- Harīta The verse quotations from Hārīta on topics of vyavahāra deserve some treatment. He defines vyavahāra as that where by the recovery of one’s own wealth and the avoidance of (doing ) the duties peculiar to another (caste or class ) are effected in due course of law.878 He further says that that judicial proceeding is proper which is based on the dictates of dharmaśāstra and arthasāstra, which is in conformity with the usages of respectable people and which is free from fraud.978 Hārita calls upon the king to know the sāstras, the
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078 स्वधनस्य यथा प्राप्तिः परधर्मस्य वर्जनम् । न्यायेन यत्र क्रियते व्यवहारः स.
gazd il fafaa.. 679 धर्मशास्त्रार्थशास्त्रोक्तः शिष्टाचारादिलक्षणः । छलेन च व्यपेतो यः व्यवहारमा स
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duties of the varṇas and of the lowest castes.880 He, like Nārada, said that vynvahāru had four aspects, each succeeding one prevailing against the preceding one,ssl viz., dharma, vyavahāra, caritra, nạpājīa. He attached the greatest im portance to writing and said that a transaction cousigned to writing is effective even after great lapse of time and that he who bas a writing in his hands is entitled to possession (pro bably in cases of mortgages and pledges ).882 He lays down very elaborate rules about the requisites and defects of plaints, about summoning the defendant, about the contents, faults and kinds of the defendant’s reply, and about the bur den of proof.683 He protects long possession of property even if it originated without title provided it had lasted for three generations.084 He says that the title is the decisive factor as to various kinds of possession, viz., when possession is for cibly taken by soldiers and freebooters, when a thing is stolen or kept concealed, when it was delivered through affection and friendship or when it was lent on hire, or when it was handed over for wearing or safe custody or was borrowed through friendship.085 To illustrate the relation of title and possession he uses a very apt figure, viz. just as a branch cannot be seen expanding in the sky unless it is supported by the roots, so title is the root and possession is its offshoot.
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680 शास्त्राणि सर्वधर्मास्तु प्रकृतीनां च भूपतिः। व्यवहारस्वरूपं च ज्ञात्वा तत्सर्व.
माचरेत् ॥ स्मृतिच० . 681 धर्मेण व्यवहारेण चरित्रेण नृपाज्ञया । चतुष्पाद् व्यवहारोयमुत्तरः पूर्व
बाधकः ॥ सरस्वतीविलास p. 58 ( Mysore ed. ). Vide नारद ( Intro. chap. vorse 10 ). सुदीर्धेणापि कालेन लिखितः सिद्धिमाप्नुयात् । स्मृतिच०; लेख्यं यस्य भवेद्धस्ते
भोगं तस्य विनिर्दिशेत् । अपरार्क on या. II. 90. 683 Vide मिता. on या. II. 6 and 7. 884 अन्यायेनापि यद्भुक्तं पित्रा भ्रात्राथवापि च । न तच्छक्यं पराहतु तृतीयं समु
पागतम् ।। स्मृतिच०; यद्विनागममत्यन्तं भुक्तं पूर्वेत्रिभिर्भवेत् । न तच्छक्यम. पाहतुं क्रमात्रिपुरुषागतम् ॥ मिता. on या. II. 27. भटचाटबलाद्भुक्तं हृतं गुप्तमथापि वा । स्नेहप्रणयदत्तं च प्रदत्त भाटकेन वा ।। तथा वसनरक्षार्थ याचितं प्रणयेन वा । एवं बहुविधे भोगे आगमो मिया स्मृतः ।। न मूलेन विना शाखा अन्तरिक्षे प्ररोहति । आगमस्तु भवेन्मूल भति शाखा प्रकीर्तिता ।। स्मृतिच०,
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According to him sureties are of five kinds,686 abhaya (for keeping the peace), pratyaya ( for confidence ), dāna ( return of money or carrying out one’s obligations ), upast bāna ( return of money lent on pledge ) and darśana ( for appearance ). He prescribed an absolute tutelage for women as regards the giving a way of the husband’s wealth and allow. ed only maintenance to a young window of improper conduct.887 But Hārīta was humane in his treatment of even erring wives. He does not allow a husband to cast adrift an adulterous wife and prescribes that she should be given food to keep body and soul together and bare clothes.688
It appears from the above that Harita the jurist must have flourished nearly at the same time as Brhasrati and Kātyāyana, i. e. between 400 and 700 A. D.