Essay name: Vishnu Smriti (Study)
Author:
Minu Bhattacharjee
Affiliation: Gauhati University / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study of the Vishnu-Smriti: an ancient Sanskrit Sutra dealing with the rules of various traditions and customs such as Dharmashastra, Caste, Monarchy, Law, Penances and Asceticism. The Vishnu-smriti in one hundred chapters is presented in the form of a dialogue between Vishnu and Prithvi (the goddess Earth).
Chapter 1 - Introduction
6 (of 24)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
6
Sources of Dharma
The vedas are accepted as the primary sources of
Dharma. The Manusa峁僪ita states five different sources of
Dharma, namely the vedas, the smrtis the practice of those
who know both (the vedas and smrtis), the tradition of those
learned people and the action of one which is pleasing to
17 one's oneself. The Yajnavalkya-smrti corroborates the
18 view expressed in the Manusa峁僪it膩. The Gautama dharmas奴tra
states that the veda is the source of Dharma and the tradi-
19 tion and practice of those who know it (the Veda).
Apastamba also said that the authority (for the
Dharma) is the consensus of those who know Dharma and the
veda.
1 20
Thus the sources of Dharma to Mim膩峁僺a is the ve膲as.
Other works on Dharmasastra and smrti warrant similar views.
22 17.
Vedokhilo dharmamula峁� smrti艣ile ca tadvid膩m /
膩c膩ra艣caiva sadh奴n膩m膩tmanastustireva ca //
18.
19.
20.
M.J.
艣ruti-smrti岣� sad膩c膩ra岣� svasya ca priyam膩tmana岣�/
samyak sa峁僰alpaja岣� k膩mo dharmamulamidam smrtam //
Yajnavalky.
GDS. 1.1.2
-
-
athatassamayacarikan dharman vyakhyasyamah
dharmaj帽a samaya岣� pram膩峁嘺m / Vedasca /
ADS 1.1.1-3
21.
codana lak峁northo dharma岣�
Jaimini sutra. 1.1.2.
22.
dharmamula峁� vedamahur grantharasimak峁泃rimam /
tadvid膩峁� smrti艣ile ca sudhv膩c膩ram mana岣� priyam
痴测腻蝉补-蝉补尘苍颈迟补
ved膩岣� pram膩峁嘺峁� sm峁泃aya岣� pram膩峁嘺m dharmartha yuxtai
vacana峁� pramanam /
yasya pram膩nam na bhavet pram膩峁嘺m kastasya kuryad
vacana峁� pram膩nam //
Harita
