Home Mythology and its legal aspects Legal aspects from mythologies across the world

Mythology and its legal aspects

Legal aspects from mythologies across the world

December 24, 2020

2373

myths-legends-header — Image source: https://bit.ly/3nO9FJE

This article is written by Vishruti Chauhan, studying BALLB at Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad. This article analyses the different mythological stories and how they are significant for understanding the origin of law as well as how the different cultures exhibit the power of law. Particular attention has been given to the principles that are relevant from these mythologies in present legal systems.

Introduction

Mythology means a collection of many traditional stories that are known culturally, religiously or socially. Every corner of the world is surrounded by a rich history and heritage. It is the traditional stories and beliefs of the people that shape the present generation’s lives as well. The mythological stories, however, are not just stories to be read for entertainment. Keeping the debate aside from their accuracy and truthfulness or existence, if these stories are analysed, there is a sea of information about the ancient cultures which are hard to ignore. Mythologies have taken a huge part in the judicial and legal system as well.

Various judges still give examples of many mythological and ancient texts while giving specific judgements. These mythological stories are used as a guide to explain the questions relating to culture or legal doubts of moral law and fundamental principles.

On analysing numerous stories, it is also found that the legal principles being used today have been developed throughout ancient times. The basic principles of judicial systems or small aspects of legal fraternity are used in these stories. In the present article, the author has tried to narrow down the analysis of such mythologies in legal aspects to some cultures and religions only. Few religious and cultural mythologies are analysed and the use of law during such times have been observed.

Hindu mythology

Sources of law in Hindu mythology goes back to the advent of Vedas, Shruti’s, Upanishads and Smriti’s. Regarded as the oldest civilisation, it is viewed that the Indian sub-continent had a proper judicial system where even the king was bound to the law. Thus, even in the monarchical setup, there were ample laws in place which held the whole civilisation on a progressive route and even the king was bound by them.

‘Dharma’ and ‘Karma’ are two main aspects of Hindu mythology that emerged in the Indian continent and were regarded as the highest epitome of morals and law. There are many Hindu mythological stories which give insight into the legal aspect which to utter surprise are relevant even in the 21st century. It will be astonishing to know that the laws prevalent around the 1500 B.C. period are still prevalent and are an essential part of most of the judicial systems in the world. Among many stories, there are two great epics in Hindu mythology:

The Ramayana
The Mahabharata

The Ramayana

The Ramayana is regarded as one of the longest ancient texts in history. Apart from the religious and mythological significance that it holds it also provides for various laws that are believed to be prevalent at that period. Ramayan is the embodiment of Dharma and morals. The mythology is based on the winning of good over the evil. There are many instances in the epic through which present laws can be derived. The prevalence of contract law can be seen in many instances. During the Swayamvara of Sita, king Janak makes an offer to the suitors to come forward and take part in a contest and whoever can break Shiva’s Dhanush will marry his daughter Sita. The concept of General Offer has been applied here. The principle that an offer can be made to many people at one time was prevalent and the same is applied today as well.

Furthermore, Justice V. Ramasubramaniam has also pointed out at an instance where king Dashratha’s wife Kaikeyi tells the king to fulfil her promise rather than the decision that he has taken in the court to make Rama the next king. She contended that as the king made her promise before the declaration of Rama being next King, so her promise should be given preference. The said principle is applied in most of the commercial laws today.

Justice V. Ramasubramaniam also emphasised on international law principles that overlap with the one’s present today. When Sukha goes to Sugriva to persuade him not to help Rama, he is attacked by Vanaras. It was at that time that he reminded Rama that as being an envoy of another country he is to be protected and can be penalised only if he does not convey the message of his king. The same parallel has been sought in the laws of various countries where foreign diplomats are immune from criminal prosecution. An International Convention – Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 also grants for the same safety valve but also provides for prosecution of foreign diplomats if the crime is done outside of his official duty.

It is also seen that the law was considered above all and the King was bound by the will of his subjects and people. It was the moral duty of the king to address the will of his people and protect his subjects and this was regarded as the utmost duty. When king Rama came to know of the wishes of the people that they did not consider Sita as their queen as she had spent a considerable amount of time at another man’s house, respecting the will of his people, Sita was sent to the jungle. The epic depicts such an act as being dutiful towards the will of the people irrespective of the personal feelings of the king. This incident is debatable on a moral level but it enhances the duty of the king to act as sovereign and dutiful towards the will of the people. Such setup is prevalent in democratic systems even today where the will of the people prevails and the majority opinion is opted for.

