History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.97
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.97
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The Mīmāṁsāsūtra does not state how much of the Veda has to be studied before one enters on understanding the meaning of it. Here the Smṛtis come to one's help. Gautama II. 51-53 prescribes several options viz. twelve years for one Veda or 12 years for each of the four vedas or so long as he can commit to memory (one Veda). Manu III. 1-2 are similar *viz.* one should study vedas for 36 years under a guru or for 18 years or nine years or for as many years as would be required for committing Veda to memory and they permit the option of studying the three Vedas or two Vedas or one Veda Yāj. I. 36 remarks that Vedic studenthood lasts 12 years for each Veda or five (for each Veda) or some sages say for as many years as the student would require to master (one Veda or more). But even these prescriptions must have been rather a tall order for many brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Further, the Mīmāṁsā requires that not only should a person of the three *varṇas* (classes) study the Veda but he must also engage in understanding its meaning. On PMS I. 1. 1 Śabara states that the venerable Yājñikas do not ¹⁹¹⁸ declare that rewards result from the mere study (memorizing) of the Veda and that where the Vedic texts appear to assign a reward for the mere memorizing of Veda they are merely arthavādas (intended only to praise Veda study), as in Tai. Ār. II.
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15 which states¹⁹¹⁹ 'whatever (vedic texts about a), sacrifice he memorizes the result is that he, as it were actually performs that, and he secures absorption into (or communion with) Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya. The Tai. Up. I. 9 attaches the greatest importance to *svādhyāya* (memorizing the Veda) and *pravacana* (teaching it or expounding it) and after stating the views of two sages cites the view of Nāka Maudgalya that svādhyāya and pravacana are the most important to be resorted to or striven for, though ṛta, satya, dama, śama, agnihotra, hospitality and others may be combined with them, the reason being that those two constitute *tapas*. The PMS in III. 8. 18 (jñāte ca vācanam na hy-avidvān vihitosti) provides that only he who knows the Veda has adhikāra for performing sacrifices. Śabara¹⁹²⁰ raises the question how much of the Veda must a man know in order to be entitled to perform a vedic sacrifice and replies that he must have memorized as much of the veda as would enable him to carry to its completion the vedic sacrifice undertaken by him. The Tantravārtika on the same sūtra adds that the whole veda is to be studied during the period of studenthood, but if anyone is unable to memorize the whole veda, but somehow only the portion on Agnihotra and Darśa-pūrṇamāsa, then it cannot be said that he has no adhikāra for performing those two. To memorize the Veda and also to study its meaning was a formidable task.
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Many verses of the Veda had a threefold application with reference to sacrifices (adhi-yajña), with reference to the deities (adhidaivata or adhidaiva) and adhyātma (with reference to the spiritual or metaphysical meaning). Vide Nir. III. 12 (where Ṛg. I. 164. 21 is explained in two ways, adhidaivata and adhyātma), X. 26 (where Ṛg. X. 82 2 is explained in two ways, adhidaivata and adhyātma), XI. 4 (where Ṛg. X. 85. 3 is explained in adhiyajña and adhidaivata ways), XII. 37 (where Vāj. S. 34. 55 is explained in the adhi-daivata and adhyātma ways), XII 38 (where Atharva X. 8. 9 is explained in adhidaivata and adhyātma ways). Manu (VI. 83) lays down the *japa* (muttering) of Veda of the adhiyajña, ādhidaivika and ādhyātmika types. Manu I. 23 and Vedāṅga-jyotiṣa say that the mantras of the three vedas were drawn from Agni, Vāyu and Sūrya for the carrying out of yajñas. Viśva-rūpa on Yāj. I. 51¹⁹²¹ explains the words 'vedam vratāni vā pāram nītvā' as memorizing the Veda and completely understanding its meaning and not merely memorizing it. Dakṣa says that Vedābhyāsa (study of the Veda) comprehends 'five¹⁹²² matters viz. first memorizing it, reflection over it, constant repetition of it, *japa* and imparting it to pupils. These were ideals attained by a few persons only, while most brāhmaṇas generally rested content with memoriznig one Veda or a portion of it.