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The Visnusmrti is styled Vaisnavadharmasastra in the It is also colophon of the chapters in some manuscripts. stated that the chapters are called Prakarana instead of adhyaya. The work starts with the bringing up of the Goddess Earth by the Boar incarnation of God Visnu. The mythical origin of the work is described in the first chapter of the book. The first chapter may be termed as introductory chapter of the work. It is stated that God Visnu in the form of a Boar took out Goddess Earth from the nether region with a desire for creation. An allegorical description of the Boar is given in this chapter. The mythical creation of the universe and different objects are also stated. All the objects of creation are placed on the Goddess Earth with a desire to know her own place of support (dhrti) approached Kasyapa in the form of a damsel. The description of the Earth in the form of a beautiful maiden is full of sentiment with poetic lustre, and a very good specimen of classical Sanskrit. (Earth) was advised by Kasyapa to approach Kesava in the ocean of milk (Ksirasagara). She

26 The Goddess Earth being advised by Kasyapa approa- 1 Visnu, ched God Visnu in the ocean of milk, Here also the author gives a very beautiful description of the abode of God Visnu. She (Earth) asked God about her support (dhrti). Cod in his reply stated that the learned persons who are the devout followers of the code of Varnasrama (acara) will support her. Goddess Earth praised Visnu in more than sixty names and requested Him (Visnu) to instruct her (Earth) about the dharma and acara of all the Varnas (castes) and of all the asramas (stages of life). God visnu described this sastra called Vaisnava dharma sastra to Earth, God Visnu described all the codes of conduct such as acara, prayascitta, vyavahara including the duties of the king (Rajadharma), though not a systematic order. The number of smrtis enumerated by different dharma- sastrakara varies. Yajnavalkya mentions twenty, Paithinasi 2 thirty six, 3 Samkhalikhita twenty one, 4 parasara nineteen, and the Vaijayanti mentions fifty seven. Some of the smrtis are called samhita or dharmasastra as the Yajnavalkyasmrti 1. 3. Cf. Gobhirvipraisca vedaisca satibhih satyavadibhih alubdhairdanasilaisca saptabhirdharyate // Yajnavalkyasmrti, 1/4-5 2. Quoted in Smrticandrika. 4. 5. Quoted in Vaijayanti. Quoted in Caturvargacintamani, Vol I (BIS 72) p. 587, parasarasamhita.

27 is called Yajnavalkyasamhita, the Parasarasmrti is called parasarasamhita or parasaradharmasamhita, the Vyasasmrti is called Vyasasamhita, the Manusmrti is called Manusamhita or The visnusmrti is called VaisnavadharmaManavadharmasastra. sastra and so on and so forth. a The Visnusmrti is/callection of ancient aphorisms on sacred law in India. It is styled a dharmasutra though the work contains aphoristic prose mixed with verse. Ine book may be included in the category of the Mulasmrtis. The size of the work and the variety of subjects treated in it, entitle it to a prominent place among the important anarmasastra works. It possesses a peculiar cliam of interest which is founded on its close relation with one of the Vedic schools. namely, the Kathas. On the otherhand, it is seen that certain verses are common to Visnusmrti and Manusamhita, to Visnusmrti and Yajnavalkyasmrti, and to visnusmrti and Bhagavadgita (some common verses are quoted in this chapter). It is difficult to assert who borrowed from whom. It will perhaps be not correct to say that such ancient and authoritative works as the Manusamhita and the Bhagavadgita have borrowed from the Visnusmrti. The Yajnavalkyasmrti has enumerated the Visnusmrti in the list of the smrtis. It may perhaps be presumed that Yajnavalkyasmrti might have borrowed some verses, if not all, from the Visnusmrti.

28 MM P.V. Kane points out that Visnusmrti has a close relationship with one of the oldest schools of the Yajurveda, viz., the Katha. The Vaijayanti states that Visnusmrti 6 belongs to the Kathasakha, Many hymns cited in the Visnusmrti are found to be quoted in the Kathakagrhyasutra 7 Laugaksigrhyasutra. It is difficult to ascertain the particular vedic sakha from which an ancient work on dharma sastra or unknown or uncertain origin was composed. The Gautamadharmasutra might have close relationship with one of the various Gautama caranas. It might belong to one of those Gautama caranas who studied the Samaveda which could be presumed from the numerous passages which its author borrowed from the Samhita and Brahmana of the Samaveda. Unlike some other works on dharmasastra the author The work consist of Visnusmrti is not a human being but the God Visnu iimself. The taught is the Goddess Earth herself. of one hundred chapters. The work is composed in sutra for been mixed with verses of different metres, has/enumerated the Visnusmrti in the list of the smrtis. It may perhaps be presumed that Yajnavalkyasmrti might have borrowed some verses, if not all, from the Visnusmrti. It is interesting to note that the great Mimamsaka Kumarilabhatta has not mentioned the Visnusmrti in the enumeration of the Dharmasastra works in his Tantravartika. 6. Vaijayanti, ch. 100/1 of vs. 7. Visnusmrti, Chs. 21, 67, 73, 86 Kathakagrhyasutra, Chs. 54, 59, 63 and 66.