There are other incidents as well which points towards the principles of evidence law. In the Indian Judicial System, the concept of dying declaration has been an important aspect. In the Ramayana, when King Ravana abducts Sita, Jatayu (divine bird) was injured by Ravana and while he was taking his last breaths, he informed Rama about the abduction of Sita. Rama believed Jatayu and it can be understood as an example of a dying declaration.

There is another instance of evidence law and the importance of proof in the epic. Hanuman (Vanara) goes to Lanka to analyse the enemy’s strength to meet Sita. As he arrives in front of Sita and tells her that Rama has sent him, she asks for proof as he can be a person sent by Ravana. Hanuman then gives her a ring of Rama which ultimately makes her believe in Hanuman.

The Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is the longest epic and ancient written text in the world. The importance of the king’s duty towards the people of his state has been highlighted in this epic as well. The King of Hastinapur had to agree to the terms of a fisherman to marry her daughter, Satyavati. Because of the terms to have the son of her daughter be the king of Hastinapur, Bhishma Pitamah took the oath of celibacy. The incident itself turned out to be the most significant part of the epic. This shows that even during this period, the king was bound to be dutiful towards the wishes of the people.

Another concept is that truth and fairness formed a major part of the law system. Professional ethics and fairness in all manner were important aspects of the legal system. One of the incidents that substantiate it was when during the Mahabharata War that Duryodhan, one of the Kauravas, asked Sahadev, one of the Pandavas, to tell about the auspicious time to start the war so that the Kauravas can win. Sahadev did so even when both were fighting on opposite sides. Thus, moral values and professional ethics played an important role and even when there was a war between families, mannerism was maintained.

There is a context of circumstantial evidence as well. Karna did not know his caste and he went to Parshurama to learn from him. Parshurama thought him to be a Brahmin and taught him. One day he was sleeping on the lap of Karna and bee stings on the thigh of Karna. In order not to disturb his guru, Karna did not say anything and bore the pain. A lot of bloodshed from his thigh and awoke Parshurama. Parshurama analysed the situation and based on circumstantial evidence that Karna would not have been able to bore such pain if he was not a Kshatriya, he asked Karna his caste. Not knowing himself, Karna did not say anything. Being positive from the circumstantial evidence that Karna is a Kshatriya he curses him.

One important aspect that is disputed throughout the epic is abduction. There are many instances in the story about Kshatriya kings abducting princesses to show off their power and strength. However, how it is done is disputed. If such an abduction is done by the will of a girl or the will of parents then it is considered as legitimate. However, in a situation where there is no will of a girl or the parents, such abduction was considered as Adharma. The instances of Subhadra kidnapping Arjuna and Krishna kidnapping Rukmani are sought to be legitimate as the princesses were willing to marry the respective princes. Such a law is prevalent even today and if an adult girl runs away with her lover, parents cannot force or complain of abduction.

The epic provides for many learnings in the aspect of interpretation of the law of statutes. The episode of Pandavas losing their kingdom over a game of dice and as a result, their wife Draupadi being molested in front of the court provides for a serious legal discussion. The debate of laws and jurisdictional ethics that takes place between the Kauravas and the elderly subjects of the court provides for the importance of interpretation of statutes. The discussion emphasizes the individual rights and freedom, rights of the wife, right of the husband over his wife, individual right of the wife over the husband’s property and the gambling rules of the nation (The king or state not interfering between the game of two people).

It is to be noted that it has been laid down in the epic that the law of the land did not allow for open molestation of any women, let alone the queen or daughter-in-law of the house. Yet the incident happened due to various interpretations that led to the disrobing of the queen in front of the court. It is important to analyse this incident as it provides for a conflict between literal interpretation and moral law. Mere reading of laws is not seen enough to keep the offenders behind bars. It is the interpretation and moral ethics at the end of the day that plays a crucial role.

This is the reason that the Interpretation of Statutes is given utmost importance in the legal system. It also recognises the need for changing laws and interpretation if certain laws infringe upon the right of individual or community. Decriminalisation of homosexuality is one of the best examples to substantiate it.

