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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.

If the [[Vedas (वेदाः)|Vedas]] and the [[Upanishads (उपनिषदः)|Upanishads]] give the basic philosophy of Hinduism, the [[Dharmashastras (धर्मशास्त्राणि)|Dharmashastras]], comprising the [[Smrti (स्मृतिः)|Smrtis]], the [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|Puranas]] and the Nibandhas (digests), give the rules and regulations that guide a Hindu in his personal and social life.

== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

According to Swami Harshananda<ref>Swami Harshananda (2008), A Concise Encyclopaedia of Hinduism (Volume 3), Bangalore: Ramakrishna Math.</ref>, Parashara is one of the well-known Rishis or sages frequently mentioned in the Epics and the Puranas. Parashara was the son of the sage Sakti and the grandson of the famous Vasishtha. He is considered as one of the gotra-pravartakas of the sages from whom the gotras (patriarchal ancestries) originated. Learning of the cruel end of his father at the hands of a demon, Kalmashapada, he started a sacrifice for the destruction of the race of demons. He was not only a great sage but also a great scholar of the religious lore. His teachings to other sages and kings like Janaka contain a lot of information on many abstruse facets of religion and philosophy (vide ''Mahabharata, Anushasana parva'' 146 to 149; 150 to 152). He was the father of another great sage—Vyasa or Vedavyasa—through Satyavati, the adopted daughter of a chieftain of the fisherman.

According to Swami Harshananda<ref>Swami Harshananda (2008), A Concise Encyclopaedia of Hinduism (Volume 3), Bangalore: Ramakrishna Math.</ref>, Parashara is one of the well-known Rishis or sages frequently mentioned in the [[Itihasa (इतिहासः)|Epics]] and the Puranas. Parashara was the son of the sage Shakti and the grandson of the famous [[Vasishtha (वसिष्ठ)|Vasishtha]]. He is considered as one of the gotra-pravartakas of the sages from whom the [[Gotra and Pravara (गोत्रप्रवरश्च)|gotras]] (patriarchal ancestries) originated. Learning of the cruel end of his father at the hands of a demon, Kalmashapada, he started a yajna for the destruction of the race of demons. He was not only a great sage but also a great scholar of the religious lore. His teachings to other sages and kings like [[Janaka (जनक)|Janaka]] contain a lot of information on many abstruse facets of religion and philosophy (vide Mahabharata, Anushasana parva 146 to 149; 150 to 152). He was the father of another great sage—[[Maharshi Vyasa (महर्षि व्यास)|Vyasa]] or Vedavyasa—through Satyavati, the adopted daughter of a chieftain of the fisherman.

== ग्रंथा: ॥ Texts ==

== ग्रंथा: ॥ Texts ==

Two texts namely, Parashara Gita (''Shantiparva'' 296-304) and the Parashara Smrti are attributed to him. Medieval and even modern Hindu practices depend much upon the Dharmashastras, works that generally deal with Achara and Vyavahara, personal and social conduct. One such work, though not an ancient one wielding greater authority, is the ''Brhat-parashara-samhita''. It appears to be a recast of an earlier work, the Parashara Smrti. Said to have been imparted by the Sage Parashara to Suvrata, it contains about 3000 verses divided into 12 chapters. Its subject matter contains the following topics: the sphere of the Aryas; the six daily karmas like bath, sandhya, japa, worship of Gods and honouring guests; the Gayatri mantra; the duties of the various varnas and ashramas; forms of marriage and connected topics; on gifts; sraddha or after-death ceremonies; prayashchittas or expiations; rites for propitiating deities like Ganesha and Rudra; some aspects of yoga like pranayama and so on.

Two texts namely, Parashara Gita (Shantiparva 296-304'')'' and the Parashara Smrti are attributed to him. Medieval and even modern Hindu practices depend much upon the Dharmashastras, works that generally deal with Achara and Vyavahara, personal and social conduct. One such work, though not an ancient one wielding greater authority, is the Brhat-parashara-samhita. It appears to be a recast of an earlier work, the Parashara Smrti. Said to have been imparted by the Sage Parashara to Suvrata, it contains about 3000 verses divided into 12 chapters. Its subject matter contains the following topics:  

== अध्यायसारः  ॥ Chapter Contents of Parashara Smrti ==

One of the more ancient Smrtis extant even now, is the Parashara Smrti. It contains several views considered as peculiar, like eulogizing the practice of Sati (self-immolation by a widow on the funeral pyre of her husband). Numerous verses in it also occur in other Smrti-works like those of Manu and Baudhayana. Later writers of Nibandhas quote Parashara frequently. Madhavacharya (Vidyaranya) (14^th century CE) has written a voluminous commentary called ''Parashara-madhaviya'' on this Smrti.  

Parashara Smrti has 12 chapters and around 600 verses—or 592 according to its own statement at the end. The following is a brief summary of its contents<ref name=":0">Guruprasad Sharma (1998), Parashara Smrti, Varanasi: Chaukhamba Vidyabhavan.</ref>.

