Apastamba Smrti (आपस्तम्बस्मृति:)

Vedanga is a class of works regarded as auxiliary to the four Vedas and designed to aid in the correct pronunciation and interpretation of the text and the right employment of the Mantras in ceremonials. The Vedangas are six in number—Shiksha (the science of proper articulation and pronunciation), Chandas (the science of prosody), Vyakarana (grammar), Nirukta (etymological explanation of difficult Vedic words), Jyotish (astronomy) and Kalpa (ritual or ceremonial). The Kalpasutra is fourfold namely, Shrautasutra, Grhyasutra, Dharmasutra and Shulvasutra. This Dharmasutra containing the Do’s and Don’ts of the social life got enlarged as the Dharmashastra or Smrti literature in later years. The Trimuni of Indian Nyaya (Law and Order) are: Narada, Brihaspati and Katyayana.

If the Vedas and the Upanishads give the basic philosophy of Hinduism, the Dharmashastras, comprising the Smrtis, the Puranas and the Nibandhas (digests), give the rules and regulations that guide a Hindu in his personal and social life. The word Smrti in a technical sense refers to the secondary scriptures like the Manusmrti and others which remind one, of the great spiritual truths contained in the Vedas. They are law-books which prescribe the code of conduct for the individual and the society.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Apastamba Dharmasutra belongs to the Taittiriya shakha of the Krishna Yajurveda. According to Charanavyuha, Apastamba is one of the five sub-divisions of the Khandikiya school of the Taittiriya shakha of the Krishna Yajurveda.

According to tradition, Apastamba’s school was elder or more authoritative than that of Hiranyakeshin with its origin in the south and probably in Andhra. It can be assigned to the period of 450-350 BC.

According to Swami Harshananda, his name is sometimes spelt as ‘Apa-stambha’ (‘one who could restrain water’). The mythological lore attributes to him the yogic power to stay under water for long. This would often attract the aquatic creatures to him. Fishermen interested in making a bonanza of the catch, once spread their nets in the place where he was seated in yoga and unwittingly netted him. King Nabhaga is then said to have freed him honouring him with a cow and a calf and sent him back to his hermitage.

संस्करणानि ॥ Editions

The four or five works ascribed to Apastamba may be grouped under one title, the Apastamba Kalpasutras, a fairly voluminous work comprising thirty prashnas, or sections. Out of these, the first 24 prashnas form the Shrautasutras. The next two sections are called Mantra-patha. The 27^th prashna is the Grihyasutras. The next two make up the Dharmasutras whereas the last is known as Shulvasutras.

SECTIONS	SUBJECT-MATTER
1-24	Shrautasutras
25 and 26	Mantra-patha
27	Grihyasutras
28 and 29	Dharmasutras
30	Shulvasutras
Total sections - 30

The Shrautasutras (7590 sutras) deal exhaustively with the conduct of Vedic sacrifices from Darshapurnamasa upto Ashvamedha and Purshamedha. It is assigned to the Krishna Yajurveda and has been commented upon by Dhurtasvamin and Kapardisvamin.

The Mantrapatha gives the prayers or hymns to be used at appropriate places during the conduct of rituals and sacrifices.

The Grihyasutras (389 sutras) deal mainly with the rites connected with the family life, like upanayana (initiation into Vedic studies), samavartana (returning from the Guru’s house after Vedic studies), marriage, rites to be performed on the birth of children as also certain magical rites. The work has been commented upon by Haradatta Mishra and Sudarshanacharya.

The Sulvasutras is a highly technical work dealing with the construction of altars for Vedic sacrifices. Out of the three commentaries available, that of Kapardisvami is the oldest.

The Dharmasutras (1381 sutras) give a fairly good account of the duties of the four ashramas and the four varnas and also describe the sixteen samskaras (purificatory rites). Haradatta Mishra has written a beautiful commentary on it, which he has named as Ujjvala. Apastamba Dharmasutra has been edited several times. The edition used here is the one in Kashi Sanskrit Series No. 93 edited by Pandit A Chinnaswami Shastri and Pandit A Ramanatha Shastri in 1932.

अध्यायसारः ॥ Chapter Contents

Though the Apastamba Dharmasutra is mainly in prose, there are verses here and there. Some of the verses are expressly stated to be taken from other sources. In all there are about twenty verses, of which at least six occur in Baudhayana. There are several verses in the patalas dealing with metaphysics that are pieced together largely from Upanishad passages. Each of the two prashnas of the Apastamba dharmasutra is divided into eleven patalas, there being 32 and 29 khandikas in the two patalas respectively.

The most important rule, breach of which would have made the marriage void, is stated in 2.5.11.15-16 that the gotra of the bride’s father and of the bridegroom must not be the same and there must be no sapinda relationship between the two on the mother’s and father’s side.