Chinese mythology

Chinese mythology may be the longest mythology among all others. There are stories of hundreds of gods and emperors and extensive knowledge and legends about Chinese culture. China used to be called the middle kingdom and was considered everything under heaven. The emperor used to be considered as ‘tianzi’ or son of heaven by all of his subjects. There is a range of laws and procedures which used to be followed in the Chinese ancient era and it is surprising to note the relevance of such laws even in today’s era.

Chinese mythology goes back to the origin of law through the origin of ‘Dao’ from which everything from heaven to earth is considered to be originated. The ancient legal system of China seems to include various agricultural and taxation laws as agriculture played a major role during the start of the civilisation. There are many texts which stress a great deal about the existence of law such as The Book of Lord Shang, The Art of Ruling of the Huainanzi and collection of writings of Confucian on cosmos, government and society. The origin of laws is explained as rules for people for proper order in the society and the deeds of the people to be backed by punishments. The king was given the role of the demigod and thus was supposed to fulfil his duties by being reasonable, fair and kind. It was believed that if the king fails to do so, he will be thrown away by the gods and a new king will be appointed.

The Jade emperor

One of the distinguished Chinese mythological characters is the Jade emperor. The emperor was considered the son of heaven. The duties in the kingdom were allotted to various subjects and on the Chinese New Year, the emperor used to judge the character of each individual, their work and punish or reward them. The emperor had the power to punish people according to the crimes that were committed and a monarchial judicial system was followed where there was no advocacy in existence and the emperor was the judge for every cause. The emperor, however, is supposed to be kind and reasonable for the common people. The stories of the Jade emperor reflect the same.

The scheme of punishments was rigorous, however, the king himself could reduce the punishment again or provide some alternative. The Jade emperor’s daughter Zhinu fell in love with a mortal. Enraged with her decision that she will leave heaven for a human, the emperor banished the couple and they were sent to live on the opposite side of the Milky Way. However, after seeing his daughter’s happiness, he allowed the couple to meet once in a year. The concept of mercy and a lesser punishment or an alternative for the criminal offender was prevalent and it was deep-rooted in the Chinese philosophy that the common people should not suffer much and the emperor is bound to take care of them.

The legend of the Monkey king

The ‘Journey to the West’ is regarded as the most popular Chinese myths which have gained fame all over the world. The story is based on a Buddhist monk Xuanzang who travelled from China to India in search of religious texts to guide the people of China. The text also refers to the legend of the Monkey King. The Monkey King was born out of stone and had powers of transforming into anything. Once he was called by the Jade emperor but was given a post of the guard which was humiliating for him.

He rebelled against the emperor and defeated his troops. At last, the Jade emperor had to take help of lord Buddha who imprisoned the monkey king under a mountain. Later he became an escort to Xuanzang and helped him during his travels. The story of the monkey king has a very integral meaning in Chinese mythology. It describes the power of the rebel and the abolition of monopoly in any manner. The story also dictates the significance of the power of people on authority. This is a very crucial aspect in the democracies, as the concept of check and balances form an integral part. Even the law in almost every country in the world allows common people to question the Government and claim compensation if any damage is done.

The Prince of Lu

The Lu Xing has been described as the earliest document preserving the origin of law. King Mu of Zhou had given the responsibility to Price Lu to draft code and laws for governing states and punishments to be given. There is a range of punishments provided. The initial chapters show the law being applied very strictly and the punishments being imposed on innocents as well sometimes. The strictness of punishments was ensured to make people clear of the consequences of any irregular act.

A rebel Ch’ih Yu is considered as the first rebel and he showed evil nature and acts of robbery and irregular acts which were learned by the people later on. Such evil nature was passed on to the Miao people who used severe punishments and thus the people also lacked virtue. The innocents were executed and there are instances of punitive mutilations of amputating the nose, legs and testicles and branding with pitch. All were given the same punishment who were guilty of any irregular conduct and there was no exception made.

The people prayed to god and pitying them the god exterminated the Miao people and the link between heaven and the earth was broken. It is important to analyse this story as it involves important questions of mercy killing, human rights, capital punishments which are still debatable around the world. It signifies the importance of principle ‘innocent until proven guilty’ i.e. Presumption of Innocence, which is the main aspect in Indian, UK and Canada judicial systems.

Islamic mythology

There are not many mythological stories involved in Islamic origin except a few. Law plays a significant role in Islam as the Islamic theology in itself is surrounded more by laws than by mystical stories. Since the existence of Islam, laws and rules have been given utmost importance and have found an integral place in the religion as well.

