Fluid dharma

Intro

Fluidity while retaining core principles.

Indian notions of dharma was fluid. (../For a general context on the limits of codification and holy books, see here.)

  • Notes
    • PV kANe’s notes on fluidity: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
    • RB15.

Conservativism

dharmashAstra-s of course agree with particulars of dharma changing with time, place and social conditions; and “reinterpertation” is indeed one resort used by commentators of yore. But, one should be careful and conservative to distinguish the core from the peripheral. If something worked for multiple millennia, even if one can’t explain why it works, one should retain it (not everyone can grok even the second or third order consequences)

Principles

First Principles

The explicitly and implicitly stated motivations of dharma (such as accomplishing comfort/ sukha of everyone in order to retain one’s comfort - quotes in this page) naturally enable people to redetermine the details of what constitutes dharma “from first principles”. This is particularly relevant to consideration of newer problems - though still relevant to older problems and rulings.

  • “Grain needs cooking, but cooked grain expires fast” analogy (By Narasimha Rao).

Raw grains stay for a long time, but cannot be digested when eaten. Cooked grains can be eaten and digested, but get rotten very quickly. Similarly, core principles of dharma are eternal, but tough to understand, judge and apply. While “interpreted/applied” rules/customs of dharma are easy to understand and use, they expire after sometime. Even food cooked by a great cook gets rotten in time. Similarly, specific rules laid down by even a great prophet/rishi become irrelevant in time. The only way is to keep the raw grains and let someone cook them for you when you want to eat. Hinduism allows for men to experience subtle truths within themselves and “interpret” *generic principles* of dharma and lay down *specific rules* for people around them.

Core

देखो भाई, सीधी सी बात है। धर्मानुसार जीवनयापन करनेवाला/वाली स्तुत्य है। अन्य जो जितनी मात्रा में विपरीत करे उतना निन्द्य है। धर्मानुसार स्त्री सन्तति को जन्म दे पोषित व संस्कारित करे वही श्रेष्ठतम मार्ग उसके लिये है, उसी प्रकार पुरुष स्त्री के लिये सर्वथा अनुकूल वातावरण बनाये, आवश्यक होने पर इसके लिये अपने प्राण भी दे, यही उसके लिये श्रेष्ठतम मार्ग है। इन दोनों बातों के अधीन ही अन्य सब बाते हैं।

प्रधानतम यही हैं। इनमें चूकना दोष है ही, इनके अतिरिक्त जो कर सको वो वही है - अतिरिक्त। अतिरिक्त के चक्कर में मुख्य को त्यागना मूर्खता है।

Trasncending texts

Hindu texts themselves say that they are not the ultimate authority, and that a truly wise person should ultimately *transcend* (ie not be bound by) texts and adapt a worldview that is cognizant of the ultimate reality. So, guru-s can come along and abrogate the “holy” texts and the injunctions, adding their own voice to the pre-existing pool of opinions. So, Sanatana dharma is trans-textual in that sense.

Examples:

“न च वचनं वस्तुनः सामर्थ्यजनकम्। ज्ञापकं हि शास्त्रं न कारकमिति स्थितिः”
- इति शङ्करः बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद्-भाष्ये।

  • बृहदारण्योपनिषद्भाष्यम् अत्र।

ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन् (wikiquote, श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषत् ४-८, Rig Veda:1.164.39। सायणभाष्यम् अत्र। गणेशः अत्र।)

अविज्ञाते परे तत्त्वे शास्त्राधीतिस्तु निष्फला। विज्ञातेऽपि परे तत्त्वे शास्त्राधीतिस्तु निष्फला ॥ 59
इति शङ्कराचार्यो विवेकचूडामण्याम्।

Contextualization

  • Fluidity is acknowledged in the shAstra-s

अन्ये कृतयुगे धर्माः त्रेतायां द्वापरे युगे । अन्ये कलियुगे नृणां युगरूपानुसारतः ॥ - manu क्रुते तु मानवा धर्माः त्रेतायां गौतमाः स्मृताः ॥ द्वापरे शङ्खलिखिताः कलौ पाराशराः स्मृताः ॥

