti.
See also
sruti · dharmashastra · mitakshara · sources of law
Read more in the study notes
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