The Quran

During the time of Prophet Muhammad, it was believed that there were divine teachings that were passed on to him by the god himself. Throughout his life, he teaches these sources to people which are formed into the Quran, the holy book of Islam. The Quran forms the basis of all moral obligations on a person and the way of life. Islamic mythology very much overlaps with the Biblical mythology of Adam and Eve as well. However, the interpretation of the incident has been made in a very different manner and an optimistic approach has been followed by the Islamic interpreters. There is mention of Iblis (Satan) and angels and jinn (genies) as well. There are only a few legal aspects described under the Quran such as theft, adultery, slander, fornication, apostasy etc. Severe punishments were described which included lashes and amputation of hands and legs.

The Shariah law

It is the religious law of Islam and is seen as the command of the god to the humankind. The scope of the Shariah law is very wide as it guides through the laws between individual, states and even god. Thus, the divine law forms an important part in Islamic law. It comprises various ethical, legal, social and contractual obligations between individuals and states. It also describes the acts prohibited and which are considered as haram (prohibited by god). Thus, there were rituals which were regarded as necessary for the relationship between god and the humans and there were laws prescribed for relationships between human beings:

For offences of assault or homicide, only the victim or the victim’s family were allowed to prosecute and the offender was punished in the same manner as the crime has been committed by him. It was called qisas (retaliation) and the family of the victim or the victim had the option to opt for compensation instead of retaliation.
There were severe punishments given for offences like in case of apostasy death punishment was awarded. In case of extramarital affairs, death by stoning was given and eighty lashes for an unproven accusation of qadhf (unchastity) and for drinking any kind of intoxicant. Such crimes were considered to be very strict and kind of such offence was given the punishment without any mercy. These were called hadd, meaning for which punishments were fixed. The courts were well settled and for any other offence, the method of punishment was used to be determined by the executive or the courts.
Another aspect which is described under this law is contract law. As the concept of minority and majority is used under the contract law, Shariah law also provides for such conditions. Age of puberty was taken as a mark to allow a person to deal with contracts. The case of mental illness is also taken into consideration and in such a situation, a guardian is required to look after any transaction made by the individual. The law also provides for Islamic institution of the Waqf Board, which is a charitable foundation dedicated to charitable purposes and the ownership of which lies with God. there are various other principles of contract which are basic principles of law in statutes even today for example bay (sale), hibah (gift), ariyah (loan), consideration, transfer of property etc.
Even marriages are contractual in Islam. During the ceremony of marriage, both bride and groom are asked for their consent and the same is given upon a consideration. There are rights which exist with fathers in case of a marriage of a girl. The consent of the father can contract on behalf of the minor daughter. The position of an adult woman and her consent, however, is not clear and the various interpretations by jurists differ in this context. Men are allowed to marry a maximum of four women and this gives the right of polygamy to the men. However, there are rules and customs to do the same, where consent of the previous wives or wives is seen as material. In case a wife wants to leave the husband, the provision of divorce can be initiated, however, if she leaves the home without just cause, she loses her right to maintenance.
There are many types of divorces which are provided under the law. However, there are debates on the actual interpretation of the same. Many jurists interpret the various forms in a very different manner. There are concepts of mutual divorce, triple talaq, divorce rights of wife etc. There are specific laws for child rights in Islamic law. The rights of succession, inheritance and guardianship are very well formulated in Islamic law. There are different succession laws and rules between Sunni and Shia Muslims. However, the Sunni Muslims consider themselves as followers of Prophets and they follow the inheritance system generally by a male person in the family. Thus, the inheritance principles are based on male lineage. Even females are provided with the property and inheritance rights but the share in the property differs for everyone.
The judicial system that was followed consisted of only one judge that was qadi, who had the power to decide on cases and judge on questions relating to law and fact. The help of the muftis (jurists) was taken to assist in some cases. They had an advisory role. The concept of advocates was not in place and the parties used to take their case to qadi and it used to be decided orally. There is proof of the existence of confession and witnesses, however, circumstantial evidence or written evidence had little or no value. In case of testimony of witnesses, two male witnesses of proper reputation were required and females were accepted as witnesses only in some cases.
The Islamic Law has been interpreted in many ways and is followed very strictly even today. The interpretations might have changed the aspect of law in some manner but the fundamental principles still advocate Islamic laws. The divine law is still prevalent and is regarded as an essential practice and rule in many Muslim countries.

