Dharmasutras (धर्मसूत्राणि) - Revision history

Pṛthvī: Text replacement - "spiritual" to "adhyatmik"

2020-03-12T16:44:27Z

Text replacement - "spiritual" to "adhyatmik"

Fordharma: editing

2020-03-09T17:39:43Z

editing

Fordharma: /* Authors and Commentators */

2020-03-06T16:22:34Z

Authors and Commentators

Fordharma: editing

2020-03-05T14:20:18Z

editing

Fordharma: added content in the table

2020-03-05T13:18:02Z

added content in the table

Fordharma: editing

2020-03-03T10:13:57Z

editing

Fordharma at 14:03, 2 March 2020

2020-03-02T14:03:30Z

Fordharma: added content and references

2020-03-01T18:25:44Z

added content and references

Fordharma: adding content and references

2020-02-12T17:43:18Z

adding content and references

Fordharma: adding content

2020-02-10T17:24:46Z

adding content

@@ Line 102: / Line 102: @@
 '''Ashrama Dharmas''': A large portion of the sutragranthas describe the Ashrama dharmas. According to the scheme of life envisaged in the dharmasutras, the entire life of a dvija is divided into four stages - Brahmacharya, Grhastha, Vaanaprastha and Sanyasa ashramas respectively. Rules and regulations governing a person in each stage of life are well explained long before any other civilization. The first stage is the [[Brahmacharyashrama (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमः)|Brahmacharyashrama]], prior to which a person attains the status of a Dvija during the Upanayana samskara. In this stage, a Brahmacharin must devote his energy to acquire education at the house of an acharya. In this context the dharma of a Brahmacharin, his conduct, the dos and donts, holidays, his dinacharya, gurusushruta, the duties of a preceptor are clearly laid out with few modifications over the changing ages. On the completion of the education, which primarily included the chaturdashavidyas, he becomes a [[Snataka (स्नातकः)|Snataka]] (graduate) governed by the [[Snataka Dharma (स्नातकधर्मः)|Snataka dharmas]]. Crossing this stage he enters the next stage of life, the [[Grhasthashrama (गृहस्थाश्रमः)|Grhasthashrama]].  The Dharmasutras draw special attention to the snataka dharmas exhorting a graduating student to lead a dignified code of conduct and prepares him for the life ahead to put his education to good use. The grhasthashrama is highly commended in these sutragranthas and regarded as Ashrama ''par excellence''. The statement that all other ashramas depend on the grhastha for their sustenance and for the perpetuance of the race and culture, finds primary importance in these sutras. Thus we find that Grhasthashrama dharmas are well elaborated here, dwelling on daily duties of a grhastha (including the time of rising up and cooking etc), the laws of marriage, conjugal relations and deviations, children and sons, succession laws, treatment of women and conduct towards people of other ashramas, rites for housewarming and building a house, rites for the ancestors and new-borns, and so forth.
-Gaarhasthya is followed by the [[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]]. It is the order of the forest dwelling munis and rshis who have left behind an active participation in the grhastha activities. A householder may choose at a proper time to leave his household and withdraw to the forests alone or along with his wife. He leaves behind the care of family activities, to his subsequent generations, to practice meditation and attain higher spiritual goals. Many types of Vanaprasthas and their mode of living are described in here but no great importance is attached to this Ashrama.
+Gaarhasthya is followed by the [[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]]. It is the order of the forest dwelling munis and rshis who have left behind an active participation in the grhastha activities. A householder may choose at a proper time to leave his household and withdraw to the forests alone or along with his wife. He leaves behind the care of family activities, to his subsequent generations, to practice meditation and attain higher adhyatmik goals. Many types of Vanaprasthas and their mode of living are described in here but no great importance is attached to this Ashrama.
 Sanyasa ashrama follows the Vanaprastha. It is the fourth stage of human life and signifies renunciation of worldly possessions and attachments to relations. The Dharmasutras prescribe a code of standard conduct for a Sanyasin and enjoin upon him to refrain from participation in activities such as astrology, palmistry etc and lead a life of complete resignation, contentment, and meditation.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 The Dharmasutras are named after their authors, the four prominent being Apastamba, Baudhayana, Gautama and Vashistha. A significant issue of authorship of these texts is complicated by the fact that, they contain numerous spurious additions made at later times as determined by the scholarly community based on certain linguistic studies. Apastamba Kalpasutra is said to be best preserved with least amount of interpolations and interventions. Geographical references, inscriptional evidence, textual references, linguistic archaism, personal views of the authors themselves are aspects of extensive discussions in the scholarly community.
-=== Textual Divisions ===
+=== Dharmasutras and Commentaries ===
 The word dharmasutra means the sutras dealing with dharma. Given the brevity of each sutra, it is mostly impossible to understand the meaning without the context and required an oral explanation (as in the early days) or commentary.<ref name=":1" />

