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 8 - Devala-Smriti (a summary of the reconstructed text)
2 (of 16)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
ADHYAYA I 051 PRAKARANA I - DHARMAS VARUPAM
-
In this chapter, the nature of Dharma is described by explaining
the sources & constituents of Dharma.
The sources of Dharma are Vedas, Vedangas, Smrtis & Itih膩sas.
They are explained accordingly (1-6).
a menya
The constituents of Dharma are sauca, dana, tapas, sraddha,
guruseva, ksama, daya, vijnana, vinaya & satya (7). All of them
(except sauca, dana & satya) are further defined & explained in
the verses, that follow, in the order of their enumeration (8-49).
The explanation of sauca & dana is, however, available in the dana
(1.8) & dravyasuddhi (1.9) prakaranas respectively. The explanation
of the word satya is not available.
1 The last verse (50) mentions the quintessence of Dharma.
PRAKARANA II - VARN膧艢RAMAJ膧T IDHARMAH :
This chapter contains the enumeration of varnas, j膩tis etc.
alongwith the description of the duties thereof, & of the persons,
belonging to the four asramas (social orders).
$
Firstly, the four varnas, 4 anulomas, 6 pratilomas, & 6 antar膩las
are enumerated (51-59).
