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
84 (of 165)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Yaj.S. I. 103), the Smrticandrik膩 (1.213), the Parasaram膩dhava
Yaj.S.I.103),
(I. I.390) etc., while there is also another view that it is both
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purusartha & also for effecting samsk膩ra (the unseen spiritual
15 -
result) on the food smrtyarthsara p.46 & Laghu-Asu. Smr.I.116).
But if it is performed only for effecting sa峁僺kara on the
person, it is not necessary to be repeated, when food is cooked,
again on the same day. On the contrary, if it is a Samskara on
the food-cooked, it must be performed at each time when it is
cooked. Devala prescribes the first alternative, that the
vaisvadeva is to be performed only once, evenwhen food is prepared
again on the same day (619-622). Thus according to Devala, the
1 vaisvadeva is purusartha only. But it is to be noted that the
verse (618), also explictly mentions that it is to be performed
for sanctifying or purifying the food. This verse is most probably
of a later period than the sutra portion of the text.
BLOWING OF FIRE WITH MOUTH :
It is necessary to blow the fire to kindle it. Blowing of fire
is not to be done with a cloth, or a leaf or hand or a winnowing
basket or mouth or a ladle or even with a fan. This is the declara-
tion of the sruti, according to the author (624). If the fire is
blown with a leaf or a winnowing basket or hand or mouth, the
result is the ill-health, loss of wealth, death, diminishing of
life respectively(625). But the katy膩yana smrti 16 (9.14 & 15)
allows to blow it with a fan and the srauta fire even with the
mouth. The Grhyasangraha parisista 17 (1.70) also allows the blowing
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