This importance of initiation, which had been developed by Apastamba’s time, bad probably caused the law-giver to begin his treatise with it, as it formed the beginning of the intellectual life of a man and we find Apastamba laying down strict rules at length for such a student. It was a sin to look at a woman and sacred texts could not be uttered when a Sudra woman looked at a Brahmana.79

As the Dharma-Sutra of Apastamba formed a supplement to the Grhya-Sutra, we do not find the details of -marriage as they have been described in the Grhya Sastras. And, as woman’s sphere became much restricted in society, the reference to women in the general rules laid down for man is very few. Apastamba recognises six kinds of marriages as legal ; the Brahma, Arsha, Daiva, Gandharva, Asura and Rakshasa rites.80         Of these the first three alone the Brahma, Arsha and Daiva marriages-are praiseworthy.81

He thus leaves out the Prajapatya and Paisacha kinds of marriages. The quality of the offspring depended on the quality of the marriage rite 82 but he lays certain restrictions, that a daughter shall not be given in marriage to a man belonging to the same family (Gotra) 83 nor can marriage take place between relations within six degrees on the mother’s or the father’s side. 84 We thus come to more restrictions on marriage.