Greek mythology

Iliad and Odyssey are the major two epics of Greek mythology. The text in the Iliad describes the winning of a case on the word of ‘istor’ which means ‘arbitrator’. Arbitration played a very crucial role in Greek mythology and the societies were managed through the arbitration where the prince or the king was not involved. The laws in place were both procedural and statutory. There was relevance for both written and oral laws. In the classical Athens period, there is no mention of law specialists or advocates representing their clients. The concept of Rule of law and separation of powers could only be found through the Roman period. The law was used in the Ancient Greek period as a tool and was not a major part of society. There were instances of people being punished even if not prescribed under the law and the Greek laws adhered to the literal interpretation of statutes.

In the Court set up, the person related to the victim was allowed to try the case as a prosecutor. A prosecutor was allowed to use private force on the offender but only after taking a divine oath. Punishments by god were a real threat to people. In the ancient Greek mythologies, there is a distinct god for every task and power. Greek mythology describes the gods in a manner that even they make mistakes and go through various subjects of jealousy, love, tragedy etc.

Themis: the goddess of divine law and order

Themis is regarded as the goddess of law, order and justice in Greek mythology. She is credited with powers to deliver fair judgment, maintain order and with qualities of prophecy, wisdom and foresight. The order and law created by her are considered as natural law. She introduced the natural laws of justice and morality and the conduct one should have in family and society. Good governance and conduct of assembly were one of the main aspects of her teachings. The law account that was introduced by her also consisted of rules of hospitality and offerings to God as well as the conduct of mankind. She was accounted to report for any breach of the law of conduct done by anyone. The statue of Themis, holding a sword in one hand and a scale in another hand deciphering justice and fairness, is seen outside the courts in many countries. She is seen as the epitome of providing justice and fairness.

Dike was the daughter of Zeus and Themis and was considered as the goddess of justice and moral order. The principle of justice conveyed by Dike is conventional and based on socially enforced norms. Her statue is made holding a balance scale in one hand and Roman interpretation, she is made blindfolded as well suggesting fairness to all. Her duty was to watch the deeds of the man and to approach Zeus if any judge does not follow the route of justice. She protects the administration of justice and punishes the one violating it. She is also considered to teach a man to resolve the dispute without violence. The virtues and principles denoted by the two goddesses are still prevalent in legal systems and it forms the basis of the whole judicial system.

Medusa

Greek mythological stories are full of different emotions and tragedies. The stories revolve around god’s making mistakes showing emotions as a mortal human would have. There are stories of love, jealousy, affairs, murders and deception. Through the stories, it is difficult to enhance any particular law prevailing apart from the fact that the punishments given in the ancient Greek system were either used to be equivalent or more than the crime that has been committed. There was no option of leniency in punishments. Affairs and murders are shown to be very heinous crimes.

The story that speaks a whole lot about the same is that of Medusa. Medusa was a priestess and virgin who worshipped Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom and battles. To be a priestess Medusa had to be a priestess and virgin all her life. Poseidon, the Water god, has a feud with Athena, and to humiliate her, he raped Medusa on the stairs of the temple of Athena. After he left her weak and vulnerable, Medusa asked for help from Athena. However, she was so angry with Medusa that she turned her hair into a coil of serpents and cursed her that one look from her eyes will turn every man into stone. It was because of this curse that Medusa was seen as a monster in the coming years. Greek mythology has shown Gods as supreme power that does not follow any particular law and mortals were afraid to disrespect or offend any God because of any consequences later on.

Persephone and Hades

Another story that is related to abduction is that of Persephone and Hades, the god of the underworld. Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus and she was so beautiful that the God of the underworld, Hades fell in love with her and abducted her against her wish. Demeter came to know of the incident and she complained to Zeus. Zeus sends a command to Hades to return Persephone but while sending her away, Hades made her eat six Pomegranate Seeds. Demeter became furious as she knew that anyone who ate anything from the underworld can never really leave the place. Zeus proposed a compromise and said that for every seed Persephone has eaten she would spend one month with Hades. What is interesting to note that the abduction in itself was not dealt with, however, like the laws prevailing at that time, Zeus acted as an arbitrator and made a compromise between the two parties.

