Dharmasutras (धर्मसूत्राणि)

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Dharmasutras (Samskrit: ) are a class of ancient samskrit texts of Bharatavarsha, expounding the principles of dharma. Studied as a part of the Kalpa Vedanga texts, they are categorized as Sutragranthas, primarily because a majority of these texts are composed in Sutra style of writing or short terse aphorisms. The sutras lay equal stress on the trivarga; Dharma, Artha and Kama, but do not discuss anything at length about Moksha.

Introduction

Dharmasutras, the ancient texts dealing on matters of dharma, contain directions about domestic, social and moral aspects pertaining to people in general. Sections about Rajadharma, or duties of royal persons are not dealt with elaborately in them. The Dharmasutras differ from Smrti texts considerably and the former are regarded as the source of later. They are closely allied to the Grhyasutras and several topics are common to both Dharmasutras and Grhyasutras. While the grhyasutras are restricted to domestic rites pertaining to individuals, the Dharmasutras include a broader scope of treatment of activities of a human being such as social, economic, political, religious and philosophical questions. Thus they deal with the trivarga of the Purusharthas. Several topics such as Upanayana, Anadhyayana, Shraddha, Panchamahayajnas, vivaha samskara are common to both.

The final goals and fruits of these yajnas are directed towards attainment of desires in this world or the other worlds such as svarga, which lead to the Brahman ultimately. Thus they are an indirect karmamarga to Brahmaloka, while the Upanishads extensively discuss the jnanamarga directly leading to Brahman.

The authors of Dharmasutras declare themselves to be ordinary people and state that they have attempted to codify Dharma based on the three main sources, namely, the Shrutis, Smrtis and conduct of shishtas (unselfish, virtuous and learned personages prior to them).

Subject Matter of Dharmasutras

The topics of Dharma treated in Dharmasutras, according to Gautama Dharmasutras, may be classified broadly into three categories for general understanding.

1. Varna dharmas (duties of people in four social classes)
2. Ashrama dharmas (duties of people in four ashramas)
3. Naimittika dharmas (performance of penances)

Medhatithi on Manu's (2.25) remarks that the commentators dwell upon five-fold division of Dharma.

1. Varna dharmas
2. Ashrama dharmas
3. Varna-ashrama dharmas
4. Naimittika dharmas
5. Guna dharmas

Haradatta commenting on Gautama dharmasutras, mentions this five-fold division of Dharma. Vijnaneshvara commenting on Yajurveda, adds Sadharana- dharma, i.e., duties common to all to the above five. 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.