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 |-
 !Shukla Yajurveda
-|Maitrayani?
 |Harita
 |30 Adhyayas <ref name=":12">Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya (1997) ''Samskrit Vangmay ka Brhad Itihas, Dvitiya Khand - Vedang.'' Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Samskrit Sansthan (Page 208-209)</ref>
@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 |Hiranyakeshi
 |26th and 27th Prashnas of Hiranyakeshi Kalpa
-|Mahadeva Dikshit (Ujjvala vrtti)
+|Mahadeva Dikshit (Vyjayanti)
 |-
 |Vaikhanasa

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 The authors of Dharmasutras declare themselves to be ordinary people and state that they have attempted to codify Dharma based on the three main sources, namely, the Shrutis, Smrtis and conduct of shishtas (unselfish, virtuous and learned personages prior to them).<ref name=":0" />
-== Typical Features of Dharmasutras ==
+== Authors and Commentators ==
-Mention usually as the third of the Kalpasutras, Dharmasutras have some characteristics which set them apart from the other texts of Kalpas. Of the Kalpasutras, the Shrauta and Grhyasutras confine themselves to the ritualistic matters of the Karmakanda, whereas the Dharmasutras directed the moral, and ethical norms of people irrespective of the rituals, thus became universally applicable treatises.
+Mentioned usually as the third of the Kalpasutras, Dharmasutras have some characteristics which set them apart from the other texts of Kalpas. Of the Kalpasutras, the Shrauta and Grhyasutras confine themselves to the ritualistic matters of the Karmakanda, whereas the Dharmasutras directed the moral, and ethical norms of people irrespective of the rituals, thus became universally applicable treatises.
 Many scholars opine that there is no means to determine the exact number of texts composed as part of the Kalpa Sutragranthas. Neither the number nor the time of composition can be determined and it is highly debatable by many. The dharmasutras of Gautama, Baudhayana, Apastamba, Vashistha, Vaikhanasa and Vishnu are included into the major works, as per S. C. Banerji. He also quotes law books of Atri, Ushanas, Kanva, Kaanva, Kashyapa, Kaasyapa, Kaatyayana, Gaargya, Chyavana, Jamadagni, Jaatukarnya, Devala, Javali, Prajapati, Brhaspati, Bharadvaja, Sataatapa, Harita and many others, known only from quotations found in later Smrti digests and have been designated as minor works by him.<ref name=":1">Sarma, Ratul (2013) Ph.D. Thesis Title : ''The Gautamadharmasutra, A Study. [https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/115204/9/09_chapter%201.pdf Chapter 1]. Gauhati University''</ref>

