History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s43: 56. Hārīta

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s43

Language: English

56. Hārīta

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The verse quotations from Hārīta on topics of vyavahāra deserve some treatment. He defines vyavahāra as that whereby the recovery of one's own wealth and the avoidance of (doing) the duties peculiar to another (caste or class) are effected in due course of law.⁴⁹⁶ He further says that that judicial proceeding is proper which is based on the dictates of dharmaśāstra and arthaśāstra, which is in conformity with the usages of respectable people and which is free from fraud.⁴⁹⁷ Hārīta calls upon the king to know the śāstras, the duties of the varṇas and of the lowest castes.⁴⁹⁸ He like Nārada said that vyavahāra had four aspects, each succeeding one prevailing against the preceding one⁴⁹⁹, viz., dharma, vyavahāra, caritra, nṛpājñā. He attached the greatest importance to writing and said that a transaction consigned to writing is effective even after great lapse of time and that he who has a writing in his hands is entitled to possession (probably in cases of mortgages and pledges).⁵⁰⁰ He lays down very elaborate rules about the requisites and defects of plaints, about summoning the defendant, about the contents, faults and kinds of the defendant's reply, and about the burden of proof.⁵⁰¹ He protects long possession of property even if it originated without title provided it had lasted for three generations.⁵⁰² He says that title is the decisive factor as to various kinds of possession, viz., when possession is forcibly taken by soldiers and freebooters, when a thing is stolen or kept concealed, when it was delivered through affection and friendship or when it was lent on hire, or when it was handed over for wearing or safe custody or was borrowed through friendship.⁵⁰³ To illustrate the relation of title and possession he uses a very apt figure, viz. just as a branch cannot be seen expanding in the sky unless it is supported by the roots, so title is the root and possession is its offshoot. According to him sureties are of five kinds,⁵⁰⁴ abhaya (for keeping the peace), pratyaya (for confidence), dāna (return of money or carrying out one's obligations), upasthāna (return of money lent on pledge) and darśana (for appearance). He prescribed an absolute tutelage for women as regards the giving away of the husband's wealth and allowed only maintenance to a young widow of improper conduct.⁵⁰⁵ But Hārīta was humane in his treatment of even erring wives. He does not allow a husband to cast adrift an adulterous wife and prescribes that she should be given food to keep body and soul together and bare clothes.⁵⁰⁶

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⁴⁹⁶ स्वधनस्य यथा प्राप्तिः परधर्मस्य वर्जनम् । न्यायेन यत्र क्रियते व्यवहारः स उच्यते ॥ स्मृतिच०.

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⁴⁹⁷ धर्मशास्त्रार्थशास्त्रोक्तः शिष्टाचारादिलक्षणः। छलेन च व्यपेतो यः व्यवहारः स धार्मिकः ॥ स्मृतिच०.

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⁴⁹⁸ शास्त्राणि सर्वधर्मांस्तु प्रकृतीनां च भूपतिः। व्यवहारस्वरूपं च ज्ञात्वा तत्सर्वमाचरेत् ॥ स्मृतिच०.

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⁴⁹⁹ धर्मेण व्यवहारेण चरित्रेण नृपाज्ञया । चतुष्पाद् व्यवहारोयमुत्तरः पूर्वबाधकः ॥ सरस्वतीविलास p. 58 (Mysore ed.). Vide नारद (Intro. chap. verse 10).

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⁵⁰⁰ सुदीर्घेणापि कालेन लिखितः सिद्धिमाप्नुयात् । स्मृतिच०; लेख्यं यस्य भवेद्धस्ते भोगं तस्य विनिर्दिशेत् । अपरार्क on या. II. 90.

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⁵⁰¹ Vide मिता. on या. II. 6 and 7.

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⁵⁰² अन्यायेनापि यद्भुक्तं पित्रा भ्रात्राथवापि च । न तच्छक्यं पराहर्तुं तृतीयं समुपागतम् ॥ स्मृतिच०; 'यद्विनागममत्यन्तं भुक्तं पूर्वैस्त्रिभिर्भवेत् । न तच्छक्यमपाहर्तुं क्रमात्त्रिपुरुषागतम्' ॥ मिता. on या. II. 27.

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⁵⁰³ भटचाटबलाद्भुक्तं हृतं गुप्तमथापि वा । स्नेहप्रणयदत्तं च प्रदत्तं भाटकेन वा ॥ तथा वसनरक्षार्थं याचितं प्रणयेन वा । एवं बहुविधे भोगे आगमो निर्णयः स्मृतः ॥ न मूलेन बिना शाखा अन्तरिक्षे प्ररोहति । आगमस्तु भवेन्मूलं भुक्तिः शाखा प्रकीर्तिता ॥ स्मृतिच०.

Linked texts (6)

Hāritasmṛti (Laghu- and Vṛddha-Hārīta) — Hārīta, Sanskrit
Bṛhaspatismṛti — Bṛhaspati, Sanskrit
Kātyāyanasmṛti — Kātyāyana (smṛtikāra), Sanskrit
Nāradasmṛti — Nārada, Sanskrit
Sarasvatīvilāsa — Pratāparudradeva, Sanskrit
Smṛticandrikā (Āpadeva) — Āpadeva 1600, Sanskrit