Circumstances

Dharma-shAstra-s reflect the circumstances in which they were composed - these circumstances may not hold at present. Also see here]

“the entire enterprise of searching for a doctrine of oppression in negative statements regarding the shUdras in the MDS (../manu smRti) and allied texts is a rather misplaced venture. These texts are a product of a certain historical conflicts, where the brahma-kShatra alliance is merely seen to be defending its interests against competitors and threats (ie shUdra-s). Whether, their texts or their interpretations based on misunderstood terminologies were basis of social inequities, which are very natural in primate societies, is highly questionable.” [MT

  • Allowing changes in social roles and occupations.

“Parāśarasmṛti explains it best when it proclaims itself to be a dharma text for this yuga (kali). It specifies at P 11.50 that there are different dharmas prescribed for different ages, and that the good brahmin must not be censured for following the yuga-dharma. As the age is, so should the brahmin be.”

Allowance for decay

पराशर-माधवीये रुचिकर्म् उक्तम् अस्य व्याख्याने -

युगे युगे तु ये धर्मास्
तेषु तेषु च ये द्विजाः ॥ ५० ॥
तेषां निन्दा न कर्तव्या
युगरूपा हि ते द्विजाः ।

Accommodating taste-drift

Intended saMskAra (by dharma) and prakRti should not be too far apart - else the saMskRti will not gain ground.

“The influential dharma-shAstra-s (मनुः, याज्ञवल्क्यः …) expressly state that one should give up what was once deemed “dharma”, if it had become hateful to people, and if it would end in unhappiness. Note that it says लोकविकृष्ट/ लोकविद्विष्ट, not शिष्टविद्विष्ट, meaning that even if a few orthodox paNDita-s insist otherwise, people may give up practices hateful to them.” (PV kANe’s notes: KLok)

परित्यजेदर्थकामौ यौ
स्यातां धर्मवर्जितौ।
धर्मं चाप्य् असुखोदर्कं
लोकनिकृष्टम् एव च॥
-मनुः

परित्यजेदर्थकामौ
धर्मपीडाकरौ नृप।
धर्ममप्यसुखोदर्कं
लोकविद्विष्टमेव च॥

विष्णुपुराणं ३, ११, ७

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा
यत्नाद् धर्मं समाचरेत् ।
अस्वर्ग्यं लोकविद्विष्टं
धर्म्यं अप्याचरेन्न तु ॥ १.१५६ ॥

याज्ञ्यवल्क्यस्मृतौ।

Allowance for regional variations

  • मनुस्मृतिः -

“तस्मिन् देशे य आचारः
पारम्पर्यक्रमागतः
वर्णानां साऽन्तरालानां
स सदाचार उच्यते ।।२/१८।।”

Allowance for poor knowledge

Certain traditional practices stem from poor knowledge of the past age - including poor medical knowledge.

Examples -

  • भगवद्-आराधनं यावज् जलस्यापानम् इत्य् आचारः क्वचित् प्रसिद्धः। तत् प्रातश् शौचे मसृणतां रुणद्धि।
  • आपस्तम्बश् च - रजस्वलो रक्तदन्सत्यवादी स्यादिति हि ब्राह्मणम् ११
  • veShTi-s and uttarIya-s during dengue season?
  • Achamana straight from small bathing ponds?

एवं सन्ति दुराचाराः।

Elsewhere -

  • Knocking off front teeth as a saMskAra by Australian aborigines.
  • Lip and ear plates,

Mode of effecting fluidity

New shAstra-s

  • Reforms were effected not by new legislation, but by newer learned commentaries and even the rare smRti-s [eg. from south India - MT].

Recent attempts

Recent attempts at newer, formal revisions to the dharma-shAstra-s.

