History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.698

v4.c63.t2.698

It has been stated above (pp. 865-866) that one of the several ways in which the conflict between several smṛti texts was got over was to hold some of them as legislating for a bygone age (yugāntara). For example, when Hārīta allowed upanayana to women, both the Sm. C. (I. 24) and Par. M. (I. 2. p. 83) hold that the text refers to another *kalpa* (aeon). In H. of Dh. vol. II. (on pp. 151, 162, 424, 451, 603, 612, 620, 750, 790, 796, 928, 929, 934, 953, 1005 n, 1201 n) reference has been made to several matters forbidden in the Kali age. It is remarkable in this connection to note that, though the Parāśarasmṛti (in I. 24) claims *par excellence* to lay down the dharmas for the Kali age, several important provisions contained in it, viz. the remarriage of a married woman¹⁷³⁰ (Parāśara IV. 30), the variation in the period of impurity due to births and deaths depending on the learning and character of a brāhmaṇa (Parāśara III. 5-6), permission for a brāhmaṇa to partake of the food of five classes among śūdras (XI. 21) are included among Kalivarjyas by the Ādityapurāṇa (as quoted by writers of the 12th and later centuries). It is necessary, therefore, to investigate into the origin and development of the Yuga theory and of the topic of Kalivarjya.