Shrautasutras (श्रौतसूत्राणि)
Shrautasutras (Samskrit: श्रौतसूत्राणि), as the name suggest, refers to the texts which have been derived from the Shruti or the Vedas. The Shrauta sutras contain a very detailed, meticulously accurate and vivid description of the several yajnas that were performed in the very ancient times. These works were manuals compiled for the practical purpose of giving directions to those who engaged in such yajnas. They are based on ancient Brahmana texts, which they quote at every step, many individual sutras being couched in the very language of the Brahmana texts.[1]
परिचयः ॥ Introduction
The Shrauta rituals cover a whole gamut of rituals from the simplest to the most complicated. Most of them are no more practiced, but their study is useful for historical reasons. According to Prof. Radhakrishna Bhat,
"Most of the ‘Haviryajnas’, ‘Agnihotra’, ‘Darsapurnamasa’ and ‘Caturmasya’ yajnas, the basic ‘Somayajnas’, ‘Agnistomas’ and its varieties, and some culturally and historically important yajnas like ‘Vajapeya’, “Asvamedha’, ‘Sarvamedha’ etc are found in ‘Yajurveda’ (Adhvaryuveda). Later in ‘Puranas’ the references to Vedic rituals and practices are found. In classical Sanskrit literature some references to Vedic rituals and practices are mentioned. This shows that the Vedic ritual tradition is continued to modern period too without any interruption". [2]
Authors and Commentators
The procedures for Shrauta karmas are compiled in Shrauta Sutras as given in the Kalpa Vedanga. Some of the Shrauta Sutras associated with particular vedas are as follows[3][4][5]
| Vedas | Shakas | Shrautasutra | Contents | Commentator and commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigveda | Shakala and Bashkala | Ashvalayana (आश्वलायनः) by Ashvalayana Rshi | 12 Adhyayas[4] | Gargya Narayana (Tika) |
| Bashkala? | Shankhayana (शाङ्खायनः) by Suyajnacharya | 18 Adhyayas[4] | Aanartiya Tika (आनर्तीयः) | |
| Kaushitaki | None available | |||
| Shukla Yajurveda | Vajasaneya | Katyayana (कात्यायनः) | 26 Adhyayas | Bhartruyajna, Anantadeva |
| Krishna Yajurveda | Taittriya | Baudhayana (बौधायनः), | 30 Prashnas | Bhavasvami's Bhashya (1 -26 Prashnas), Sayanacharya (1st Prashna), Vasudeva Dikshit's Mahagnisarvasva (10th Prashna), |
| Apastamba (आपस्तम्बः), | 24 Prashnas | Dhurtasvami's Bhashya and Koushik Ramagnichit's Tika, Rudradatta's Bhashya (on 1-15 Prashnas), Kapardi Svami's Bhashya. | ||
| Vaikhanasa (वैखालसः) by Vikhana Muni (विखना मनिः) | 21 Prashnas) | Shrinivas Dikshit | ||
| Bharadvaja | 15 Prashnas | |||
| Hiranyakeshi (हिरण्यकेशी) by Satyashada (सत्याषाढः) | 1-18, 22, 23 Prashnas of the Charana (Total of 20 Prashnas) | 1-6 and 21 Prashnas by Mahadeva Dikshit (Vyjayanti Tika), 7-10 Prashnas by Gopinath Dikshit (Jyotsna Tika) | ||
| Vadhula | Vadhula (वाधूलः)[6] | 15 Prapathakas | ||
| Maitrayani | Manava (मानवः) | 10 Bhagas | ||
| Varaha (वाराह)[3] | 3 Adhyayas | |||
| Katha | Kathaka (काठक) | 39 Adhyayas | Available as references only | |
| Samaveda | Kauthuma | Arsheya (आर्षेयः) of Mashaka, | 11 Adhyayas | Varadaraja's Vivruti Tika. |
| Latyayana (लाट्यायनः) | 10 Prapathakas | Agnisvami's Bhashya | ||
| Rananiya | Drahyayana (द्राह्यायनः) | 31 Patalas | Also called as Chandogasutras, Pradhanasutras and Vashistasutras. Dhanvin's Deepa bhashya. | |
| Jaimini | Jaiminiya (जैमिनीयः) | 3 Khandas | Bhavatrata and Jayant Bharadvaj | |
| Atharvaveda | Vaitana (वैतानः) | 8 Adhyayas | Somaditya's Akshepanuvidhi Bhashya | |
Besides these above mentioned Shrautasutras, and their commentators, there are many other western scholars who have brought out critical editions of these sutra texts and they are widely available. The above list is not exhaustive and work on preparing a comprehensive list of all the kalpa texts requires to be undertaken.
References
- ↑ Kane, Pandurang Vaman. (1941) History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law) Volume 2, Part 2. Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute
- ↑ Radhakrishna Bhat, N. Vedic Ritual Tradition of Karnataka, Vedic Heritage Portal.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Purkayastha, Dipanjona (2014) Ph. D Thesis from Assam University : A Study of the Asvalayana srauta sutra with reference to the principal sacrifices
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 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)
- ↑ Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya (1997) Samskrit Vangmay ka Brhad Itihas, Dvitiya Khand - Vedang. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Samskrit Sansthan (Pages 56-112)
- ↑ Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya (1997) Samskrit Vangmay ka Brhad Itihas, Dvitiya Khand - Vedang. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Samskrit Sansthan (Pages 56-112)