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Many scholars opine that there is no means to determine the exact number of texts composed as part of the Kalpa Sutragranthas. Neither the number nor the time of composition can be determined and it is highly debatable by many. The dharmasutras of Gautama, Baudhayana, Apastamba, Vashistha, Vaikhanasa and Vishnu are included into the major works, as per S. C. Banerji. He also quotes law books of Atri, Ushanas, Kanva, Kaanva, Kashyapa, Kaasyapa, Kaatyayana, Gaargya, Chyavana, Jamadagni, Jaatukarnya, Devala, Javali, Prajapati, Brhaspati, Bharadvaja, Sataatapa, Harita and many others, known only from quotations found in later Smrti digests and have been designated as minor works by him.<ref name=":1">Sarma, Ratul (2013) Ph.D. Thesis Title : ''The Gautamadharmasutra, A Study. [https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/115204/9/09_chapter%201.pdf Chapter 1]. Gauhati University''</ref>
-The Dharmasutras are named after their authors, the four prominent being Apastamba, Baudhayana, Gautama and Vashistha. A significant issue of authorship of these texts is complicated by the fact that, they contain numerous spurious additions made at later times as determined by the scholarly community based on certain linguistic studies. Apastamba Kalpasutra is said to be best preserved with least amount of interpolations and intervention. Geographical references, inscriptional evidence, textual references, linguistic archaism, personal views of the authors themselves are aspects of extensive discussions in the scholarly community.
+The Dharmasutras are named after their authors, the four prominent being Apastamba, Baudhayana, Gautama and Vashistha. A significant issue of authorship of these texts is complicated by the fact that, they contain numerous spurious additions made at later times as determined by the scholarly community based on certain linguistic studies. Apastamba Kalpasutra is said to be best preserved with least amount of interpolations and interventions. Geographical references, inscriptional evidence, textual references, linguistic archaism, personal views of the authors themselves are aspects of extensive discussions in the scholarly community.
 === Textual Divisions ===
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Shlokas are interspersed among the sutras in all dharmasutra texts except Gautama, hence the sutra style of writing is not strictly adopted by them. In Baudhayana and Vasishta Dharmasutras, an increasing use of metrical shlokas as integral parts of the composition, reflects their being precursors to the genre of the later day Smrtis which exclusively consist of shlokas.
 === समयाचारधर्मः ॥ Samayachara Dharmas ===
 The central theme of three main sutragranthas of the Kalpa Vedanga is Dharma; Shrauta sutras comprehend the dharmik activities for the larger welfare of the society, the Grhyasutras lay down the dharmas (in  relation to yajnas) governing the individual in particular. Dharmasutras are set of treatises, which often confused with the Dharmashastras, are precursors to personal law codes and include the details of prevalent samayacharas (traditional practices prevalent at the time of their composition) in their discourse.<ref name=":0" />
@@ Line 59: / Line 111: @@
 '''Other Topics:''' Apart from the above topics which form a major portion of these treatises, Dharmasutras dwell on Naimittika dharma, enumerate various types of papakarmas (sins) and atonement for them by performing penances. They also explain about Saucha and Asaucha (impurities related to events of birth and death) and the process of cleansing after asaucha.<ref name=":1" /> General rules of life showcasing the bharatiya jivana vidhana are best visible in these texts. They include a discussion about rules for taking food, drinking, daily cleansing activities, habits, menstruation time in women, observing vows among other things.
