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== Four classes of Kalpasutras ==

== Four classes of Kalpasutras ==

Kalpa Vedanga deals with four types of Sutragranthas, all closely allied and complementary to each other. Some of these four types of texts belonging to the same school were probably composed by one and the same author in some cases. All the Vedas possess their distinct Kalpasutras, their number being the largest for Yajurveda and the smallest being two for Atharvaveda. The kalpasutras belonging to the Yajurveda are complete (with all the four sutragranthas) whereas those belonging to other Vedas are deficient in one or the other type of Sutras.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Malladi, Sri. Suryanarayana Sastry (1982) ''Samskruta Vangmaya Charitra, Volume 1 Vaidika Vangmayam'' Hyderabad : Andhra Sarasvata Parishad</ref><ref name=":42222">Gopal Reddy, Mudiganti and Sujata Reddy, Mudiganti (1997) ''Sanskrita Saahitya Charitra (Vaidika Vangmayam - Loukika Vangamayam, A critical approach)'' Hyderabad : P. S. Telugu University. (Pages 59-71)</ref>  

Kalpa Vedanga deals with four types of Sutragranthas, all closely allied and complementary to each other. They are

# '''श्रौतसूत्राणि || Shrautasutras''' : They include procedures of great Shrauta yajnas as described in the Brahmanas of particular veda shakas. They also include Paribhasha sutras which imply general rules and their application in the interpretation of the Vedas. They detail the 14 yajnas (major) laid down in the Brahmana and thus Shrautasutras are highly related to Brahmanas. However, not all yajnas discussed in Shrautasutras are found in Brahmanas.

 

# '''गृह्यसूत्राणि || Grhyasutras''' : They deal with the rules and regulations pertaining to the social and domestic activities and customs prescribed to a grhasta and his family. They detail the samskaras, 7 kinds of Grhyayajnas, and [[Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)|Panchamahayajnas]]. These texts have no relationship with the Brahmanas. The mantras that are recited in the performance of samskaras, such as Upanayana, are from the Veda samhitas of that particular shaka. Again just like the Shrautasutras, not all mantras given in the Grhyasutras are traceable to the extant Veda samhitas.

# '''धर्मसूत्राणि || Dharmasutras''' : They are connected closely with the Grhyasutras in their contents but are elaborate with the laws of social, religious, political and economic life of the people. They deal with Varna, Ashrama and Rajadharmas. They take their concepts from the Vedas,  and  deal with social customs common to all the Veda shakas. Thus the concept is not confined to followers of one particular shaka whereas the ceremonies or yajnas described therein are undoubtedly inclined to follow the traditions of their own shakas. No Dharmasutra associated with Atharvaveda is available at present, though earlier works like Patanjali's Mahabhashya mentioned their existance. Example: Baudhayana and Apastamba Dharmasutras  

 

# '''शुल्बसूत्राणि || Sulbasutras''' : Associated mainly with Shrautasutras, these sutras deal with measurements and construction of the yajna vedi to conduct shrauta yajnas. They are the earliest available texts of geometry given to the world by the Vedic era. Example: Baudhayana and Apastamba Sulbasutras.  

 

 

 

Some of these four types of texts belonging to the same school were composed by one and the same author in some cases. All the Vedas possess their distinct Kalpasutras, their number being the largest for Yajurveda and the smallest being two for Atharvaveda. The kalpasutras belonging to the Yajurveda are complete (with all the four sutragranthas) whereas those belonging to other Vedas are deficient in one or the other type of Sutras.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Malladi, Sri. Suryanarayana Sastry (1982) ''Samskruta Vangmaya Charitra, Volume 1 Vaidika Vangmayam'' Hyderabad : Andhra Sarasvata Parishad</ref><ref name=":42222">Gopal Reddy, Mudiganti and Sujata Reddy, Mudiganti (1997) ''Sanskrita Saahitya Charitra (Vaidika Vangmayam - Loukika Vangamayam, A critical approach)'' Hyderabad : P. S. Telugu University. (Pages 59-71)</ref>

 

=== श्रौतसूत्राणि || Shrautasutras ===

They include procedures of great Shrauta yajnas as described in the Brahmanas of particular veda shakas. They also include Paribhasha sutras which imply general rules and their application in the interpretation of the Vedas. They detail the 14 yajnas (major) laid down in the Brahmana and thus Shrautasutras are highly related to Brahmanas. However, not all yajnas discussed in Shrautasutras are found in Brahmanas.

 

=== गृह्यसूत्राणि || Grhyasutras ===

They deal with the rules and regulations pertaining to the social and domestic activities and customs prescribed to a grhasta and his family. They detail the samskaras, 7 kinds of Grhyayajnas, and [[Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)|Panchamahayajnas]]. These texts have no relationship with the Brahmanas. The mantras that are recited in the performance of samskaras, such as Upanayana, are from the Veda samhitas of that particular shaka. Again just like the Shrautasutras, not all mantras given in the Grhyasutras are traceable to the extant Veda samhitas.

 

=== धर्मसूत्राणि || Dharmasutras ===

They are connected closely with the Grhyasutras in their contents but are elaborate with the laws of social, religious, political and economic life of the people. They deal with Varna, Ashrama and Rajadharmas. They take their concepts from the Vedas,  and  deal with social customs common to all the Veda shakas. Thus the concept is not confined to followers of one particular shaka whereas the ceremonies or yajnas described therein are undoubtedly inclined to follow the traditions of their own shakas. No Dharmasutra associated with Atharvaveda is available at present, though earlier works like Patanjali's Mahabhashya mentioned their existence. Examples include Baudhayana and Apastamba Dharmasutras.

