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 9 - The distinctive features of the Devalasmriti
121 (of 165)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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(G) THE DISTINCTIVE LEGAL FEATURES I. GENERAL REMARKS : 1) MODERATE TREATMENT OF VYAVAH膧RA : 787 There are only 83 verses, dealing with yyavahara in the
present text. Only four topics namely (1) Rajadharma, (2) Atatayin
(3) Stripu峁僤harma & (4) Dayavibhaga are treated in them. The
exposition of the other topics of vyavahara is not found in the
available verses. The verses of Devala, on the different topics
of acara & prayascitta are available, in the various digests
& commentaries. But those, dealing with the varied topics of
vyavahara are not available. It is evident that Devala's verses,
on the other topics of vyavahara, were not available even from
the period of 11th & 12th century A.D. The extensive works like
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the Mitaksara, Apararka, the Krtyakalpataru etc. do not quote
such verses. This may suggest that those verses might not be
available, even to those early writers of the said works,
eventhough Devala's smrti was possibly available to them. These
writers, would not have missed to incorporate them in their
comprehensive works. This suggests that Devala might not have
dealt with the other topics of vyavahara.
2) ABSENCE OF ROYAL RECOGNITION :
The smrtis, those of Manu, Yajnavalkya, Katyayana, Narada,
Brhaspati etc. deal exhaustively with various titles of vyavah膩ra.
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