This is the first scholarly book devoted to the study of the term dharma with in
the broad scope of Indian cultural and religious history. Most generalizations
about Indian culture and religion upon close scrutiny turn out to be inaccurate.
An exception undoubtedly is the term dharma. This term and the notions
underlying it clearly constitute the most central feature of Indian civilization
down the centuries, irrespective of linguistic, sectarian, or regional
differences. The nineteen papers included in this collection deal with many
significant historical manifestations of the term dharma. These studies by some
of the leading scholars in the respective fields will both present a more
nuanced