A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so far as it illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans c8.69

c8.69

That Sûtras, even where they contain Vedânga-doctrines, are distinctly excluded from the Śruti, may be seen from the following passage. In the Tantra-vârttika (1. 3.), Kumârila says, “There is a great as the Dharma-sûtras, i. 3. 9. स्मृतिवं लंगानां धर्मसूत्राणां चाविशिष्टं॥ यद्यपि स्मृतिशब्देन नांगानानामभिधेयता। तथाप्येषां न शास्त्रत्वप्रमाणलनिराक्रिया॥ Mahâdeva, in his Commentary on the Hiraṇyakeśi-sûtras, says distinctly, सूत्रेषु स्मृतिवं स्मृत्यधिकरणे स्थितं। तत्सूत्रकारेणैवोकं न्यायवित्समय इति मीमांसासिद्धान्तस्वीकारदर्शनेन॥ difference between the Kalpa-sûtras, which teach the performance of sacrifices enjoined by the Vedas, such as we now possess them, and the Smritis, which derive their authority from parts of the Veda that have either disappeared or are dispersed, or the existence of which can be proved by induction only. It is easier, therefore, to establish the authority of the Kalpa-sûtras than that of the Smritis. The objections which have been raised against the authority of the Smritis, and which had to be removed by us before, cannot be thought of with regard to the Kalpa-sûtras, not even if it were only for argument's sake.¹ The question, therefore, is only this, whether the Kalpa-sûtras have the same authority as the Veda, or whether they merely derive their authority from it. As the Veda is called 'shaḍanga,' 'having six members,' these six members, and amongst them the Kalpa-sûtras, might seem to be implied by the common name of Veda. This, however, would be wrong²; for the Kalpa-sûtras, as is well-known, are composed by human authors like Maśaka, &c. They do not take their names, like the Kâthaka and other Śâkhâs of the Veda, from those by whom they were proclaimed, but from their real authors. It is true, no doubt, that the authors of the Kalpa-sûtras have the name of Rishis, and it might be said that as Śiśu Ângirasa was not the author of the Śaiśava hymns in the Sâmaveda, the Kalpa-sûtras too were not composed, but only proclaimed, by those whose names they bear, particularly as there are even Brâhmaṇas, for instance those of the Aruṇa and Parâśara-śâkhâ, which have nearly the same form as the Kalpa-sûtras. Nevertheless, nothing can be more mistaken than the opinion of those who would put the Kalpa-sûtras on the same footing as the Veda, because people who teach and learn the Kalpa-sûtras know that there was a time when these works did not exist, and that they were composed by certain authors like Maśaka, Baudhâyana, Âpastamba, Âśvalâyana, Kâtyâyana, and others.”¹ They are drawn, as he