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Review
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Tindu Law of Inheritance, Tr. Gopalcliandra Sarkar - Iirst reprint in India, 1986, Gian Publishing House, Delhi 7. Price Rs. 160.
The first reprint in India of the text and translation of the Hindu Law of Inheritance-Dāyabhaga,' as in the Viramitrodaya of Mitramiśra fulfils the long-felt need of scholars, jurists and also students in this country. The reprint, coming as it does 110 years after its first publica tion remains useful as a valued work of reference even today, more so in this country. It is of very great value and guidance for the correct and precise interpretation of the law of inheritance in the Bengal school and the Mitakşara school both, as also all the laws on inheritance enacted in India right upto the modern days. With due respect to Manu, the foremost of the Smrtikaras as also to Yajnavalky, Narada and Vişnu. the Dayabhāga of Viramitrodaya' by, Mitramisra is written primarily to reinterprete and defend the Mitakşarā law against that of the Bengal school mainly of Jimatavahana. The author also wants to reinstate it with all firmness at his command when he comes to the law of inheritance. At places he slighily differs from the Mitakşară law, but succeeds in his mission of placing it on firmer grouuds and in stressing that it has the full backing of the authority of the Dayabhāg? sections of the Smrtikaras of old. Respect for tradition has been of supreme importance in India and when digest works -Dharmanibandhas-like the present one endow it with full logicality and intellectual conviction. We are convinced about the great value of tradition and how it works in the very blood of the Hindus. The original Sanskrit work is fairly tough and sometimes even confusing because of very high scholarship and typical style of the author. The translation, is therefore welcome in the modern days,
The work consists of the following:
Preface by the translator, Original Text of Dayabhaga, English Translation and detailed Index,
It is notable that the translation is prepared with unstinted, great and patient effort. It is mostly lucid and fairly clear. But the translator puts his sholarship to real test when he, on his own, divides the original text and translation into chapters, parts and sections, following the different topics of the law of inheritance discussed. This is enough to convince the reader about the all-embracing comprehensiveness of the topics of Daya dealt with by the original author. Again, the work of the translation of this tough text is a veritable challenge and the trans
