The way of living life meaningfully and fruitfully is called Dharma. Dharma means a knowledge and aguidance to live it i(n contrast with a dogmawhich is to believed against logic, and against common sence, and neithr to be questioned nor to be nor to be altered. A larger and haelthy view of life is called Dharma. And those sastras that teach Dharma are called Smrits. There are around 60 to 70 Dharma sastras in Sanskrit. For example, Manu Smriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti, Apasthambha Dharma sutras and such others.
Niti Sastra:--
Niti means ethics in a broad and postive sesce and it is a branch of Dharma sastra alone. It deals mainly with the practical and worldly life full of vicissitudes. Niti is a guidance for how to face various situations and people, events and cicumstances in life, which are very complex. We have many Texts on Niti sasatra. even the Ramayana and the Mahabharata deal with Niti elaborately throughout the texts. Chanakya Niti sasatra and Shukra Niti sastra and Bruhaspati Niti satra are some of the impirtant books. BhartRhari's Niti shatakam is the most popular and a most valuable book.
We shall deal with them as we proceed.