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== महत्त्वं प्राचीनत्वं च ॥ Importance and Antiquity ==

== महत्त्वं प्राचीनत्वं च ॥ Importance and Antiquity ==

It is said that by the term Smrti is denoted Dharmashastra.<blockquote>श्रुतिस्तु वेदो विज्ञेयो धर्मशास्त्रं तु वै स्मृतिः । २.१० ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 2]</ref> ''śrutistu vedo vijñeyo dharmaśāstraṁ tu vai smr̥tiḥ । 2.10 ।''</blockquote>The first Manu called स्वायंभुवमनु is the one to whom the code of laws known as Manusmriti is ascribed. (Apte)

It is said that by the term Smrti is denoted Dharmashastra.<blockquote>श्रुतिस्तु वेदो विज्ञेयो धर्मशास्त्रं तु वै स्मृतिः । २.१० ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 2]</ref> ''śrutistu vedo vijñeyo dharmaśāstraṁ tu vai smr̥tiḥ । 2.10 ।''</blockquote>And there are as many as 71 smrtis enlisted in various smrti texts.<ref>Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.343659/page/n27/mode/2up The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Newal Kishore Press.</ref> Among them, the code of laws known as Manusmrti, ascribed to the first Manu named Svayambhuva Manu, is considered the foremost.<ref>Vaman Shivram Apte (1985), [https://archive.org/details/practicalsanskri00apteuoft/page/740/mode/2up The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary], Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.</ref> Infact, according to Brhaspati, the importance of Manusmrti is due to it collecting the essence of the Vedas. And hence, any smrti that goes tangential to Manusmrti is considered unpraiseworthy.<blockquote>वेदार्थोपनिबन्धत्वात्प्राधान्यं हि मनोःस्मृतम् । मन्वर्थविपरीता तु या स्मृतिः सा न शस्यते ॥ </blockquote><blockquote>''vedārthopanibandhatvātprādhānyaṁ hi manoḥsmr̥tam । manvarthaviparītā tu yā smr̥tiḥ sā na śasyate ॥''</blockquote>Moreover, the praise of Manu's tenets are obtained in the shrutis itself that are the basis for all smrtis.<blockquote>मनुर्वै यत् किंचावदत्तद् भेषजं एवावदत्, तद् भेषजत्वायैव । 2.1.5 ।<ref>Maitrayani Samhita, Kanda 2, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A8/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%A7 Prapathaka 1]</ref> </blockquote><blockquote>''manurvai yat kiṁcāvadattad bheṣajaṁ evāvadat, tad bheṣajatvāyaiva । 2.1.5 ।''</blockquote>मनुर्वै यत्किञ्चिदवदत्तद्भेषजं भेषजतायाः ।

 

Many smrtis like Manusmrti are known by the name of their author. There are as many as 71 smrtis enlisted in various smrti texts.

 

Manusmrti is considered the foremost among them all.  

 

 

According to Brhaspati, the importance of Manusmrti is due to it collecting the essence of the Vedas. And hence, any smrti that goes tangential to Manusmrti is not praiseworthy.

 

For, the praise of Manu's tenets are obtained in the shrutis that are the basis for all smrtis

 

मनुर्वै यत्किञ्चिदवदत्तद्भेषजं भेषजतायाः ।

Meaning: Whatever is proposed by Manu is to be taken like medicine. There is no need to argue about the same.

Meaning: Whatever is proposed by Manu is to be taken like medicine. There is no need to argue about the same.