History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.356.1

v7.c93.356.1

This whole subject about Smṛtis according to the views of the Mīmāṁsakas has been dealt with at great length by the author in H. of Dh. vol. III. pp 827-841. Therefore, only a few examples and conclusions may be mentioned here. Śabara himself proposes that PMS I. 3. 4²⁰⁵⁰ should form a separate *Adhikaraṇa* by itself and puts forward an important maxim viz. where one can find out or ascribe a visible motive for an act one should not postulate an unseen Vedic text or a transcendental motive.²⁰⁵¹ The result of Śabara's dealing with PMS I 3 3-4 is neatly put by the Śāstradīpikā as follow; Smṛti rules that are opposed to Śruti rules and such smṛti provisions as can be shown to have a clear worldly motive are not authoritative or binding, while the rest of smṛti texts are authoritative. This doctrine is older than the Āp Dh S (I 4 10. 12) which provides 'where men act because they find pleasure in doing that act there Śāstra has no scope' Kumārila does not agree with Śabara. He says that visible and invisible or spiritual motives are often inextricably mixed up. 'Unhusking rice grains' has a visible purpose in order that they may be well boiled and the boiled rice may be offered in a sacrifice. In this act then there is a visible purpose and yet this act is prescribed by the Veda. In a trenchant, finely worded and very accommodating passage redolent of a cosmopolitan outlook and the desire to give even the devil his due, Kumārila examines (in pp.