History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s21.22

v1.c6.s21.22

The whole of the Yājñavalkya-smṛti is written in the classical Anuṣṭubh metre. Though the author's great aim has been to be concise, his verses are hardly ever obscure. The style is flowing and direct. There are not many un-Pāṇinian expressions, though he employs ‘pūjya’ in I. 293 and ‘dūṣya’ in II. 296. In the latter case both Viśvarūpa and Aparārka avoid the fault by reading differently. The verse ‘kulāni jātayaḥ śreṇyo’ is ungrammatical (Tri. ed. II. 34), as ‘jāti’, and ‘śreṇi’ must be in the accusative case. According to the Mit. Yājñavalkya addressed his words to Sāmaśravas and other sages (vide com. on I. 1. 178 and 330-333). In this the Mit. is probably drawing upon the Bṛ. Up. (III. 1. 2) where Yāj. asks Sāmaśravas to take away the 1000 cows. The sages interpose (vide III. 118, 129) as in Manu, while the great teacher is passing in review one topic after another. The teacher himself addresses his auditors (as in I. 178 ‘śruṇudhvam’).