History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.525

v4.c63.t2.525

We have to distinguish between what are called the sources (*mūla* or *pramāṇa*) of dharma and the *sthānas* of dharma (Yāj. I. 3 and 7).¹⁶¹⁰ The former indicate to the inquiring spirit what dharma is (i.e. they are what are called *jñāpaka hetu*), while the latter must be studied as aids by the expounders of dharma in order to correctly grasp what dharma is, i.e. the different lores (other than Veda and smṛti) are not directly the sources of dharma, but are only mediately so. This distinction is an ancient one as even Gautama XI. 19 provides that the king is helped in his administration of justice by the Veda, the dharmaśāstras, the auxiliary lores (aṅgas), the Upavedas and the Purāṇa.¹⁶¹¹