History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.116

v7.c93.116

That is, 'codanās' (vedic hortatory texts) are the pramāna (means of knowledge) about dharma and whatever is laid down by hortatory vedic texts is dharma (i. e. Dharmasvarūpa). The relation of Dharma to the Veda and the Pūrvamīmāṁsā-śāstra is clearly and succinctly brought out in a verse of Kumārila himself as follows:¹⁹³³ "When discussion about the correct knowledge of Dharma is being carried on, Veda being the means of such knowledge, mīmāṁsā will supply complete information about the subject of the procedure or method" Just as even if a man has good sight he cannot perceive anything unless there is light, so unless a man knows the methods laid down by PMS he cannot correctly judge what Dharma is. Jaimini then examines the means of knowledge (pramānas) and holds that except *śabda* (i. e the Veda) there is no means of knowledge about Dharma. One cannot perceive directly what Dharma is i. e. Dharma is not *pratyakṣa*. All the other pramānas except śabda are based on pratyaksa and therefore they cannot define or explain what Dharma is According to Kumārila there are six pramānas, pratyaksa (direct perception), anumāna (inference), upamāna (analogy), śabda, arthāpatti and abhāva (non-existence) Prabhākara does not accept the last as a pramāna.