Inscriptions found on stone slabs in the Krishna River Valley have been dated to the late 4th century BCE. The inscriptions describe a code of conduct called Niti-Dhriti, which centers on the Philosophy of Temporal Rectitude, or the importance of timing in moral action.
The text posits that an action is only ethical if performed at the "metaphysically correct moment," introducing a temporal dimension to the concept of Dharma. Researchers believe this find reflects a distinct regional school of ethics that flourished during the early Mauryan transition.