History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s33: 46. Pracetas
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s33
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46. Pracetas
v1.c6.s33.1
Pracetas finds a place among the sages enumerated by Parāśara though not in Yājñavalkya. In both Mit. and Aparārka there are passages in prose and verse ascribed to Pracetas on daily duties, śrāddha, aśauca, prāyaścitta. The Mit. (on Yāj. III. 27) quotes a verse from Pracetas saying that workmen, artisans, physicians, male and female slaves, kings, royal officers have not to observe periods of impurity⁴⁴¹ (on death). This verse is cited as a smṛti by Medhātithi on Manu V. 60 without ascribing it to Pracetas. So Medhātithi looked upon Pracetas as equally authoritative with Manu, Viṣṇu and others.
v1.c6.s33.2
⁴⁴¹ कारवः शिल्पिनो वैद्या दासीदासा तथैव च । राजानो राजभृत्याश्च सद्यःशौचाः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥
v1.c6.s33.3
The Mit. (on Yāj. III 20, 263-64), Haradatta (on Gautama 22. 18) and Aparārka frequently cite verses from Bṛhat-Pracetas on āśauca and prāyaścitta. The Mit. and Aparārka also quote verses on the same topics from Vṛddha-Pracetas.
v1.c6.s33.4
A few prose quotations from Pracetas are noted in the Smṛticandrikā and by Haradatta (on Gautama 23. 1).
Linked texts (3)
- Yājñavalkyasmṛti — Yājñavalkya, Sanskrit
- Gautamadharmasūtra — Gautama (dharmasūtrakāra), Sanskrit
- Mānava Dharmaśāstra — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit