Manava Dharmashastra 2.6.11

2.6.11

na ca vidheyaṃ dravyaguṇādi arthavādebhyaḥ pratīyata iti prakārāntareṇa vidheyārthastāvakatvena taccheṣatāṃ pratipadyante | tadapi tatra pratīyata eva | itthaṃ nāma paśuyāgaḥ kartavyo yadasatsu paśuṣu gatyantarābhāvātprajāpatinā''tmaiva paśutvena kalpito vapā cotkhitvā | yatastatsahitānyeva vidhāyakāni yatrārthavādāḥ santi | yadyapi tairvinā'pi bhavati vidhyarthāvagatiḥ, vidhyuddeśādeva "vasantāya kapiñjalānālabhata" iti, tathāpi na teṣāmānarthakyam | teṣu hi satsu na kevalādavagatiḥ | na ca kenacitkṛte vedo yenocyate 'yathā'nyatra na santi tathātrāpi mā bhūvan' | tatsvarthavādeṣvasmābhirgatirvaktavyā | sā coktā | na cāyamalaukiko'rthaḥ | loke'pi hi stutipadāni dṛśyante vidhiśeṣabhūtānyeva | yathā bhṛtidāne pravṛttasya svāminaḥ kaścidbhṛtakaḥ prītyā''caṣṭe sādhurdevadatto nityasannihitaḥ paricaryābhūmijñastatparaśceti | ato vidheyārthastutidvāreṇārthavādā vidhāyakā eva | tathā kacidarthavādādeva vidheyaviśeṣāvagatiḥ | yathā "aktāḥ śarkarā upadadhāti" | atra hyañjanasādhanaṃ sarpistailādi yatkiñcidvidhinā'pekṣitam | "tejo vai ghṛtam" ityarthavāde ghṛtastutyā ghṛtamadhyavasīyate | "evaṃ pratitiṣṭhanti ya etā rātrīrupayantīti" rātrisatreṣvarthavādādadhikārāvagamaḥ | tasmādarthavādā api dharmamūlam |

This ‘Veda’ is the ‘root,’ i.e., source, cause, of dharma, in the sense that it makes it known, and it does this by means chiefly of such passages in the Brāhmaṇas as contain injunctive expressions; sometimes also by means of Mantras. And the other parts of the Veda—the Arthavāda or Declamatory Passages—have their use in eulogising what is enjoined by the corresponding injunction; Mantras and names help in indicating the details of the acts prescribed.