The present monograph attempts to highlight the social awareness and the Datta system reflected in the Sanskrit literature. Protection of family depended upon the male members and hence issuelessnes was unbearable causing much mental affliction. Godavarma explains the formalities of adoption which dealt Institutional, Non Institutional, formal and non formal Datta Systems.

The Hindu law recognizes twelve or thirteen kinds of sons, of them five are adopted sons. In later times Dattaka and Krima. The work deals with this important topic with a historical and comparative approach.