The Smṛtyarthasāra of Sridhara
This well-known work was published by the Anandāśrama Press, Poona, in 1912 A. D. The principal topics discussed by it are : the acts allowed in former ages but forbidden in the kali age; the number of samskāras, the detailed treatment of Upanayana, the duties of Brahmacārin, holidays, marriage, its various forms, prohibitions on the ground of sapinda relation, discussion about gotra and pravara, daily duties such as sauca, acamana brushing the teeth, bathing, the five yajñas, daily saṁdhyā, daily worship; detailed treatment of śrāddha, proper time, articles, and brā hmanas to be invited at it, various kinds of śrāddha, discussion about various tithis; intercalary month; forbidden and allowed food; purification of various substances and of one’s own body; impurity on birth and death; rites after death; rules about sam nyasa; prayaścittas for various grades of sins and lapses.
From the colophon it appears that Sridhara was himself a performer of Vedic sacrifices and was the son of Nagabhart? Viṣṇubhatta of the Viśvāmitra gotra. This colophon does not however occur in the ancient ms. of the work in the Deccan College collection (No. 44 of 1870-71 ) dated samvat 1495 (1438-39 A. D.). In the 2nd introductory verse (vide H. of Dh. vol. I. pt.1 note 749 ) the author tells us that Srikantha and Srikarācārya filled the gaps in the smrtis that were scattered about (i. e. they composed digests thereof with their own remarks ). He also says (vide note 839 above) that he relies on the Kamadhenu, the Pradipa, the Abdhi, the Kalpavṣksa (i. e. Kalpataru ), Kalpalatā, Sambhu, Dravida, Kedāra and Lollata and the various commentators of Manu and other smrtikaras. In dealing with saṁnyāsa he says that he would treat of the proce
1040 यदाह गार्ग्यः। यज्ञकालस्तिथिद्वैधे षट्कालो यदि लक्ष्यते । पर्व तत्रोत्तरं कार्य हीने
पूर्वमुपक्रमेत् । कलात्र मुहूर्त न तु घटिका । …स्मृतिप्रदीपकृताप्यत्र कलाशब्दस्य genfūaithili agato (FT% ) p. 355.
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dure of samnyasa following the opinion of Govindaraja and of Baudhayana.1041 At the beginning of some sections (p. 48 and p. 49 on sraddha and prayascitta respectively) he again repeats the verse about Kāmadhenu and the other authorities. The Abdhi named therein seems to be the Smstimahārṇava quoted in Hemādri, in the Vivādaratnākara and other works. He refers to Mitāksarā also (p. 56). For Lollata see above ( under Medha tithi ). It appears that Sridhara also composed another and a larger work on dharmaśāstra. For example, Hemādri who 1042 knew the Smstyarthasāra quotes certain views as Sridhara’s which do not occur in the Smrtyarthasāra. The Prayogapārijāta, the Nirnayasindhu, and the Samskārakaustubha quote the views of a work called Sridhariya which are not found in the Smrtyarthasara. Sridhara seems to have been a writer from southern Ind
The date of the Smṛtyarthasara can be fixed within approxi mate limits. As it names the Mit., the Kamadhenu, the Kalpa taru and Govindaraja, it is later than 1150 A. D. The Smrti candrikā and Hemādri1043 both quote it as an authority. For example, the Smṛticandrikā says that the Smṛtyarthasāra holds that the Tulasi is among the things the use of which is to be avoided in śrāddha. Vide p. 435 of the Sraddha section of the
1041 Vide note 913 above. 1042 On the words of ज्योतिर्गार्य ‘सौरमासो विवाहादौ यज्ञादौ सावनः स्मृतः’
चतुर्वर्ग० ( काल) P. 20 says आदिशब्दार्थः श्रीधरेण दर्शितः। विवाहोपन यनचूडाव्रतनियमप्रतिष्ठागृहकरणक्षारयात्रामहाषष्ठीमहासप्तमीविजयदशमीदशहरा युगादिमहाज्येष्ठाप्रभृत्यादिशब्दनोपादीयते । यज्ञादावित्यादिशब्देन यागदान
होमगर्भाधानसीमन्तोन्नयनजातकर्म-ऋण-क्रयविक्रयव्यवहारग्रहणम् । . 1043 स्मृत्यर्थसारे तुलस्यपि वयेत्युक्तं तत्र मूलं चिन्यं प्रसिद्धस्मृतिसमुच्चयेषु तुलसी
निषेधस्यादर्शनात् । स्मृतिच० II. 5. 435; compare स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 53; ‘यत्तु स्मृत्यर्थसारेभिहितं पाणिहोमे विध्ममेक्षणविप्रानुज्ञा न संततिः (सन्ति ?) तत्र विप्रानुज्ञाभावोक्तिरेतद्वचनादर्शननिबन्धनेत्युत्प्रेक्षणीया । …यच्च तत्रैवाभिहितं परिसमूहनपर्युक्षणे स्त इति तदपि चिन्त्यम् !’ स्मृतिच० II. p. 463; vide for the very words quoted in स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 52. स्मृतिच. II. 366 quotes some passages from स्मृत्यर्थसार pp. 57 and 60. चतुर्वर्ग vol. IV. P. 992 (प्रायश्चित्त) स्मृत्यर्थसारे कलियुगे संसर्गदोषो नास्तीत्युक्तम्’; compare स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 2. ‘संसर्गदोषः पापेषु मधुपर्के पशोर्वधः । …कलौ युगे विमान् धर्मान् वानाहुर्मनीषिणः ॥’. मदन पारिजात (p. 329) quotes the words संसर्गदोषः &c. expressly from स्मृत्यर्थसार.
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Smstcandrika (Gharpure’s edition ) and also pp. 366, 381, 463 of the Sraddha section of the same work. Raghunandana often men tions it; vide (vol. I) Tithi p. 100, Srāddha p. 190, Āhnika p. 434, Malamāsa p. 791; (II) Yajurvedi Vrsotsarga p. 642. The Madanapārijāta mentions it frequently - vide pp. 177, 180, 287, 288. Therefore the Smṛtyarthasāra must have been composed between 1150 and 1200 A. D.