Egyptian mythology

Egyptian mythology is very structured in the manner the law used to prevail in society. It is closely linked with the religion and suggests how law used to be prevalent along the religious sphere. The legal principles were believed to be handed over by the gods to mankind. The king was supposed to be following the legal principles very strictly. The laws were written, codified and applied along with the divine laws as the king could use the help of gods in a matter of any doubtful case. The advisory role and the judicial aspect was very much as it is today. Principles of jurisprudence, equality, morality, punishments, customs, impartiality were all recognised in the legal system. It is very interesting to note that there were supposed to be full-fledged structural dimensions of the judicial and legal aspect in Egyptian mythology. There are interesting instances which show about the prevalence of human rights, equality, trial courts, arbitration, kingship and inheritance.

Goddess Maat

Goddess Maat is considered as the goddess of justice, truth, righteousness and represents the correct order and balance in the Universe. She is depicted as a woman who holds the sceptre in one hand and has feathers attached to her body. The whole legal system in Egyptian mythology is based around the maat. The king was considered as the supreme giver of law and was supposed to follow it and rule with it in the same way gods have written these laws. There are forty-two basic laws given in the Maat which have to be followed to balance the life and to lead the life on the path of righteousness.

Laws regarding taxation of lands, indirect taxes, the property of the wife, inheritance and the heir rights were all embodied under the laws given and the basic principle in all these laws was the law of maat. Thus, the ancient Egyptian civilisation worked between the balance of divine order and laws provided by the king. It can be considered as a Constitution of a country, where several principles are laid down and other laws and statutes have to work according to those principles. Today, the Constitution holds immense importance in every country.

The lawsuit between Horus and Seth

Chester Beatty Papyrus contains one of the stories about the trial system being followed in the ancient Egyptian system. The Contendings of Horus and Seth is a satirical account of the trial between the two to decide for the seat of the king. Osiris, the king, had died and the fight between Seth and Horus was for the throne of the king. Horus claimed the throne as he was the son of Osiris but Seth argued that he is more powerful and thus should be made king. They went to a trial in front of the Sun God Ra, the Wisdom God Thoth and the God of Air Shu.

The two gods of wisdom and air thought that Horus should be the King, however, the god of Sun differed. What followed was long battles between Horus and Seth which includes many stories of betrayal, fights, homosexual activities, jealousy, cheating etc. At last, Horus is determined as the new king. The story holds significance to the existence of the trial system and the inheritance rights as well as the right of an heir to kingship.

The relevance of mythology in law

The above-discussed mythologies have analysed different laws in practice during ancient times. It is very much established that the Rule of Law is not a concept that has originated in the western world; it has been in existence since ancient times. And it is not restricted by one religion or culture but it finds its way in almost every era and region. Even if the accuracy and truthfulness of these myths are debated, there are certain aspects of law and governance which are so similar to the present-day laws and system that it cannot be ignored. There are overlaps between the rules and laws of different regions which also establishes the common goal of these laws, justice, fairness and punishment for offences. How these principles are shaped may differ but the existence of such concepts cannot be ignored. Mythologies do not act as a source of law because of course, they have a myth character with no proof of their existence. But these stories help to analyse various jurisprudential and moral aspects of the law. The intricacies through which the decisions and incidents are taken into consideration paves a way to determine certain aspects of law which should be or not be taken into consideration. There are some basic legal aspects which can be analysed along the lines of mythology:

The origin of law (from divine law to kingship)
Fundamental principles of fairness and justice
Law relating to contracts
Punishments for offences
Establishment of Rule of Law
Position of women
Statutory law and Moral Law

Conclusion

Law is a very crucial element to maintain order in society. Mythological stories are very close to the hearts of the people especially those which are related to a particular culture or religion. These stories provide a bulk of information about the culture, administration and legal structure. It is interesting to note how the legal structure of ancient times is still prevalent today. There are many incidents like the story of Medusa in Greek mythology and Draupadi in Mahabharata which also imposes the question of the battle between legal statutes, their interpretation and moral aspect of society.

The need to emphasise and reflect upon such incidents is also necessary to highlight how much progress has been made and how much the law has evolved. It is also important because it gives insight into different dimensions of the law and different aspects that one can learn. The origin of law signifies the need of such order and thus, these mythologies signify the importance to conduct the affairs of the state and the value of fundamental principles upon which every law system is based in the world today.