Hinduism - Who Is Considered The Author Of The Yajnavalkya Smrti?

 

Yajnavalkya is mentioned in the Upanishads, the theoretical books that make up the Veda's most recent textual layer, as a sage affiliated with King Janaka's court who was able to demonstrate that he had higher knowledge than the rest.

Based on the pattern of legendary ascription present in these works, he is also assigned as the author of the Yajnavalkya Smrti, one of the books that make up the dharma literature.

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Hinduism - Who Was Vijnaneshvara?

 

Vijnaneshvara is a Hindu (12th c.) Author of the Mitakshara, a lengthy commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smrti, which is itself a work of dharma literature, or religious obligation books.

This specific piece of criticism was crucial to the British administration of India.

The British were mostly content to have traditional religious laws govern their Indian subjects, but they needed a standard to do so.

The Mitakshara was given the status of traditional law and was used as a legal code in large parts of British India.

Bengal, where the Dayabhaga was the legal authority, was the only major part of India where Hindus were not subject to this.

One of the major differences between the two was in matters of inheritance.

The Mitakshara stresses inheritance by survivorship, in which only living males can inherit property, whereas the Dayabhaga stresses inheritance by succession, in which a dead man’s heirs can inherit in his name.

~Kiran Atma

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Hinduism - What Is Mitakshara?

Vijnaneshvara's voluminous commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smrti, written early in the twelfth century.

The British colonial administration of India benefited greatly from this commentary.

The British were happy to have their Indian subjects governed by their traditional religious laws, but they needed to know what these laws were in order to do so.

The Mitakshara was given the status of traditional law in large parts of British India, and it served as a legal code.

Bengal, where the Dayabhaga was the legal authority, was the only major part of India where the Mitakshara did not hold sway.

Inheritance was one of the most significant differences between the two.

The Mitakshara emphasizes survival inheritance, in which only living males can inherit property, whereas the Dayabhaga emphasizes succession inheritance, in which a deceased man's heirs can inherit in his name.

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.