History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s72.5

v1.c6.s72.5

Hemādri's is a standard work on the subjects with which he deals. He quotes most profusely from smṛtis and purāṇas and names a host of writers. He appears to have been a profound student of the Pūrvamīmāṁsā. The discussions in his work, particularly on śrāddha and kāla, cannot be well understood without thorough acquaintance with the numerous *nyāyas* of the mīmāṁsā which he employs at every step. To illustrate this a few instances may be cited at random. On pp. 137, 143, 156, 159, of his kālanirṇaya (vol. III part 2) he makes use of four different nyāyas of the *mīmāṁsā*.⁸⁴¹ The eminent commentators and *nibandhakāras* on dharmaśāstra and other works named by him are given below.⁸⁴² It is somewhat remarkable that though he quotes Aparārka and the Smṛti-candrikā scores of times he hardly ever mentions by name the Mitākṣarā of Vijñāneśvara. Though he does not promise a treatment of vyavahāra, here and there he makes sallies into the domain of vyavahāra. For example, he quotes the well-known sūtra of Gautama (10. 39) on the sources of ownership and holds a lengthy discussion thereon.⁸⁴³ In another place he digresses into the question of the various kinds of *strīdhana* and their devolution (vol. III, part 1, pp. 530-531). He was of opinion that everyone, to whatever *śākhā* he may belong, should perform śrāddha in accordance with the directions thereon in all śākhās, kalpa and gṛhya sūtras, smṛtis, purāṇas and usages.⁸⁴⁴ He makes the important statement⁸⁴⁵ that a person following any particular Vedic śākhā may enter into alliance by marriage with any other person of the same country following another Vedic śākhā.