English
— Of the 17 Dharma SAstras enumer- ated above, Vishnu is the only one in prose, and can therefore claim a high antiquity. Dr. Jolly points out its close resemblance with the Grihya Sutra of the Klthaka Kalpa Sutra which undoubtedly belongs to the Rationalistic Period ; and he maintains with Dr. Biihler that the bulk of the Vishnu Dharma Sistra is really the ancient Dharma Sutra of that Kalpa Sutra. Nevertheless, this ancient work seems to have been repeatedly recast and modified. Dr. Biihler maintains! that the whole work was recast by an adherent of Vishnu ; and that the final and introductory chapters (in verse) were composed by another and a still • It is necessary to state that the account given here of the 17 Dharma Sastras is based on the cheap edition of those works published in Calcutta. t Introduction to Bombay Digest, P. XXII. Digitized by Google 286 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V later writer. The period in which the work was thus repeatedly recast is between the fourth and the eleventh century A. D • As might be expected the work has a very composite appearance. It contains chapters which are shewn to have been quoted by Vasishtha and Baud h^y ana of the Rationalistic periodf while it contains other passages which it has borrowed from Harivansa and other modern works. Chapter LXV contains ancient and genuine K&thaka mantras transferred and adapted to a Vishnuite ceremony ; Chapter XCVII seeks to re- concile Sclnkhya and Yoga Philosophy with the Vaish- nava creed ; Chapter LXXVIII enumerates the modern week days (Sunday to Saturday) which find no mention in ancient Sanscrit works ; Chapter XX, 39 and XXV, 14 allude to the self-immolation of widows ; Chapter LXXXIV prohibits the performance of Sriddha in the kingdom of Mlechehhas ; and Chapter LXXXV refers to some fifty modern places of pilgrimage. The intro- ductory chapter which is in continuous sloka, and in which the Earth in the shape of a beautiful woman is introduced to Vishnu reposing with his consort Lakshmi in the milky sea, is probably among the latest of the hundred chapters comprising the existing work. It is thus that our ancient works have been altered, recast, and tampered with, to the delight of the sup- . ■ — — — — • Dr. Jolly's introduction to Institutes of Vishnu, P. XXXII. t Ibid P, XVIII it seq. Digitized by Google CHAP. V.] RELIGION, &C. 287 porters of every new creed and every modern custom, but to the despair of the historian ! 3. Hdrtta.— This is another ancient work which has been completely recast in the Pauranik Period, llarita is mentioned by BaudhAyana, Vasishtha, and Apastamba who are all writers of the Rationalistic Period. Extracts from H&dta found in the Mitlk- shara and D&yabhdga are all in aphoristic prose. But nevertheless the work of H&rita which now exists is in continuous sloka, and its contents too are modern. In the first Chapter we are told the Pauranik story that Vishnu lay with his consort Sri on the mythical snake in the midst of waters ; and that a lotus grew on his navel, from which sprang Brahm& who created the world. In Chapter II there is mention of the worship of Narasinha Deva, and in Chapter IV of the worship of Vishnu; while the seventh or concluding chapter speaks of Yoga S&stra. 4. Ydjnavulkya. — Stenzler and Lassen place Ydjna- valkya before the time of Vikram&ditya, but after the rise of Buddhism. Later researches have enabled scholars to place Manu in the first or second century before or after the Christian era ; and as Ydjnavalkya comes undoubtedly after Manu * his probable date is the fourth or fifth century after Christ. An examina- tion of the contents of the work goes to some extent * Sec reasons given in Weber's Indian Literature^ P. 281. Digitized by Google 288 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V to confirm this opinion. In I, 290 et seq we find allu- sion to the worship of Ambika, the mother of Vinayaka, and to the worship of Vinayaka and Ganapati. In II, 296 there is an allusion to Buddhist nuns, and there are many allusions to Buddhist habits and doctrines. Manu allows men of the higher castes to marry Sudra women ; but Yajnavalkya objects to that ancient custom I, 56. In many other respects, however, Yajnavalkya is nearer to Manu than to the later Dharma Sastras, which were undoubtedly recast late in the Pauranik Period. The work is divided into three chapters ; and contains over a thousand couplets. 5. Usanas. —In its present form this work is a very modern compilation. It speaks of the Hindu Trinity (III, 50); alludes to the self-immolation of widows (III, 117); condemns those who make voyages by sea (IV, 33) ; and recommends self-immolation in fire or in water for sinners (VIII, 34). A wearisome multipli- cation of rules, prohibitions, and penances characterizes this modern work which is divided into nine chapters, and contains nearly six hundred couplets. 