I have read this.
There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important are those of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita, Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama, Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and Saunaka.
The laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga, those of Yajnavalkya are for the Treta Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali Yuga.
The Sruti and the Smriti are the two authoritative sources of Hinduism. Sruti literally means what is heard, and Smriti means what is remembered. Sruti is revelation and Smriti is tradition. Upanishad is a Sruti. Bhagavad-Gita is a Smriti.
Vedas are the records of Maharishis, who comprehended the truths through their divine power, otherwise called tapas and yoga. Puranas describe penance for several years without food, which are only a description of such divine power. That divine power is revealed to mankind through some sages, who propagate the truths and tenets recorded in the eternal Vedas.
The Dharmashastras laid down the law or rules of conduct regulating the entire gamut of human activity. This necessarily included civil and criminal law.
The earlier works, which laid down the law in the form of sutras, were divided into three classes, viz.Srauta sutras, Grihya sutras and Dharma sutras.
The important Dharma sutras, which were considered as high authority, were of Gautama, Baudhayana, Apastamba, Harita, Vasista and Vishnu.
The eighteen sub-divisions of law, which cover civil as well as criminal law,are the special features of the Manu Smriti.
Apart from what you have mentioned, there is also Vishwamitra smriti, Laghu Smriti, Brihadyama Smriti, Vriddha Shatatapa Smriti, Bhrigu smriti, Vaikhanas smriti, Utathya smriti, Brihaspati smriti, Kashyapa smriti, Gargya smriti and Pracheta smriti, Kunika smriti and Pushkarsadi smriti, Aupajamghini smriti, Katya smriti, Kashyapa smriti, Prajapati smriti, Maudagalya smriti,
Shankha smriti, Likhit smriti, and Vruddha-Gautam Smriti.
So how many does that make it ?
However the 20 prominent smriti's are,
Manu Smriti, Vyas Smriti, Laghu Vishnu Smriti, Apstamba Smriti, Vashishth Smriti, Parashara Smriti, Brihat-Parashara Smriti, Atri Smriti, Laghu Shankh Smriti, Vishwamitra Smriti, Yama Smriti, Laghu Smriti, Brihadyama Smriti, Vriddha Shatatapa Smriti, Shatatapa Smriti, Laghu Shatatapa Smriti, Vriddha Gautam Smriti, Brihaspati Smriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti, Brihadyogi Yajnavalkya Smriti.
Bhagavad-Gita however is both Shruti AND Smriti. Its a smriti only because it comes under Mahabharat which is Ithihasa.
The various Shruti's are Four Vedas i.e Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Athrvaveda with Samhita, Brahmana, Aarnyaka, Upanishads and various Aagmas (including Tantra and Yantra). They are of divine origin and are Author less.
Smriti's is derivative work from the shruti's and is a produced of the intellect of its author or interpreter or divinely inspired like the Ramayana. The various smriti's are Vedang, Upaveda, Upang, Dharma-Sutra and Shastra , 18 Purans, Itihasa i.e Ramayana, Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita) etc., Commentaries on various Shruti texts by Aacharyas including Brahma Sutra etc. and various scriptures on Darshan Shastra (Sankhya,Yoga, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Nyaya etc.)
Dharama Sutra's are derived from the Vedas and in turn the Dharma shastra's are derived from the Dharma sutras.
Apart from the Grihya sutra which talks about common mans duties, there is also Samayacarika sutras which talks about our social responsibilities and relationship with others around us.
Finally Dharma shastra's are not "law or rules of conduct", they are guides to conduct and social order. It only prescribes PENANCE and not Punishment within the social order.
Hindus do not have "Law or Rules" of conduct. The duty to uphold dharma was of the entire society and not only of the Kshatriya. It was a collective responsibility, and power was not vested in a single Authority like the king or the court. The king however had the final say if the matter went up to him.
However for state craft along with law and order, other books were written, like the Artha Shastra which gave details of LAW and RULES of the state.
Its foolish to compare that to a Smriti.
Finally as side note, do not be under the impression that you are "debating" with me. Your know how comes from copy pasting from wikipedia, mine does not.
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