  • Works of vasiShTha gaNapati muni.
  • तत्त्वनिष्ठ-परिवर्तनवादि-परिषत् / धर्मनिर्णयमण्डलम् (1930-60) under the guidance of the learned kevalAnanda-sarasvatI (of Wai, Satara, MH), including eminent scholars like PV kANe, shrIdharashAstrI pAThaka/ shankarAnanda-bhAratI, sadAshivashAstrI bhiDe, DaftarI, JS karanDikar, prajnEneshvarayatI etc.. (HDh5) attempted to:
    • prepare simple model prayoga-s (sandhyA, sAmudAyika prayers, upanayana etc..).
      • This included the “hindUkaraNavidhi”, which involved a return to hinduism
    • widening of adhikAra-s and removal of outdated prohibitions
      • shUdra-s to receive the veda-s
      • removing the idea of pollution by shadow or touch (untouchability)
      • removing sa-gotra marriage restrictions, while keeping sa-piNDa restriction.
      • recasting saha-pankti-bhojanam to only account for vegetarianism
  • Kauṇḍinyasmṛti by pullela rAmachandruDu (2004)

Resorting to contradictions

  • There is a huge diversity of opinion (at times contradictory) among the dharmashAstra-writers.
  • All shaakhaas and all smRtis are authoritative to all (Mimaamsaa: SaakhaantaraadhikaraNam) with some rules for conflict resolution (eg. preference to one’s own shAkhA and smRti, greater regard to aachaara).

Managing disagreement

  • The schism of the liberals from powerful orthodoxy has led to betrayal and collapse in the past.
    • Examples
      • The betrayal of the yAdava empire by mahAnubhAva-s - seek here for more info.
      • Ambedkar’s close collaboration with the British rulers and role in dissuading them from leaving.
      • [Zoro1]
  • Modern orthodoxy: Practice of ways that are ancient in spirit, suitably adapted, while participating in contemporary enterprise. This is chief.
    • An essential bridge between liberalism and ultra-orthodoxy [Jew1].

Council decision

“When there are two contradictory scriptural provisions on some issue… tradition takes them both to be the law… for they have both been pronounced to be the law by wise men (manīṣibhiḥ) (M 2.14). And what happens when specific laws have not been laid down? Then a pariṣad, a legal assembly of learned people can be formed. Depending on their qualifications, this could consist of ten people, or five or four or three. Parāśara concurs at 8.7 and 11. However M 12.113 categorically states, “When even a single brahmin who knows the veda determines something as the law, it should be recognised as the highest law…”RB15

Amendments by shiShTa-s

  • Following learned, dharma-loving people of the age is another way of knowing dharma (in a way that might contradict or augment prior shAstra-recommendations).
  • Quotes

तर्कोऽप्रतिष्ठः श्रुतयो विभिन्नाः नैको मुनिर्यस्य वचः प्रमाणम् । धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायाम् महाजनो येन गतः स पन्थाः ॥ -व्यासः।

“ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः । अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तत्र वर्तेरन् । तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः । अथाभ्याख्यातेषु ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमार्शिनः । युक्ताः आयुक्ताः । अलूक्ष धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तेषु वर्तेरन् । तथा तेषु वर्तेथाः । एष आदेशः एष उपदेशः । एषा वेदोपनिषत् तदनुशासनम् । एवमुपासितव्यम् । एवं चैतदुपास्यम् ।”

इति तैत्तिरीयोपनिषत् ।

  • PS: This does not involve accepting omniscience of a particular yogi or jivanmukta. See bases/elders

Manifestation of fluidity in practice

  • An analysis of motivations in transgression of injunctions [KV16].
  • Widely ignored rules
    • Crossing the seas, going to kalinga, vanga etc.. - see here.

Giving up distasteful practices.