 

== अध्यायसारः ॥ Chapter Contents of Parashara Smrti ==

One of the more ancient Smrtis extant even now, is the Parashara Smrti. It contains several views considered as peculiar, like eulogizing the practice of Sati (self-immolation by a widow on the funeral pyre of her husband). Numerous verses in it also occur in other Smrti-works like those of [[Manu (मनु)|Manu]] and Baudhayana. Later writers of Nibandhas quote Parashara frequently. Madhavacharya (Vidyaranya - 14^th century CE) has written a voluminous commentary called Parashara-madhaviya on this Smrti. Parashara Smrti has 12 chapters and around 600 verses—or 592 according to its own statement at the end. The following is a brief summary of its contents<ref name=":0">Guruprasad Sharma (1998), Parashara Smrti, Varanasi: Chaukhamba Vidyabhavan.</ref>.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

!Chapter

!Chapter

|73

|73

|Chaturvarnya-vichara

|Chaturvarnya-vichara

|Knowledge of dharma;

|Knowledge of [[Dharma (धर्मः)|dharma]]

on the four yugas;

on the four yugas  

six daily duties like bath, sandhya ritual and Vedic studies;

six daily duties like bath, sandhya ritual and Vedic studies  

proper means of livelihood for the three lower varnas

[[Dharma of Employment (व्यवसायधर्मः)|proper means of livelihood]] for the three lower varnas

|-

|-

|2

|2

|20

|20

|Grihastha-dharmachara

|[[Grhasthashrama (गृहस्थाश्रमः)|Grhastha-dharmachara]]

|Duties of a householder

|Duties of a householder

|-

|-

|50

|50

|Janana-marana-sutakadi-shuddhi

|Janana-marana-sutakadi-shuddhi

|Ashaucha (ceremonial impurity) and purificatory processes

|[[Asoucha (आशौचम्)|Ashaucha]] (ceremonial impurity) and purificatory processes

|-

|-

|4

|4

|33

|33

|Udbandhanadi-mrta-shuddhi

|Udbandhanadi-[[Mrta-Asoucha (मृताशौचम्)|mrta]]-shuddhi

|On suicide;

|On suicide  

punishment for a wife who deserts her husband;

punishment for a wife who deserts her husband  

remarriage of women under certain conditions;

remarriage of women under certain conditions  

in praise of chaste widows

in praise of chaste widows

|8

|8

|50

|50

|Akama-krita-papa-prayashchitta

|Akama-krita-[[Papa and Punya (पाप एवं पुण्य)|papa]]-prayashchitta

|Expiations for the killing of cows and oxen unwillingly;

|Expiations for the killing of cows and oxen unwillingly  

constitution of a parishad (assembly) of Brahmins

constitution of a parishad (assembly) of [[Brahmana Dharma (ब्राह्मणधर्मः)|Brahmanas]]

|-

|-

|9

|9

|11

|11

|57

|57

|Papanam prayashchitta-vidhana

|[[Pataka (पातकम्)|Papa]]-prayashchitta-vidhana

|Expiations for the violation of the rules regarding the partaking of food;

|Expiations for the violation of the rules regarding the partaking of food  

purification of wells polluted by animals

purification of wells polluted by animals

|80

|80

|Sakala-prayashchitta-nirnaya

|Sakala-prayashchitta-nirnaya

|On the various kinds of bath;

|On the various kinds of bath  

bath for purification, expiations for mortal sins like murder of a Brahmin, consuming liquor, stealing of gold and so on

bath for purification, expiations for mortal sins like murder of a Brahmana, consuming liquor, stealing of gold and so on

|}

|}

The text begins with the verse:<blockquote>अथातो हिमशैलाग्रे देवदारुवनालये। व्यासमेकाग्रमासीनमपृच्छन्नृषय: पुरा॥<ref name=":0" /> athāto himaśailāgre devadāruvanālaye| vyāsam ekāgram āsīnam apṛcchann ṛṣayah purā||</blockquote>Meaning: On the top of the snowy hill, in the hermitage of the Devadaru grove, the Rishis of yore interrogated Vyasa, who was seated, rapt in thought<ref name=":1">B. Vaitheeswaran (2009), Parashara Smrithi, Tamilnadu: Sri Hayagreeva Veda Gurukula Trust.</ref>.

The text begins with the verse:<blockquote>अथातो हिमशैलाग्रे देवदारुवनालये। व्यासमेकाग्रमासीनमपृच्छन्नृषय: पुरा॥<ref name=":0" /> athāto himaśailāgre devadāruvanālaye| vyāsam ekāgram āsīnam apṛcchann ṛṣayah purā||</blockquote>Meaning: On the top of the snowy hill, in the hermitage of the Devadaru grove, the Rishis of yore interrogated Vyasa, who was seated, rapt in thought<ref name=":1">B. Vaitheeswaran (2009), Parashara Smrithi, Tamilnadu: Sri Hayagreeva Veda Gurukula Trust.</ref>.

Parashara concludes the text with the following verse:<blockquote>यथाsध्ययनकर्माणि धर्मशास्त्रमिदं तथा। अध्येतव्यं प्रयत्नेन नियतं स्वर्गकामिना॥<ref name=":0" /> Yathā’dhyayanakarmāṇi dharmaśāstram idaṃ tathā| adhyetavyaṃ prayatnena niyataṃ svargakāminā||</blockquote>Meaning: In accordance with the rules for studying (similar works), these institutes of law should be carefully studied, without fail, by a person who desires to go to heaven.<ref name=":1" />

Parashara concludes the text with the following verse:<blockquote>यथाsध्ययनकर्माणि धर्मशास्त्रमिदं तथा। अध्येतव्यं प्रयत्नेन नियतं स्वर्गकामिना॥<ref name=":0" /> Yathā’dhyayanakarmāṇi dharmaśāstram idaṃ tathā| adhyetavyaṃ prayatnena niyataṃ svargakāminā||</blockquote>Meaning: In accordance with the rules for studying (similar works), these institutes of [[Nyaya (न्यायः)|law]] should be carefully studied, without fail, by a person who desires to go to svarga.<ref name=":1" />

Infact, the Dharmashastras should be gone through very seriously as they are the keys to understand the culture of contemporary India. They provide a rare peep into the minds of the lawmakers and the society.  

Infact, the Dharmashastras should be gone through very seriously as they are the keys to understand the culture of contemporary India. They provide a rare peep into the minds of the lawmakers and the society.  

== References ==

== References ==