स्मृतिस्तु धर्मसंहिता

Smriti (स्मृति, Smṛti), literally "that which is remembered" are a body of ancient Sanskrit texts usually attributed to an author, traditionally written down, in contrast to Śrutis (Vedic literature) considered apaurusheya (अपौरुषेय), unattributable, that were transmitted verbally across the generations and fixed.

The Smrti literature is a corpus of diverse varied texts. This corpus includes, but is not limited to the six Vedāngas (the auxiliary sciences in the Vedas), the epics (the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyana), the Dharmasūtras and Dharmaśāstras (or Smritiśāstras), the Arthasaśāstras, the Kāvya or poetical literature, extensive Bhashyas (reviews and commentaries on Shrutis and non-Shruti texts), and numerous Nibandhas (digests) covering politics, ethics (Nitisastras), culture, arts and society.

Navigating through this vast ocean of texts is a bewildering propostion. Fortunately, we have a very able guide in the form of The History of Dharmaśāstra, which is a monumental seven-volume work consisting of around 6,500 pages, authored by Bharat Ratna Pandurang Vaman Kane (May 7, 1880 - April 18, 1972), renowned Sanskrit Scholar. The first volume of the work was published in 1930 and the last one in 1962.

तितीर्षुर्दुस्तरं मोहादुडुपेनास्मि सागरम्॥ - Out of delusion wishing to cross the difficult ocean by a raft