History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.1041

v4.c63.1041

¹⁰²⁷ The Mit. (on Yāj. II. 114) quotes a passage of Prabhākara on the *lipsāsūtra* and explains it. Jaimini's sūtra (IV. 1. 2) is **यस्मिन्प्रीतिः पुरुषस्य तस्य लिप्साऽर्थलक्षणाऽविभक्तत्वात्**. In this sūtra the word *lipsā* occurs. Therefore this is called *lipsāsūtra*. The words **अर्जनं स्वत्वं नापादयतीति विप्रतिषिद्धं** occur in the Dāyabhāga also (II. 67 p. 49) and in Medhātithi on Manu VIII. 417. These words are quoted in the Mit. as taken from Prabhākara (called *Guru*) and so it follows that even Medhātithi quotes from Prabhākara. The earliest extant commentary of Śabara offers three explanations of this sūtra, which deals with the question of what is *kratvartha* and what is *puruṣārtha*. The third explanation concerns itself with the rules about acquiring wealth (which is necessary for performing every sacrifice) such as acceptance of gifts in the case of brāhmaṇas. The question is whether these rules about the means of acquiring wealth are kratvartha or puruṣārtha. If they are the former (i. e., if they are meant to be directly connected with the sacrifice) then a sacrifice performed with wealth not acquired according to the rules of śāstra will be defective or a nullity. But if the rules are puruṣārtha (i. e. addressed to the sacrificer only or to his conscience and sense of dharma) then even if the sacrifice is performed with wealth not acquired in accordance with śāstra there will be no defect in the sacrifice itself, only the acquirer will be at fault and may have to perform prāyaścitta. Says Śabara: **एवं वा द्रव्यार्जनमुदाहरणम्। इह द्रव्यार्जनं तैस्तैर्नियमैः श्रूयते । ब्राह्मणस्य प्रतिग्रहादिना राजन्यस्य जयादिना वैश्यस्य कृष्यादिना । तत्र सन्देहः किं क्रत्वर्थो द्रव्यपरिग्रह उत पुरुषार्थ इति ।** The Mit. points out that in the plausible view (pūrvapakṣa) and the established conclusion (siddhānta) it is assumed that acquisition of wealth by acceptance of gift is a matter known from worldly usage (*lokasiddha*). The comment of Prabhākara (called Guru) on this sūtra is not yet available in print. The Sm. C. II. pp. 257-258, the Madanaratna, and V. P. p. 420 quote a passage from the Nayaviveka of Bhavanātha on the same subject and explain it. The मदनरत्न says '**उक्तं चैतन्नयविवेके प्रभाकरमताम्बुजप्रभाकरेण भवनाथेन । लोकसिद्धं वा अर्जनं जन्मादि । अत एवानिदंप्रथमलोकधीविषयतया स्थिते निबन्धनाथौ (=विषयतया व्यवस्थितनिबन्धनाथौ ?) स्मृतिव्याकरणादिस्मृतिवत्.**' The passage as printed in V. P. p. 420 (**अत एवानिन्द्यं प्रथमलोकधीविषयव्यवस्थितं तन्निबन्धनाथौ स्मृतिः**) is corrupt and hardly makes any sense. The V. Mayūkha simply refers to Bhavanātha without quoting him. The वि. ता. (folio 98) remarks '**मीमांसकैस्तुक्तं प्रतिग्रहादिनियमानां पुरुषार्थत्वं तेन विना अर्जितद्रव्ये पुरुषस्यैव दोषः क्रतुसिद्धिर्भवत्येव ।**' Vide H. of Dh. vol. II. pp. 129-130 for quotations from several smṛtis laying down various means of livelihood. Manu X. 115 enumerates seven sources of wealth as sanctioned by śāstra viz. finding (of treasure), *dāya* (inheritance), purchase, conquest, lending for interest, work (agriculture and trade), acceptance of a gift from a worthy person and in X. 116 mentions ten means of maintaining oneself (in distress). The Mahābhāṣya (vol. I. p. 483) on Pāṇ. II. 3. 50 states that a thing becomes one's own in four ways viz. by purchase, by seizure, by begging or by exchange '**यदेतत्स्वं नाम चतुर्भिरतत्कारैर्भवति क्रयणादपहरणाद्याच्ञाया विनिमयादिति.**' It must be remembered that the enumeration of the means of acquiring property in the dharmaśāstra works is not exhaustive but only illustrative.