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Dharmasutras (धर्मसूत्राणि) (view source)
Revision as of 14:26, 29 January 2020
, 14:26, 29 January 2020→Subject Matter of Dharmasutras: adding content
Haradatta commenting on Gautama dharmasutras, mentions this five-fold division of Dharma. Vijnaneshvara commenting on Yajurveda, adds Saadharana-dharma, i.e., duties common to all, to the above five making it six categories. While it is possible to classify the contents of the Dharmas into five or six categories, the three broad categories are prominent and comprehend most of the topics treated of in the Dharmasutras.<ref name=":0" />
Haradatta commenting on Gautama dharmasutras, mentions this five-fold division of Dharma. Vijnaneshvara commenting on Yajurveda, adds Saadharana-dharma, i.e., duties common to all, to the above five making it six categories. While it is possible to classify the contents of the Dharmas into five or six categories, the three broad categories are prominent and comprehend most of the topics treated of in the Dharmasutras.<ref name=":0" />
These texts classify the people in various social orders and the tasks performed by them. The dharmas in the process of evolution, modified the duties of the people of the four varnas, which, having been 'highly twisted' in the past few centuries give rise to strong intolerance and brought about deep furrows in the society.
These texts are the earliest primary sources which classify the people working in various social orders and the tasks performed by them. The dharmas in the process of evolution, modified the duties of the people of the four varnas, which, having been 'highly twisted' in the past few centuries giving rise to strong intolerance and deep furrows in the society. However, due to the gradual decline in the social order, the activities related to the personal stage of man are further diluted and we see a loss of tradition over generations. A brief outline of what constitutes the dharmasutras are mentioned below.
'''Varna Dharmas''': The dharmasutras enumerate the varnas and their interconnectedness, detail the rites specific to each of them, the occupations and alternatives for those who are unable to carry their proper occupations due to unavoidable circumstances. A few details about the rajadharmas are mentioned in connection to the Kshatriya, such as criminal law, taxation, governance, the administration of justice, and war laws.
'''Ashrama Dharmas''': A large portion of the sutragranthas describe the Ashrama dharmas. According to the scheme of life envisaged in the dharmasutras, the entire life of a dvija is divided into four stages - Brahmacharya, Grhastha, Vaanaprastha and Sanyasa ashramas respectively. Rules and regulations governing a person in each stage of life are well explained long before any other civilization. The first stage is the [[Brahmacharyashrama (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमः)|Brahmacharyashrama]], prior to which a person attains the status of a Dvija during the Upanayana samskara. In this stage, a Brahmacharin must devote his energy to acquire education at the house of an acharya. In this context the dharma of a Brahmacharin, his conduct, the dos and donts, holidays, his dinacharya, gurusushruta, the duties of a preceptor are clearly laid out with few modifications over the changing ages. On the completion of the education, which primarily included the chaturdashavidyas, he becomes a [[Snataka (स्नातकः)|Snataka]] (graduate) governed by the [[Snataka Dharma (स्नातकधर्मः)|Snataka dharmas]]. Crossing this stage he enters the next stage of life, the [[Grhasthashrama (गृहस्थाश्रमः)|Grhasthashrama]]. The Dharmasutras draw special attention to the snataka dharmas exhorting a graduating student to lead a dignified code of conduct and prepares him for the life ahead to put his education to good use. The grhasthashrama is highly commended in these sutragranthas and regarded as Ashrama ''par excellence''. The statement that all other ashramas depend on the grhastha for their sustenance and for the perpetuance of the race and culture, finds primary importance in these sutras. Thus we find that Grhasthashrama dharmas are well elaborated here, dwelling on daily duties of a grhastha (including the time of rising up and cooking etc), the laws of marriage, conjugal relations and deviations, children and sons, succession laws, treatment of women and conduct towards people of other ashramas, rites for housewarming and building a house, rites for the ancestors and new-borns, and so forth.
Gaarhasthya is followd by the [[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]].
== Manava Dharmasutra and Manusmrti ==
== Manava Dharmasutra and Manusmrti ==