1.3. Sources of Dharma

[Full title: (A) The distinctive religious features of the Devala-Smriti; (I) Dharma; (3) Sources of Dharma].

The sources of Dharma are the vedas, vedangas, smrtis & Itihasas according to Devala (1 to 6). The vedas are the most ancient authorities on Dharma. The vedangas are also mentioned, as they are helpful in understanding the veda. Gautama (11/2/19) & Yajnavalkya (1.3)7 explicitly mention vedangas like Devala, among the sources of Dharma. The Itihasas, mentioned among the sources of Dharma by Devala are not generally enumerated likewise in the other smrtis. The terms veda & vedangas are properly defined, but the term 'Itihasah' is not explained likewise as referring to some distinct works. It is interpreted as referring to "those works, composed by sages, narrating ancient incidents, leading to the right knowledge".(6) a The term Itihasa is a very ancient one, occurring even in the Atharvaveda, Satpatha Brahmana, Taittiriya Aranyaka, Chandogya & Brhadaranyaka upanis ads etc. But the term, referred to in these ancient works has reference to ancient narratives, occurring in 8 • the Brahmanas. Kautilya's explanation of the term³, indicates his knowledge of the 'definite work', "more or less very like the } extant Mahabharata" 10 The Asvalayana Grihyasutra (III.4.4) distinctly. kalpana's

11 871 refers to the Bharata & the Mahabharata & the Kausitaka Grihyasutra only the (II.5.3) only to Mahabharata 12 The mention of Itihasa & Purana in the Yajnavalkya smrti (I. 101) has reference to the "works distinct from vedic literature 13". Thus the term Itihasa is understood to be referring to the Mahabharata, from very early period. But Devala does not explicitly mention the Mahabharata here, while explaining the term 'Itihasa'. The word 'Itihasa' is used in plural by the author. Hence it does not stand for a single work like the Mahabharata. It cannot be understood as referring to the epics, the Ramayana & the Mahabharata, as the term Itihasa is not in dual form. Moreover, the Ramayana has been traditionally admitted to be the best piece of kavya & not as an Itihasa. Hence, Devala refers most probably to the various, legendary, historical narratives & stories, frequently occurring in the Mahabharata & the Puranas, with the phrase "Athapyudaharantimam itihasam puratanam"