The Principles of Hindu Jurisprudence: PN Sen Tagore Law Lecture 1918

Originally delivered as the 1918 Tagore Law Lectures by Dr. Priyanath Sen, this meticulously compiled manuscript has been revived and edited by distinguished Senior Advocate Mr. Bijoy Krushna Mahanti. In his preface, Mr. Mahanti critiques modern legal education's heavy reliance on Western jurists, presenting ancient Sanskrit texts as a rich, indigenous counter-philosophy.

Spanning fourteen lectures, the text defines Hindu jurisprudence as general legal theory reflected through Hindu law, exploring ownership, succession, and contracts. It masterfully untangles the overlap of law, morality, and religion in the Dharma-śāstras, extracting distinct legal precepts. Ultimately, the work serves as a powerful academic defense against historical prejudices, demonstrating that ancient Indian jurisprudence is as logical and conceptually sound as Western classical systems like Roman Law.