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 the nīti literature. The relation of dharma and nīti will be discussed later.

Our author was more than learned, he was a man with good intentions. There are many passages in the text which appear to us ridiculous and unjust, but we need not condemn the author hastily for that reason, and should bear in mind that lie was bound to respect the tradition. He mixes up his own sentiment quite often with the injunctions, and those sentiments indicate that he was a man kind-hearted, paying more regard to virtue than to forms, lover of moderation, and trying to be fair to other castes.

More than this. We find him a progressive man. Thus there were various antiquated rules which were valid once, but which shock our present ideas of morality and equity. These he either contradicts or treats as restricted in their application, or explains in some novel manner.