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 3 - Regarding Smriti
4 (of 19)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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based upon recollections of facts, observed, during the state
of trance.
WIDER & NARROWER SENSE:
I
!
The term smrti is used in both wider & narrower senses. In
its wider sense, it stands for a wide range of inspired literature,
in which the remembered or recollected rules or precepts of
different sciences (sastras), are found. The word smrti is thus
used in contradistinction from srti i.e. generally all the
literature other than srti is designated as smrti. Thus in its
wider sense, the word smrti includes the six vedangas, the smrtis
the Mahabharata, works on Tantra, systems of Indian philosophy
Jyotisa & Ayurveda.
In the narrower sense, the term is primarily used in case of
the two kinds of works on Dharma, namely the Dharmasutras &
(the metrical smrtis); According to Manusmrti鲁,
1 Dharmas astras
Smrti means Dharmasastra. Sometimes a Dharma-sutra is also called
as smrti, as in case of Vis nu-Dharma-sutra, which is also known
}
as Visnusmrti. Sometimes, it is also understood in a very restricted
sense, of only 'the metrical smrtis
But it is definitely
understood to be standing for both these classes of works,
namely, the Dharmasutras & Dharmasastras, by one & all the
commentators, & digest-writers, For them, both these classes
of works are of equal authority, as smrti-works.
1
