Synopsis The present work aims at understanding the nature and features of ancient Indian society during different historical phases. The evolutionary approach has been applied in order to analyse the changes took place in various social institutions and refutes the claim of those who see the ancient Indian society as unchanging. Alongwith various internal and external factors responsible for the occurrence of numerous social changes, the economic developments, the role of heretical religions such as Buddhism and Jainism, the incursion of foreigners and its impact on brahmanical social order have also been specifically examined. This book also examines the steps taken by the classical thinkers for restoring their deteriorating traditional social order and the declining hegemony of their managerial class in the society. Among such remedial efforts, enacted as laws as well as social prohibition applied by them the origin of Pauranic Hinduism and the doctrine of Kalivarjya have also been specifically analysed in this work by the author.