  • Several practices found even in the veda-s are rejected by later smRtikAra-s.
  • Reason given was that they were not suitable for this newer age (Eg: “kali-varjya”).
    • Eg. Cow sacrifice, niyoga, granting property to the eldest heir, being in sattra-s etc..
  • लोक-विद्विष्ट-धर्म-त्यागाद्य् अन्यत्रोक्तम् - subversion।

“In Manu, the killing of a cow is a lower order transgression (upapātaka), the prayaścitta for which is the same as if the perpetrator were to give instructions as, or receive instructions from a paid teacher, or cut down trees for firewood. (M 11.60-67. For the prayaścitta, see M 11.109-118) Compare Manu’s stance to an entire chapter in Parāśarasmṛti (Ch 9 gosevopadeśavarṇanam) on how to care for cows/cattle. … In forbidden foods, Manu does not mention beef even once. The only cow related product to be eschewed is colostrum (gavyam ca pīyūṣam at 5.6). By contrast, the later Parāśara is unequivocal. If the brahmin consumes beef, he must perform a severe penance to atone. (P 11.1)” RB15

Consideration of newer problems.

  • Barring new distasteful practices not previously barred.
    • Eg. smRtichandrikA bars marriage with mother’s sister/ daughter.

“Reflecting the leniency of Vasiṣṭhadharmasūtra, the 10th century Devalasmṛti, written in Sind [now dealing with the changed scenario of contact with and abductions by foreign invaders (mlecchaiḥ)] mandates that women taken by force are purified by abstaining from sexual intercourse and food for three nights. Even if they become pregnant and bear a child from the said abduction, they were as pure as gold after their menses resumed after the birth of the child."RB15

Expiations and punishments

  • Expiations (prāyaścitta-s) and punishments (daṇḍa-s) naturally changed with time.

“Prayaścitta (expiation) in the early dharmasūtra were limited mostly to recitation of Vedic hymns, fasts, and other austerities. Later texts like the Parāśarasmṛti (PS) include the worship of gods (as we know them today) to atone for transgressions. PS 6.7 states that a killer of certain birds can purify himself by showing reverence to Śiva (Śivapūjyaviśudhyati). The bali offering to Nārāyaṇa in the Vaiṣṇava Vaikhānasasmārtasūtram (10.9-10) again is evidence of how the worship of an iṣṭa god had become the norm. … Manu displays the decreasing importance of early prayaścitta like the aśvamedhayajña in statements like “A man who abstains from meat and a man who offers the horse sacrifice every year for a hundred years, the reward for their meritorious acts is the same.” (M 5.53)” RB15.

“Āpastamba outlines what noble conduct is in the gambling hall (Ā 2.25.12-14).. Manu, however, feels the need to suppress it with violence, including execution for gamblers. (M 9.221-228) “RB15.

अतिक्रमः

In samAdhi and mokSha, dharma laws don’t apply.

दृष्टानुश्रविक-विषय-वितृष्णस्य परमात्मैक-रतेः पुरुषस्य कृत्यानुष्ठाने प्रयोजनाभावो
ऽकृत्य-करणे प्रत्यवायाभावश् च प्रतिपाद्यत इति यद् उच्यते;
… तत एव “हत्वाऽपि स इमाल्ँ लोकान्” [18।17] इत्यादेर् अपि
वक्ष्यमाणस्यात्रोदाहृतस्यान्यविषयत्व-स्थापनात्।
अथ चेत् समाधि-दशायां कर्तव्यान्तराभावो
ऽस्मिन् श्लोकद्वये विवक्षित इत्य् अभिप्रायः;
तदा तु मुक्त-दशायाम् इव विरोधाभावाद् अभ्यनुजानीमः।

इति तात्पर्य-चन्द्रिकायां वेदान्तदेशिकः।

This is a double edged sword, and should be very carefully allowed/ accepted.

Examples:

  • “अत्र वेदा अवेदाः।” - बृहदारण्यकोपनिषत्तः जनकयाज्ञवल्क्यसंवादात् शङ्करेण उद्धृतं वाक्यम् छान्दोग्योपनिषद्भाष्ये (गणेशः)।
  • यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके तावान् सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ।BG 2:46। (For a knower of Brahman, the Supreme Truth, there is as much profit from all the Vedas as there is profit from reservoirs where all around there is an inundation and flood of waters.)
  • The“knowing indra” textfrom chapter 3 of kaushitaki-upaniShad [arch].