-== Individual Dharmasutras ==
+== विशेषाशः ॥ Special Points in Dharmasutras ==
 A few contrasting points about certain topics in various dharmasutras.
 * Upavita of a Brahmin (an upper garment worn in the style of yajnopavita, looped over the left shoulder and under the right arm) is a term used by Apastamba and Gautama. Apastamba (2.4.21-2) allows the use of a yajnopavita to substitute for the upper garment during some rituals, while Baudhayana (1.8.5) mentions it as a yajnopavita itself.
@@ Line 107: / Line 121: @@
 * Apastamba rejects remarriage of widows and strongly supports monogamy. Vasishta, not only encourages remarriage of widows, but also permits a woman whose husband is abroad to visit a male relative of her husband or even a stranger (Va. 17.75-80).
 * Apastamba does not mention mixed varnas. Vaikhanasa enumerates a large number of mixed varnas. Silent on Shraddhas and administration rules.
 == Discussion ==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 The broadest division of the texts of Apastamba and Baudhayana is termed "Prashna". Each prashna is divided into sections called "kandika" and "khanda" respectively. Further divisions are called "patala" in Apastamba sutras and "adhyayas" in Baudhayana. Texts of Gautama and Vasishta are divided simply into "adhyayas". The smallest division of all these documents is into "sutras".
-=== Sutra style of Writing ===
+The word dharmasutra means the sutras dealing with dharma. Given the brevity of each sutra, it is mostly impossible to understand the meaning without the context and required an oral explanation (as in the early days) or commentary.<ref name=":1" />
-Shlokas are interspersed among the sutras in all dharmasutra texts except Gautama, hence the sutra style of writing is not strictly adopted in them. In Baudhayana and Vasishta Dharmasutras, an increasing use of metrical shlokas as integral parts of the composition, reflects their being precursors to the genre of the later day Smrtis which are exclusively consisting of shlokas.
+Shlokas are interspersed among the sutras in all dharmasutra texts except Gautama, hence the sutra style of writing is not strictly adopted by them. In Baudhayana and Vasishta Dharmasutras, an increasing use of metrical shlokas as integral parts of the composition, reflects their being precursors to the genre of the later day Smrtis which exclusively consist of shlokas.
 === समयाचारधर्मः ॥ Samayachara Dharmas ===
@@ Line 82: / Line 81: @@
 |Yajurveda
 |28th and 29th Prashnas of Apastamba Kalpa (1364 Sutras and 30 shlokas)
-|Commentary by Haradatta
+|Commentary by Haradatta. Does not mention mixing of varnas.
 |-
 |Vasishta
@@ Line 92: / Line 91: @@
+|
 |3 Prasnas of the Vaikhanasa Smartasutra
-|Thorough information on the Ashramas and Varnas unknown to other Dharmasutras. Enumerates a large number of mixed varnas. Silent on Shraddhas and administration rules.
+|Thorough information on the Ashramas and Varnas unknown to other Dharmasutras.
 |-
 |Vishnu
@@ Line 107: / Line 106: @@
 * Apastamba's views about women is progressive - A man is not allowed to abandon his wife (2.11.12-13). He allows daughters to have a share in inheritance (2.14.4). He restricts the division of property between a husband and wife and allows joint custody of the property (2.29.3).
 * Apastamba rejects remarriage of widows and strongly supports monogamy. Vasishta, not only encourages remarriage of widows, but also permits a woman whose husband is abroad to visit a male relative of her husband or even a stranger (Va. 17.75-80).
 == Discussion ==

