Essay name: Devala-smriti (critical study)
Author:
Mukund Lalji Wadekar
Affiliation: Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda / Department of Sanskrit Pali and Prakrit
This essay represents an English study of the Devala-smriti鈥攁n ancient text attributed to sage Devala classified as belonging to the Dharma-Shastra branch of Indian literature which encompasses jurisprudence and religious law. This study deals with the reconstructed text of the Devala-smriti based on surviving references, emphasizing Devala鈥檚 unique viewpoints on social, religious, and philosophical aspects, particularly the Sankhya and Yoga philosophies.
Chapter 2 - Devala鈥攈is bio-data
46 (of 54)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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D. DEVALA HIS DATE - 57 Many perplexing problems arise, while determining the dates
of most of the authors & works of ancient Sanskrit literature.
The date of Devala & the present reconstructed text is also not
exempt from such perplexing problems & controversies. Here, an
attempt is made to determine the date of Devala, with the help
external & internal evidences. The problem of the date
of some
of the present reconstructed text will be separately dealt with
in the next chapter.
OPINIONS OF SCHOLARS ABOUT THE DATE OF DEVALA :
1 (1) Pandita Udayavira Shastri has tried to fix the date
of Devala. His arguments are briefly mentioned below:
2 (i) Devala is mentioned in the traditional list of Sankhya
teachers in the Matharavrtti. The words of Mathara suggest that
Devala was very much earlier than Isvarakrsna. Many other
Sankhyacaryas are believed to have flourished between Devala.
& Isvarakrsna, on the basis of the word prabhrti, used by Mathara
in his commentary.
(ii) Devala is frequently mentioned in the Mahabharata,
where his relation with the Sankhya philosophy is quite evident.
1 (iii) There is no quotation of Devala, that has any kind of
similarity with the Sankhya-karika, according to him; while
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he has pointed out that many sutras of Devala, are similar to
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or even identical with those of the Sankhyasutra & the Tattvas am膩sa.
