Yajnavalkya Smriti

Yajnavalkya is considered one of the earliest philosopher in recorded history.Yajnavalkya proposes and debates metaphysical questions about the nature of existence, consciousness and impermanence, and expounds theepistemic doctrine of neti neti ("not this, not this") to discover the universal self and Ātman.He welcomed participation of women in Vedic studies, and Hindu texts contain his dialogues with two women philosophers, Gargi Vachaknavi and Maitreyi.This Smriti is dated to between the 3rd to 5th-century CE, and belongs to the Dharmashastra tradition.The legal theories within the Yajnavalkya Smriti are presented in three books, namely achara-kanda (customs-368 verses), vyavahara-kanda (judicial process-307 verses) and prayascitta-kanda (crime and punishment, penance 335 verses). The Yājñavalkya Smṛti consists of a cumulative total of 1,010 shlokas or verses and its presentation is methodical, clear and concise.