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 Smarta dharma embodied in the Dharmasutras is the basis of development of Smrti granthas is advocated by many scholars and there is no denying that the said dharmas are far more elaborate in the Smrtis than in Dharmasutras. But the exact relationship of the Sutras and Smrtis is highly controversial. Many western and Indian scholars have extensively discussed about this topic, which is at present beyond the scope of this article.
-== धर्मसूत्रविषयाणि॥ Subject Matter of Dharmasutras ==
+== धर्मसूत्रविषयाणि ॥ Subject Matter of Dharmasutras ==
 There are varied opinions in the scholarly community (both western and traditional scholarships) about the availability of sutragranthas based on the veda shakas. Hence some variation in the topics discussed in these sutragranthas may be expected as they evolved imbibing the specialities of those vedashakas. According to Gautama Dharmasutras, taken as a representative example here, the topics of Dharma treated in Dharmasutras are classified broadly into three categories as follows.
 # Varna dharmas (duties of people in four social classes)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{ToBeEdited}}
-Dharmasutras (Samskrit: धर्मसूत्राणि) are a class of ancient samskrit texts of Bharatavarsha, expounding the principles of dharma. Studied as a part of the [[Kalpa Vedanga (कल्पवेदाङ्गम्)|Kalpa Vedanga]] texts, they are categorized as Sutragranthas, primarily because a majority of these texts are composed in Sutra style of writing or short terse aphorisms. The sutras lay equal stress on the trivarga; Dharma, Artha and Kama, but do not discuss anything at length about Moksha.<ref name=":0">Gopal, Ram. (1959) ''India of Vedic Kalpasutras.'' Delhi : National Publishing House</ref>
+Dharmasutras (Samskrit: धर्मसूत्राणि) are a class of ancient samskrit texts of Bharatavarsha, represent the codification of a long tradition of expounding the principles of dharma. Studied as a part of the [[Kalpa Vedanga (कल्पवेदाङ्गम्)|Kalpa Vedanga]] texts, they are categorized as Sutragranthas, primarily because a majority of these texts are composed in Sutra style of writing or short terse aphorisms. The sutras lay equal stress on the trivarga; Dharma, Artha and Kama, but do not discuss anything at length about Moksha.<ref name=":0">Gopal, Ram. (1959) ''India of Vedic Kalpasutras.'' Delhi : National Publishing House</ref>
 == परिचयः॥ Introduction ==
@@ Line 11: / Line 13: @@
 == Typical Features of Dharmasutras ==
-Mention usually as the third of the Kalpasutras, Dharmasutras have some characteristics which set them apart from the other texts of Kalpas.
+Mention usually as the third of the Kalpasutras, Dharmasutras have some characteristics which set them apart from the other texts of Kalpas. Of the Kalpasutras, the Shrauta and Grhyasutras confine themselves to the ritualistic matters of the Karmakanda, whereas the Dharmasutras directed the moral, and ethical norms of people irrespective of the rituals, thus became universally applicable treatises.
 === Authors of Dharmasutras ===
 Many scholars opine that there is no means to determine the exact number of texts composed as part of the Kalpa Sutragranthas. Neither the number nor the time of composition can be determined and it is highly debatable by many. The dharmasutras of Gautama, Baudhayana, Apastamba, Vashistha, Vaikhanasa and Vishnu are included into the major works, as per S. C. Banerji. He also quotes law books of Atri, Ushanas, Kanva, Kaanva, Kashyapa, Kaasyapa, Kaatyayana, Gaargya, Chyavana, Jamadagni, Jaatukarnya, Devala, Javali, Prajapati, Brhaspati, Bharadvaja, Sataatapa, Harita and many others, known only from quotations found in later Smrti digests and have been designated as minor works by him.<ref name=":1">Sarma, Ratul (2013) Ph.D. Thesis Title : ''The Gautamadharmasutra, A Study. [https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/115204/9/09_chapter%201.pdf Chapter 1]. Gauhati University''</ref>
 === Sutra style of Writing ===
-The word dharmasutra means the sutras dealing with dharma. A sutra which a means a short or concise technical sentence (condensing a large meaning within), is the characteristic style if writing in which many ancient texts were composed. Brevity of the subject-matter is the important feature of the sutragranthas. However, these sutras are not the same as the vyakarana sutras such as those in Maharshi Panini's Ashtadhyayi.<ref name=":1" />
+The word dharmasutra means the sutras dealing with dharma. A sutra which means a short or concise technical sentence (condensing a large meaning within), is the characteristic style if writing in which many ancient texts were composed. Brevity of the subject-matter is the important feature of the sutragranthas. However, these sutras are not the same as the vyakarana sutras such as those in Maharshi Panini's Ashtadhyayi. Given the brevity of each sutra, it is mostly impossible to understand the meaning without the context and required an oral explanation (as in the early days) or commentary.<ref name=":1" />
 === समयाचारधर्मः ॥ Samayachara Dharmas ===
@@ Line 62: / Line 71: @@
 |Gautama
 |Samaveda, Rananiyashaka according to Charanavyuha
-|28 Adhyayas
+|28 Adhyayas (composed in sutra format)
-|Widely accepted as the earliest DS text
+|Widely accepted as the earliest DS text. Commentary by Haradatta.
 |-
 |Baudhayana
@@ Line 72: / Line 81: @@
 |Apastamba
 |Yajurveda
-|28th and 29th Prashnas of Apastamba Kalpa both in sutra and sloka format
+|28th and 29th Prashnas of Apastamba Kalpa (1364 Sutras and 30 shlokas)
 |Commentary by Haradatta
 |-
@@ Line 90: / Line 99: @@
 |Unique in mentioning the custom of ''suttee,'' the word ''Pustaka'' for a book, days of a week, Trimurtis and many tirthas in the South of India. Close identity with Manusmrti.
 |}
 == Discussion ==