 

=== शुल्बसूत्राणि || Sulbasutras ===

Associated mainly with Shrautasutras, these sutras deal with measurements and construction of the yajna vedi to conduct shrauta yajnas. They are the earliest available texts of geometry given to the world by the Vedic era. Example: Baudhayana and Apastamba Sulbasutras.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|+Vedas and Associated Sutra Works<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":4">Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya (1958) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958 Vaidik Sahitya]''.</ref>

|+Vedas and Associated Sutra Works<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":4">Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya (1958) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958 Vaidik Sahitya]''.</ref>

|}

|}

== Shrauta and Grhyasutras ==

=== Comparison of the Sutragranthas ===

The grhyasutras, in general, presuppose the knowledge of the Shrautasutras of their respective schools. A good number of Shrautasutras are found repeated in the Grhyasutras belonging to the same veda shaka. A number of important rites such as Agraayaneshti, Madhuparka, Darshapurnamaseshti and Antyesti find description in the Shrautasutras as well as in the Grhyasutras. If a ceremony that has been described by some Shrautasutras happens to be treated of by the Grhyasutras, it cannot be taken for granted that it belongs to the domain of Shrautasutras.

Here below are a few distinctions between Shrauta, Grhya and Dharmasutras.  

 

Consider the case of Antyeshti or funeral ceremony that has been treated by both Shrauta and Grhyasutras. It is important to note that the funeral of an Ahitagni (one who had set up tretagni and conducted Shrautayajnas) involves the employment of the three fires, which is not applicable as a common rite for the funeral of each and every person. But the funeral ceremony is common to one and all. Thus it is clear that funeral, a whole, does not belong to the exclusive sphere of Shrauta karmas. The purvapaksha that - since three fires are used in the funeral ceremonies hence it is a Shrautakarma, does not hold good. Further, unlike the Shrauta ceremonies, the funeral of an Ahitagni is performed by the relatives of the deceased and not by a number of rtviks, who play an important role in Shrauta rites. Thus the uttarapaksha holds ground that the inclusion of funeral rites in the subject matter of Grhyasutras is, therefore, entirely compatible with the essential nature of these treatises which deal with domestic rites in general. The Grhyasutras describe the funeral rites for those who had set up tretagni in their life-time and also for those who did not.<ref name=":0" />

 

Here below are a few distinctions between Shrauta and Grhyasutras.  

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|+Shrautasutras and Grhyasutras - Contrasting Points<ref name=":0" />

|+Shrautasutras, Grhyasutras and Dharmasutras- Contrasting Points<ref name=":0" />

!

!

!Shrauta Karma

!Shrautasutras

!Grhya Karma

!Grhyasutras

|-

|-

|1

|1

|They describe major yajnas (Shrauta) extending to days involving extensive procedures.

|They describe major yajnas (Shrauta) extending to days involving extensive procedures.

|They deal with simple domestic ceremonies of the daily life.

|They deal with simple domestic ceremonies of the daily life.

|-

|-

|2

|2

|Involve three or more fires - [[Tretagni (त्रेताग्निः)|tretagni]]

|Involve three or more fires - [[Tretagni (त्रेताग्निः)|tretagni]]

|Involves single grhya fire.

|Involves single grhya fire.

|-

|-

|3

|3

|Services of a number of rtviks - upto sixteen for Somayajna, are exclusively required.

|Services of a number of rtviks - upto sixteen for Somayajna, are exclusively required.

|They are performed by the grhastha himself, or by his representatives namely his wife, son, student or in some instances a [[Rtvik (ऋत्विक्)|rtvik]].

|They are performed by the grhastha himself, or by his representatives namely his wife, son, student or in some instances a [[Rtvik (ऋत्विक्)|rtvik]].

|-

|-

|4

|4

|Offering of Soma is exclusively restricted to Shrauta yajnas

|Offering of Soma is exclusively restricted to Shrauta yajnas

|Grhyayajnas do not involve the usage of Soma rasa or plant.

|Grhyayajnas do not involve the usage of Soma rasa or plant.

|-

|-

|5

|5

|Shrauta yajnas are very rarely performed in the present day.

|Shrauta yajnas are very rarely performed in the present day.

|Grhyayajnas are common in the present days.

|Grhyayajnas are common in the present days if not widely followed

|-

|-

|6

|6

|Scope is limited to Shrauta karmas.

|Scope is limited to Shrauta karmas.

|Scope is broader, including Shrauta and Grhaya karmas.

|Scope is broader, including Shrauta and Grhaya karmas.

|}

|}

Certain Shrauta and Grhyasutras clearly indicate their composition by a single author without any doubt. They are Shankhayana, Asvalayana, Baudhayana, Bhradvaja, Apastamba, Hiranyakeshi, Manava, Jaimini, Varaha and Varaha; where the authorship of both types of Sutras is ascribed by native tradition to a single teacher whose name is borne by both types of the Sutras. This can be ascertained by the facts such as cross-references to the Shrautasutra and a close agreement of the Sutras on both the vaidika yajnas and grhyayajnas, in language and style is observed in such cases.  

Certain Shrauta and Grhyasutras clearly indicate their composition by a single author without any doubt. They are Shankhayana, Asvalayana, Baudhayana, Bhradvaja, Apastamba, Hiranyakeshi, Manava, Jaimini, Varaha and Varaha; where the authorship of both types of Sutras is ascribed by native tradition to a single teacher whose name is borne by both types of the Sutras. This can be ascertained by the facts such as cross-references to the Shrautasutra and a close agreement of the Sutras on both the vaidika yajnas and grhyayajnas, in language and style is observed in such cases.  

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:Vedangas]]

[[Category:Vedangas]]

<references />

<references />