The text begins with:

अथात: सामयाचारिकान् धर्मान् व्याख्यास्याम: / athātah sāmayācārikān dharmān vyākhyāsyāmah /

Meaning: 'Now, therefore, we will declare the acts productive of merit which form part of the customs of daily life, as they have been settled by the agreement (of those who know the law).' The last sutra is:

स्त्रीभ्य: सर्ववर्णेभ्य: च धर्मशेषान् प्रतीयात् इत्येके इत्येके// strībhyah sarvavarṇebhyah ca dharmaśeṣān pratīyāt ityeke ityeke//

Meaning:  Some declare, that the remaining duties (which have not been taught here) must be learnt from women and men of all castes.

The contents of the Apastamba Dharmasutra are presented as below:

PRASHNA	PATALA	KANDIKA	SUTRAS	SUBJECT MATTER	TOPICS
First	One	One	37	धर्मप्रमाणानि/ चातुर्वर्ण्यम्/ तेषां जन्मतो ज्यैष्ठ्यम्/ वर्णधर्म:/ उपनयनविधि:/ विद्वानेव उपनेता/ उपनयनकाल:/ व्रात्यसंस्कार:/	Proofs of Dharma. Four varnas. Heirarchy of varnas. Duties of varnas. Method of Upanayana. Timing of Upanayana. Ritual for Vratyas.
		Two	41	व्रात्यसंस्कार:/ ब्रह्मचारिनियमा:/ दण्डाजिनमेखलादिकम्/ ब्रह्मचारिधर्मा:/	Ritual for Vratyas. Rules for celibates. Staff, skin, girdle etc. Duties of a celibate.
		Three	45	ब्रह्मचारिनियमा:/	Rules for celibates.
		Four	29	ब्रह्मचारिनियमा:/	Rules for celibates.
	Two	Five	26	अभिवादनम्/ पादोपसंग्रहणम्/ ब्रह्मचारिनियमा:/	Greeting. Feet service. Rules for celibates.
		Six	37	ब्रह्मचारिनियमा:/	Rules for celibates.
		Seven	31	ब्रह्मचारिधर्मा:/ स्नातकधर्मा:/	Duties of celibates. Duties of graduates.
		Eight	31	ब्रह्मचारिधर्मा:/ अनध्याया:/	Duties of celibates. Holidays.
	Three	Nine	28	नैमित्तिकानध्याय:/	Special Holiday.
		Ten	30	अनध्याया:/	Holidays.
		Eleven	34	अनध्याया:/	Holidays.
	Four	Twelve	15	नित्यस्वाध्याया:/ पंच महायज्ञा:/	Daily Readings. Five offerings.
		Thirteen	12	पंचयज्ञादि/ ओंकारप्रशंसा/	Five offerings etc. Praise of Om.
		Fourteen	28	नित्यकर्माणि/ गुरूपसंग्रहणम्/ अभिवाद्या:/ अभिवादनविधि:/ कुशलप्रश्न:/	Daily activities. Respect of Teachers. Greetings. Method of Greetings. Welfare-enquiry.
	Five	Fifteen	23	आचमनविधि:/	Method of sipping water.
		Sixteen	33	आचमनविधि:/ अभोज्यानि/ क्वचित् भोजननिषेध:/	Method of sipping water. Non-eatables. Occasional food-ban.
		Seventeen	39	अभोज्यान्नानि/ अभक्ष्याणि/	Non-eatables.
	Six	Eighteen	33	अनापद्वृत्ति:/ अभोज्यान्ना:/ भोज्यान्ना:/	In regular conditions. Food specifications.
		Nineteen	15	भोज्यान्ना:/	Eatables.
	Seven	Twenty	16	लौकिकप्रयोजनानपेक्षेणैव धर्मानुष्ठानम्/ धर्मलक्षणम्/ अपण्यानि/	Performance of duties just for their sake. Definition of Dharma. Not for sale items.
		Twenty-one	20	पतनीयानि/ अशुचिकराणि/	Sins. Impure acts.
	Eight	Twenty-two	8	अध्यात्मपटलम्/ आत्मज्ञानोपाया:/ आत्मलाभश्रैष्ठ्यम्/ आत्मज्ञानप्रशंसा/ आत्मज्ञानसंपादनम्/ आत्मस्वरूपम्/	Spiritual specifications.
		Twenty-three	6	आत्मज्ञानफलम्/ भूतदाहीया दोषा:/ आत्मलाभयोगा:/	Result of Spiritual knowledge. Faults. Spiritual advice.
	Nine	Twenty-four	26	क्षत्रियवधप्रायश्चित्तम्/ ब्रह्महत्याप्रायश्चित्तम्/ ब्रह्मघ्नो वृत्ति:/ सुरापानप्रायश्चित्तम्/ गुरुदारगमनप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation for murder of a Kshatriya, Brahmin, drinking liquor and misbehaviour with teacher’s wife.
		Twenty-five	14	स्तेयादिप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation for stealing etc.
