The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c21.2

v1.c21.2

THE general period of the Sūtras extends from the sixth or seventh century before Christ to about the second century. It is evident that the different Vedic schools had Sūtras which were revised, or replaced by new Sūtras, at various periods, and that some of these extended into later centuries than others. Thus it would be a mistake to limit all the Sūtras of all the schools to certain centuries. The Sūtras are manuals of instruction; and those which are of interest historically formed but a part of a large volume, which was intended primarily for the guidance of religious teachers and treated mainly of the sacrifice and other religious matters. Except for students of ceremonial details these sacrificial works (Çrauta Sūtras) are of no interest. What concerns us at present is that portion of the whole which goes by the name of Gṛihya and Dharma Sūtras, that is, manuals of conduct in domestic and social relations. In some cases the rules given in these two divisions are identical; and the two divisions are treated in such a way as to condense one division for the sake of not repeating directions given in the other. For our purpose they may be regarded as forming one body containing rules of life not especially connected with the performance of the greater sacrifices. They differ mainly as representing the views of different schools on minute points or as products of different parts of the country, and as earlier or later opinions. All of them claim to be based upon Vedic teaching. Thus the Gṛihya and Dharma Sūtras of Āpastamba form but a few chapters of a work called the Kalpa, of which twenty-four chapters teach the proper performance of sacrifice and only two treat of the sacred law, while one abridged chapter gives the rules for the performance of domestic ceremonies. Again this special ‘law-book’ is not a law-book having universal application, but is a product of a Vedic school belonging to the Andhras in the south-east of India; and, thirdly, it combats some of the opinions expressed by writers on the same subject. Somewhat similar conditions prevail in the case of the other Sūtras.