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
66 (of 165)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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(E) THE DISTINCTIVE SACRAMENTAL FEATURES: PART III 731 1) ENUMERATION OF 21 KINDS OF SACRIFICES:
The text contains enumeration of 21 kinds of sacrifices (428-430).
They are the seven pakayajna, seven haviryajna & seven somayajna
samsthas. The ancient sutrakaras like Gautama (1/8/14-22), Vaikh膩nasa
(Smart.S. I. I.) have enumerated these sacrifices among samskaras.
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Following the practice of the ancient sutrak膩ras, Devala also refers
to 21 kinds of sacrifices, but it is not clear, whether he accepts
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them as samskaras or not. In the latter period, the sacrifices
might have lost their significance in the society, due to the influ-
ence of Bauddhas & Jainas and the result was that they were not
even generally mentioned among sa峁僺karas. Only the sixteen
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sa峁僺k膩ras became more popular. Even the Manu & Yajnavalkya smrtis
do not mention the 21 kinds of sacrifices. Thus the peculiarity
of Devala lies in the fact that he not only mentions and dilates
upon the popular sixteen sa峁僺karas, but also enumerates the
21 kinds of sacrifices like ancient sutras. This may reflect
upon the priority of the sutra portion of the text to even the
Manu & Yajnavalkya smrtis.
But it may be remarked here that though Devala has enumerated
21 kinds of sacrifices, he maintains them to be kamya & not nitya
(62), as discussed previously, Thus according to Devala, they can
bring about worldly prosperity, but not the spiritual uplift.
While Sankaracarya (Bh.S.4/1/16-18) propounds them to be helpful
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