		Twenty-six	15	धेनुहननप्रायश्चित्तम्/ अपतनीयप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation for cow-slaughter and sins.
		Twenty-seven	11	अपतनीयप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation for sins.
	Ten	Twenty-eight	21	अपतनीयप्रायश्चित्तम्/ भ्रूणहत्याप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation for sins and foeticide.
		Twenty-nine	18	पतितधर्मा:/	Characteristics of the fallen
	Eleven	Thirty	26	स्नातकधर्मा:/	Duties of a graduate.
		Thirty-one	27	स्नातकधर्मा:/	Duties of a graduate.
		Thirty-two	29	स्नातकधर्मा:/	Duties of a graduate.
Second	One	One	23	गृहस्थधर्मा:/	Duties of Householders
		Two	11	गृहस्थधर्मा:/	Duties of Householders
	Two	Three	23	वैश्वदेवम्/ वैश्वदेवबलि:/	Offering for all deities.
		Four	28	वैश्वदेवबलि:/ गृहस्थधर्मा:/	Offering for all deities. Duties of householders.
		Five	18	गृहस्थधर्मा:/	Duties of Householders
	Three	Six	20	अतिथिपूजा	Welcome of guests.
		Seven	17	अतिथिपूजा	Welcome of guests.
	Four	Eight	14	अतिथिपूजा	Welcome of guests.
		Nine	13	अतिथिपूजा	Welcome of guests.
	Five	Ten	18	ब्राह्मणादिवृत्ति:/ अवध्या:/ दण्डप्रणयनम्/	Livelihood of Brahmins etc. List of who cant be killed. Method of punishment.
		Eleven	20	मार्गप्रदानम्/ द्वितीयविवाह:/ सगोत्राविवाहनिषेध:/ विवाहभेदा:/	Second Marriage. Prohibition of marriage in same gotra. Types of marriages.
		Twelve	23	अभिनिम्रुक्तादिप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation of sleeping at sunset.
	Six	Thirteen	12	स्त्रीरक्षणम्/ पुत्रस्य दानादिनिषेधदायभाग:/	Protection of women. Prohibition of donation etc. by son. Distribution of ancestral property.
		Fourteen	20	दायविभाग:/ द्वादश पुत्रा:/	Distribution of ancestral property. Twelve sons.
		Fifteen	25	प्रेतोदकदानम्/ अहविष्यहोम:/	Water libations for deceased. Fire ritual.
	Seven	Sixteen	27	श्राद्धकल्प:/	Funeral Rites
		Seventeen	24	श्राद्धकल्प:/ तस्य काल:/ श्राद्धीयब्राह्मण:/	Funeral Rites. Suitable Time. Brahmin for such rites.
	Eight	Eighteen	20	नित्यश्राद्धम्/	Compulsory Funeral Rites.
		Nineteen	16	पुष्ट्यर्थप्रयोग:/ पुष्टिकामप्रयोग:/	For nourishment.
		Twenty	23	पुष्ट्यर्थप्रयोग:/	For nourishment.
	Nine	Twenty-one	20	आश्रमा:/ सन्न्यासिधर्मा:/ वानप्रस्थाश्रम:/	Ashramas. Duties of monks. Vanaprastha ashrama.
		Twenty-two	24	वानप्रस्थधर्मा:/ ब्रह्मचर्यादिप्रशंसा/	Duties of Vanaprastha. Praise of celibacy etc.
		Twenty-three	11	गार्हस्थ्यश्रैष्ठ्यम्/	Supremacy of householders.
		Twenty-four	14	गार्हस्थ्यश्रैष्ठ्यम्/	Supremacy of householders.
	Ten	Twenty-five	15	राजधर्मा:/	Duties of the King.
		Twenty-six	24	राजधर्मा:/ नियोगविधि:/	Duties of the King. Custom of levirate marriage.
		Twenty-seven	21	परस्त्रीगमनप्रायश्चित्तम्/	Expiation for infidelity.
	Eleven	Twenty-eight	14	दण्डानर्हा:/	Unpunishables.
		Twenty-nine	16	साक्ष्यविधि:/ धर्मलक्षणम्/	Witness. Definition of Dharma.
Total - 2	22	61	1368

The Apastamba Dharmasutra is written in a more concise and compact style than that of Baudhayana and has more archaic and un-Paninian forms than any other extant Dharmasutra. There are many unfamiliar or rare words used by Apastamba. It stands in a peculiar relation to the Purva-mimamsa and is the only extant Dharmasutra that contains many of the technical terms and doctrines of the Mimamsa.

References

[1] P V Kane (1968), History of Dharmasastra (Volume 1, Part 1), Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute