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 7 - The home of Devala
3 (of 6)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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鈧�47 (2) The method of reckoning months is of two kinds. (A) Months, ending on the full moon day (purnimanta), (B) Months, ending on the new moon day (atmanta). 3 The former is prevalent in the North India, even to-day,
while the latter is still prevalent in the South India. Devala
follows the Northern method of reckoning months, as he explains
that the rainy season (technically known as caturmasya) is for
four months, starting from the month of Sravana. This is quite
correct, in accordance with the method of reckoning months, ending
on the full-moon day & not in accordance with the method of reckoning
months, ending on new-moon day. Hence according to the purnimanta
kind of reckoning, the month of Asadha would end on the full-moon
day of it, & from the next day the month of Sravana will begin.
-
Mm. P.V.Kane mentions that "the months in the North-West India,
were purnimanta, in the Kharosthi records, drawn up in Kaniska's
4 禄
era
鈥�
Thus the above evidences would suggest Devala, the author of
the text to be belonging to the North.
1 (3) But the chapter on purification of Hindus, troubled
by the Mlecchas (Mlecchitas uddhi-III. II) explicitly mentions
that sages approached Devala, who was sitting at east on the bank
of Sindhu 5. The word Sindhu has two meanings (1) ocean (2) the
river Indus. Of these, the former meaning has no significance
& relevance in the present context. The chapter is concerned with
the problem of readmittance by purification of persons, kidnapped
Kalana's
1 i
