What is law if it does not uphold justice? What is morality if it does not align with truth? The Śāstras—the Dharmasūtras, Smṛtis, Arthaśāstra, Nāṭyaśāstra, and beyond—are not rigid codes but the living articulation of dharma, tailored to time, place, and context. They are neither blind commandments nor outdated doctrines but dynamic frameworks that guide individual and societal conduct. From governance to aesthetics, from law to liberation, the Śāstras weave the moral, ethical, and spiritual fabric of civilization.

This section of the Journal of Sanatana Dharma invites inquiries into the ethical and philosophical foundations of the Śāstras, their historical evolution, and their relevance in contemporary discourse. What does dharma truly mean—an obligation, a duty, or an organic unfolding of one’s nature? How do the Śāstras negotiate between universal principles and contextual realities? Can ancient ethical paradigms offer solutions to modern dilemmas?

We welcome contributions on:

• Dharma as a dynamic and evolving principle in the Śāstras
• Comparative analysis of Manusmṛti, Yājñavalkya Smṛti, and other texts
• Artha, Kāma, and Mokṣa: Balancing material and spiritual life
• Ethics of kingship, governance, and law in Arthaśāstra and Rājadharma
• Role of Nāṭyaśāstra in shaping aesthetics, morality, and rasa theory
• Gender, caste, and social order: Interrogating and interpreting the Śāstras
• Environmental ethics in classical Indian thought
• Intersections of Śāstric wisdom with contemporary legal and ethical systems
• Dharma and bioethics: Perspectives from Ayurveda and ritual traditions
• Śāstric principles in education, pedagogy, and knowledge transmission

We seek articles, critical essays, translations, and reinterpretations that explore how the Śāstras continue to inform, challenge, and refine our understanding of ethics, values, and dharma in an ever-changing world.