29 Unlike some other works on dharmasastra the author of Visnusmrti is not a human being but the God Visnu Himself. The taught is the Goddess Earth herself. The work consists of one hundred chapters. The work is composed in sutra form mixed with verses of different metres. The scholars are not unanimous about the authenticity of all the hundred chapters. Scholars are of opinion that some chapters were later interpolated to make it hundred. Authors like vijnanesvara (A.D. 1050), Apararka (. 1115), Devanabhatta (A.D. 1200) and Madhavacarya (A.L. 1350 have quoted innumerable passages from the Visnusmrti in their works. We find references to Visnusmrti in the later works on dharmasastra particularly in the smrti digests and nibandhas. The work might be named as Visnusmrti or Vaisnavadharmasastra for the following reasons. Firstly, the entire work is described by God Visnu Himself and secondly, the worship of Visnu in the form of Vasudeva is primarily dealt with in the work. we find detailed procedure of Visnu worshi- in this work. is The Manusamhita is not spoken by Manu though he requested by the sages to delineate the dharma of the people, instead the work is delineated by sage Bhrou. It can be inferred from the colophon of each chapter of the work. The Manusamhita is also named as Manavadharmasastra and it is

30 stated to be a Samhita.8 It is perhaps difficult to say precisely whether the name of the work is Manusamhita or Manavadharmasastra though the work is well known as Manusamhita or Manusmrti and the author is sage Manu or Bhrau. In 9 the same way in some copies of the Visnusmrti the work is called Vaisnavadharmasast The following points may perhar s be taken into account ; stra. (i) The origin of the Visnusmrti unlike that of other works of the same class, is attributed to a Divine Being viz. God Visnu. (ii) Kumarila Bhattapada, the great mimamsaka has not mentioned this work in his Tantravartika in the list of 10 dharmasutras. (iii) The work is composed in Prose, in the sutra form, mixed with verse. Some verses are repeated fully in parts more than once. (iv) The Visnusmrti enumerates the maximum number hells. This tends to show that this work represents an advanced eschatological idea of later time. (v) The Visnusmrti has described the human anatomy in Ch. XCVI like the Yajnavalkyasmrti. 8. 9. 10. iti manave dharmasastre bhrgu proktayam samhitayam prathamo'dhyayah // Manu Samhita Ch.1 Colophon. Pandit V. Krishnamacharya, Visnusmrti Ch. I, Colophon. foot note 2. Tantravartika, Chs. 1/2 to 2/1

31 The Visnusmrti is called the Visnusutra also perhaps the work is composed in sutra style. It is difficult to make a line of demarcation between the dharmasutras and the dhamasastras. The dharmasutras are often designated as dharmasas tras. It may perhaps be said that all dharmasutras are dharmasastras but all dharmasastras are not dharmasutras. when the scholars speak of dharmasastra they seem to mean the metrical smrti works as opposed to smrti treatises written in prose or in mixed prose and verse. The prose of the charmasutras is composed in terse aphoristic style while the prose of the smrti is of the ordinary sort. Maxmiiller states that "All the genuine metrical dharmasastras are without exception nothing but mere modern texts of earlier sutra works. .11 Winternitz also opines that "versified law books followed up 12 the ancient Vedic dharmasutras" The dharmasutras contain many more archaic forms than the metrical smrtis. It is stated in the Manusamhita that dharmasastra and smrti are identical. 13 A striking feature of the dharmasutra literature is the inter weaving of metrical passages into the texture of the sutras. It appears that the language use in the dharmasutras, is classical Sanskrit, although pani nian forms occur here and there. Some of the dharmasutra 11. 12. 13. Maxmuller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 70 M. Winternitz, History of Indian Literature, p. 285 Manusamhita, II

32 S.C. Bandrji observes: " Sutras works are designated as dharmasastra or smrti such as the Vasistha dharmasastra and the Visnusmrti. The Visnusmrti is called Vaisnavadharmasastra. were composed for the guidance of the society in its very early stages. with the progress of civilization, the need wes felt for more elaborate treatment of the rules for the quidence of 14 Macdonnell states, "The sutras a far more advanced society". represent the third and the last stage of the vedic literature. The rise of this class of writings was due to the need of ducing the vast and growing mass of details in ritual and custom, preserved in the Brahmanas and floating traditions, to a systematic shape, and of compressing them within a compass which did not impose too great a burden on the memory". It is seen from the above discussion that it is difficult to conclude precisely the name of the author of the Visnusmrti. It may be certain that the author is a follower of the Vaisnavite faith and a follower of Vasudeva worship as it is found in the work detailed description of Vasudeva worship with minutest details. 14. 15. | S.C. Banerji, Dharmasutras, 1962 Macdonell, History of Sanskrit Literature p. 35