Mimamsasutra 3.2.2-2

3.2.2-2

"aṣṭakāḥ kartavyāḥ" ityādi smṛtivākyaṃ na dharme pramāṇama , pauruṣeyavākyatve sati mūlapramāṇarahitatvāt , vipralambhakavākyatvāt | atha mūlapramāṇavattvāya vedārtha eva smṛtiranarthā syāt | tadānīmanuvādakatvādaprāmāṇyamiti prāpte - brūmaḥ -- ’ vimatā smṛtirvedamūlā, vaidikamanvādipraṇītasmṛtitvāt , upanayānādhyayanādismṛtivat ’ | na ca vaiyarthye śaṅkanīyam | asmadādīnāṃ pratyakṣeṣu parokṣeṣu caṃ nānāvedeṣu viprakīrṇasyānuṣṭheyārthasyaikatra saṃkṣipyamāṇatvāt | tasmādiyaṃ smṛtidharme pramāṇam || 1 ||

Tradition statements such as "The Aṣṭakā rites are to be performed" are not a means of valid cognition regarding dharma, because, being human statements, they lack a foundational means of valid cognition, like the statement of a deceiver. Now, to have a foundational means of valid cognition, if it is only the meaning of the Veda, tradition would be useless. Then, since it is merely reiterative, it lacks validity. When this is obtained, we say: Tradition under discussion has the Veda as its foundation, because it is a tradition composed by Vedic sages such as Manu, like the tradition on initiation, study, and so forth. Nor should uselessness be suspected. For the rites to be performed, dispersed across various Vedas directly accessible or inaccessible to persons like us, are condensed in one place. Therefore, this tradition is a means of valid cognition regarding dharma. 1.