Manava Dharmashastra 2.6.12

2.6.12

mantrāstu kecidvidhāyakā eva | yathā "vasantāya kapiñjalāniti" | āghāre devatāvidhirmāntravarṇika eva | na hi tatra devatā karmotpattivākye śrutā nāpi vākyāntareṇa vihitā | mantrastu vihito niyuktaḥ "ita indra" ityādiḥ | ato'smānmantravarṇāddevatāpratipattiḥ | sahasraśaśca māntravarṇikā devatāvidhayaḥ santi | ye'pyanye kriyamāṇānuvā dinaste'pi smṛtitattvaṇaṃ dharmameva buddhaṃ kurvantīti bhavanti dharmamūlamanuṣṭheyārthaprakāśanena | nāma tvākhyātādyabhinnārthamākhyātādyarthavatsuprasiddhadharmamūlabhāvam | guṇavidhayaśca prāyaśo nāmāśraya eva | "śaradi vājapeyena yajeta svārājyakāmo vājapeyeneti" | tasmātsiddhaṃ kṛtsnasya vedasya dharmamūlatvam | anye tu śyenādivākyānāṃ dharmotpattimasvabhāvamāśaṅkamānā niṣedhānāṃ ca "na laśunaṃ bhakṣayedi" tyādīnāmakhilagrahaṇaṃ manyante | "abhicārā hi śyenādayo māraṇātmāno hiṃsārūpāḥ | krūratvācca hiṃsāyā abhicārāṇāṃ ca pratiṣedhādadharmatvam | ato na kṛtsno vedo dharmamūlam | kartavyaśca dharma uktaḥ | brahmahatyādiśca na kartavyaḥ | ataḥ kathaṃ tadvākyāni dharmamūlaṃ syuḥ ? kiñca ye'pi paśuyāgā agnīṣomīyādyaste'pi hiṃsāsādhakatvādūrāpetadharmabhāvāḥ | hiṃsā hi pāpamiti sarvapravādeṣvabhyupagamaḥ | uktaṃ ca 'yatra prāṇivadho dharmastatra kīdṛśaḥ' | kathaṃ punariyamāśaṅkā'panudyate ? akhilagrahaṇāt | na hyasyānyatprayojanamasti | heturnokta iti cedāgamagrantho'yaṃ siddhamarthamāha | hetvarthino mīmāṃsāto vinīyante | asmābhiruktaṃ ya āgamamātreṇa pratiyanti tānpratyaṃtaducyate | vivaraṇakārāstu yuktileśamātraṃ darśayanti |

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.