Smritis - not Independent Works from Hindu Dharma

[Guest guest]

Smritis - not Independent Works from Hindu Dharma

 

There is a wrong impression about the dharmasastras even among

those who treat them with respect. They think that the rules and duties

of the Smrtis were formulated by their authors on their own. They call

these authors "lawgivers" who, in their opinion, laid down "laws" that

reflect their own views. Further they think that the dharmasastras were

composed in the same way as our Constitution. Such a view give rise to

another idea. We keep amending the Constitution whenever we find that

it stands in the way of certain measures being introduced. It is asked,

on the same logic, why the dharmasastras too should not be changed

according to the beliefs and ideas of the present times.

 

People ask me :"Why should not the sastras be changed to suit the

times? The government changes its laws, does it not? " They sing my

praises and tell me: "You are like the sages, the authors of the Smrtis.

If only you make up your mind you can change the Smrtis to suit our

times. " In effect what they respectfully suggest is this: "Please change

the sastras as we would like them to be changed. "

 

If the Smrtis really represent the views of the authors there is nothing

wrong in what these people think about them and about what they want

me to do about them. But those who want the dharmasastras changed

do not see to know that they (the Smrtis) do not reflect the view of the

sages who composed them. What the authors of the Smrtis have done

is to present us in an orderly fashion what is already contained in the

Vedas. The Vedic word cannot and must not be changed at any time

and on any account. The same applies to the rules and laws laid down

in the Smrtis.

 

I may not be capable enough, or worthy enough, to persuade you to live

according to the sastras. But changing them is certainly not my

function. I have been installed here (in the Matha) to make people

perform their duties and rites. That is according to the command of the

Acarya. I do not possess the authority to revise the sastras according

to what is felt to be convenient to the present times or what is in

keeping with the new beliefs.

 

If the sages had created the Smrtis on their own, to represent their own

views, there would be no compulsion to accept them. If the Smrtis are

not needed we could reject them outright. If their contents are not based

on the Vedas and include rules and directions that reflect the views of

the authors, then we can do without them. In this way so many people

have written down so much about so many things. We too may write

down whatever comes to our mind. The Smrtis must be looked upon as

an authority for today and tomorrow and for all time because they are

founded on the Vedas. But what is the proof for this claim?

http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part15/chap6.htm

[Guest guest]

People ask me :"Why should not the sastras be changed to suit the times? The

government changes its laws, does it not? " They sing my praises and tell me:

"You are like the sages, the authors of the Smrtis. If only you make up your

mind you can change the Smrtis to suit our times. " In effect what they

respectfully suggest is this: "Please change the sastras as we would like them

to be changed. "

[Guest guest]

Good Point. If you want to bring this up with the authors, this is

their webpage. http://www.kamakoti.org/