Question on various smRiti's
Dr. Yadu Moharir
| Respected scholars: Apart from following thirty-six smR^iti's are there any others smR^iti's ? I would like to know if someone has studied them in a comparative manners. What are the differences between them and why sages of that time may have suggested them in that specific manner? Any good translations would also be extremely helpful. 
   Thanking all in advance for you input. Best regards, Yadunath |
subrahmanyam korada
The 'Sm.rtisandarbha' of Manasukharoy More , 5,Clive Row , Calcutta (1952, 1953)
contains more Sm.rtis . He was sending copies free of cost , a DhArmika .
Nir.nayasindhu of Kamalakarabhatta etc have compared some Sm.rtis .
Manusm.rti (1987) and Gautamasm.rti (1966) were published by
Chowkhamba, Varanasi , with Hindi Translations . Better not to depend
upon Translations.
Why differences ?
It is difficult to find out as which is Dharma and which is Adharma --
dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhAyAm .
Patanjali in Paspas'A of MahAbhAsyam says - parAvarajnA.h
viditaveditavyA.h sAk.sAtk.rtadharmA.na.h .r.sayo babhUvu.h . .R.sis
were able to discern Dharma thru Yogipratyak.sa .
MImAmsakas (see S'lokavArtikam - Pratyak.sa) do not accept
Yogipratyak.sa . Veda and
Sm.rtis , as per Sm.rtyadhikar.nam of First AdhyAya , which follow
S'ruti are PamA.nam .
S'ruterivArtham sm.rtiranvagacchat - KAlidAsa in Raghuvams'a .
The following verse enumerates the Pramanas of Dharma (Manusm.rti 2-6,
first leg is seen in Gautamasm.rti also ) -
vedo'khilo dharmamUlam sm.rtis'Ile ca tadvidAm I
AcAras'caiva sAdhUnAm Atmanastu.s.tireva ca II
Finally it is 'Atmanastu.s.ti.h -- in S'Akuntalam Du.syanta follows
this - satAm hi sandehapade.su v.rtti.su
pramA.namanta.hkara.naprav.rttaya.h .
Vedo'khilo dharmamUlam --
AnantA vai vedA.h (KA.thaka in TaittirIya) -says Veda .
Veda has got two forms -- S'bda and Artha (PA.nini 4-2-58 tadadhIte
tadveda) . The S'abda cannot be 'ananta' but Artha can . So here Veda
, thru Lak.sa.nA , means VeDartha .
Since Veda offers the message like a king ( Prabhusammito veda.h -
KAvyaprakAs'a.h)
it isdifficult to Know the 'TAtparyam' .
PurA.nas and ItihAsas explain the same message like a friend (mitrasammitam) .
KAvyas spread the Same like a young wife(kAntAsammitam).
The Dharmas differ due to Yuga,age , caste,health, gender , des'a,
kAla , pAtra etc .
In K.rtayuga there are only two castes (from Spanish 'cus.tA' = group)
- BrAhma.na and S'Udra.
In Udyogaparva , StrIparva etc Dharmas on different counts are described .
There are exceptions to old people , newly delivered ladies, children
, people suffering from chronic deseases etc .
Finally,l Dharma is to be performed according to 'S'akti' , i.e. yathAs'akti .
Saptar.sis enquire PArvaty (KumArasambhavam)-
api svas'aktyA tapasi pravartase ? s'arIramAdyam khalu dharmasAdhanam !
The second leg is taken from Manusm.rti .
Also in the same context ' na dharmav.rdde.su vayassamIk.syate ' .
One should not neglect health -- yAmamadhye na bhoktavyam dviyAmam na
tu langhayet (Carakam - Ayurveda ) - do not have any food within three
hours after sunrise but do not cross six hours ( there will be heart
- attack ) .
If you touch VedAnta ,S'ankarAcArya comments on GItAvAkyam -
'sarvadharmAn parityajya mAmekam s'ara.nam vraja'
Here DharmAn means - dharmAn adharmAms'ca .
Gautamasm.rti (1-3) - d.r.s.to dharmavyatikrama.h sAhasam ca mahatAm
(Paras'urAma , on the orders of his father killed his mother .
VyAkhyAnam - MitAk.sarA - rAgadve.sanibandhanatvAt .
When there is a tie what to do ? -- mahAjano yena gatassa panthA.h .
The topic is unending -- Ananta.h .
dhanyo'smi
On 12/28/10, Dr. Yadu Moharir <ymoh...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Respected scholars:
>
> Apart from following thirty-six smR^iti's are there any others smR^iti's ?
> I would like to know if someone has studied them in a comparative manners.
> What are the differences between them and why sages of that time may have
> suggested them in that specific manner? Any good translations would also be
> extremely helpful.
>
>
>
>
> Thanking all in advance for you input.
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> Yadunath
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
> ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
> तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।
> निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)
>
--
Prof.Korada Subrahmanyam
Professor of Sanskrit,
CALTS,
University of Hyderabad 500046
Ph:09866110741(R),91-40-23010741,040-23133660(O)
dashrathlal vedia
It is ashtonishing that Kokila smriti which is reffered in SHIMALAPURANA is not mentioned in the list. Pl. note.
Dr.D.G.Vedia