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
17 (of 165)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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this point about sacrifices & maintains them to be nitya. Some
smrtis include the 7 pakayajna, the 7 havirayaj帽a & 7 somayaj帽a
samsthas. among sacraments & thus suggest them to be compulsory.
Sankaracarya 4 has discussed these two views, regarding sacrifices,
like Agnihotra etc., being nitya (compulsory) & kamya (voluntary).
He maintains, like the sutrak膩ra, Badarayana that they are compulsory
& helpful in obtaining salvation, when performed without the desire
for fruit.
But Devala, as mentioned previously, supports the view of
sacrifices, being kamya (voluntary) & not nitya (compulsory).
Thus according to Devala, the sacrifices can be useful in getting
worldly prosperity, but like the sankhyas, he seems to maintain
that the sacrifices would be of no use for nihsreyasa (spiritual
uplift). Thus Sankaracarya maintains the performance of sacrifices
to be compulsory even for the spiritual knowledge. While according
to Devala, following the sankhya doctrine the sacrifices are meant
only for the worldly purposes & are not necessary to be practised
by the aspirant for liberation. This is an important distinction
5 between Sankar膩c膩rya & the sankhya follower like Devala etc. For
this reason only, it seems that Sankar膩c膩rya expressed his dissent
for Devala's inclination towards the sankhya doctrine, in the
commentary on the Brahmasutras.
2) STATUS OF SUDRA :
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The smrtis generally mention the serving of the three varnas
to be the primary duty of the sudra. The other occupations of arts
& crafts could be followed by him only as an optional duty, if
kalpana's
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