Book excerpt: Some Aspects Of Early Indian Society is a comprehensive study of certain social institutions of early India based on literary and epigraphic traditions, located between Vedic times to the 8th century A.D. It poses new questions on ticklish issues like the social thought of Kautilya, Hindu sacraments, graded early Indian society, the question of the Sudras, subjection of women, Buddhist attitudes towards women, Ashoka Dharma as gleaned from rock edicts, feudal relationship and obligations between kings and vassal. This study of Kautilya's social thought is probably the first of its kind to discover the essentials of Hindu social thought and its systematic presentation. Some Aspects Of Early Indian Society is an attempt to trace the origin and growth of various Hindu sacraments in early Indian society.