6. Angiras. — The work of this name which is be- fore us is one short chapter of 73 couplets. It is a modern work and condemns the cultivation of indigo as an impure trade unfit for pure castes. 7. Yama. — Yama is mentioned by Vasishtha of the Rationalistic Period ; but the Yama smritis which exist in the present day arc modern works, and could not Digitized by Google CHAP. V.] RELIGION, &C. 289 have been meant by Vasishtha. We have a short work of 78 couplets before us. Along with Angiras it alludes to washermen, workers in leather, dancers, Barudas, Kaivartas, Medas, and Bhils as impure castes. 8. Apastamba. — This short metrical work of 10 chapters (nearly two hundred couplets) is quite different from the Sutra work, which forms a part of Apastamba Kalpa Sutra, of which we have spoken in Book III of this work. The metrical and modern Apastamba is a work of very little importance. It condemns the cultivation of indigo as impure (VI, 2, et seq). 9. Samvaria. — A modern metrical work of over two hundred couplets, and little importance. Along with Apastamba it considers washermen, dancers, and workers in leather as impure. 10. K&ty&yana undertakes to throw light,— like a lamp, — on such rules and rites as were left obscure by Gobhila whose Grihya Sutra has been noticed by us in our account of the Rationalistic Period. Kat- yayana's Dharma Sastra however belongs to the Pau- ranik Period and is divided into 29 chapters with nearly five hundred couplets. In I, n to 14, we are told of the worship of Ganesa, and of the mothers, — Gaurf, Pad ma, Sachi, Savitri, Jaya, Vijaya, &c. ; and we are also told that the worship should be paid to their images or their likenesses painted on white canvas. In XII, 2 (which is in prose) there is a mention of the Hindu Trinity ; in XIX, 7 Uma is named and in XX, io, there is C. D., A. I. --Ill 19 Digitized 290 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V. an allusion to R£ma having performed sacrifice with a golden image of Sitft when the real SltA was banished. 11. Brihaspati. — We have a small fragment of Bri- haspati before us in 80 couplets which has little import- ance or value. The work dwells on the merit of the gift of lands to Brahmans, and tries to impress on its readers the terrible effects of a Br&hman's wrath. It is more terrible than the weapons of kings ! A Brdhman deals destruction by his wrath, as Vishnu deals des- truction with his disk! (49.) Such priestly pretensions indicate sufficiently the modern date of the work. 12. Pardsara is admittedly one of the latest of the Dharma S&stras of the Pauranik Age. The compiler himself informs us (I, 23) that Manu was for the Satya Yuga, Gautama for Tret£ Yuga, Sankha and Likhita were for Dv¶ Yuga, and Pardsara is for the present Kali Yuga. We have an allusion to the Hindu Trinity (I, 19,) and an allusion to the self-immolation of widows (IV, 28 and 29). Nevertheless widow-marriage was prevalent even in this late age, and Pardsara allows a woman to marry again if her husband is not heard of or is dead, if he has become an ascetic or an outcast, or is impotent (IV. 26). The work is divided into twelve chapters, and has nearly six hundred couplets. 13. Vydsa. — This is one of the most recent of the Dharma Sistras, and was probably compiled in its present shape after the Mahommedan conquest. It mentions the Hindu Trinity of course (III, 24) and Digitized by Google CHAP. V.] RELIGION, &C. 2gi commends tlie self-immolation of widows (II, 53); and the degradation of the different guilds and professions which composed the bulk of the nation is more com- plete in Vyasa than in most other works as we will see ■ further on. Vyasa is a short work divided into 4 chapters and comprising over two hundred couplets. 14. Sankha like Vishnu is an ancient work but recast in verse in the Pauranik period, although two passages in prose are still imbedded in it. Dr. Biihler supposes that the prose portion consists of genuine Sutras taken from the original edition of Sankha which belonged to the Rationalistic Period and was entirely in aphorisms. Mr. Rajkumar Sarvddhikari * differs from this opinion and maintains that the prose passages in the existing edition of Sankha are not in the genuine and abbreviated Stitra style. We are inclined to agree with Mr. Sarvadhikarl ; at any rate the passages in prose are too short to lead to any definite opinion on the sub- ject. Mr. Sarvadhikarl further points out that there are passages from Sankha quoted in modern commentaries which are not found in the edition of the work now before us. There can be little doubt therefore that this edition is a comparatively modern one. In III, 7, we find mention of temples and of the image of Siva. In IV, 9, we find a prohibition against men of the upper castes marrying Stidra women — a practice which is allowed by • Hindu Law of Inheritance.