Devala-smriti (critical study)

by Mukund Lalji Wadekar | 1982 | 67,394 words

This essay represents an English study of the Devala-smriti—an ancient text attributed to sage Devala classified as belonging to the Dharma-Shastra branch of Indian literature which encompasses jurisprudence and religious law. This study deals with the reconstructed text of the Devalasmriti based on surviving references, emphasizing Devala’s unique...

[Full title: (A) Philosophical aspects; (VI) Concept of bondage and liberation (1): The threefold bondage].

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Parusyam, anrtam, 1 vivadah, srutivikrayah. 15 Devala mentions that the bondage is of three kinds & its causes are also of three kinds. The attachment for bondage is of two kinds. (2224-2226). The three kinds of bondage is prakrtibandha, vaikarika bandha, & daksinabandha. The first - prakrtibandha is a bondage by the eight principles namely avyakta, mahat, ahankara & five tanmatras. The second vaikarikabandha is the bondage of senses with the sense-objects. While the third bondage daksinabandha is caused by merits, obtained through the performance of pious & charitable deeds. The author further adds that the gods are fettered by the first one, those belonging to the particular scheme of life (asrami) are bound by the second; while all others are fastened by the third bondage. (2276-2282). In the Sankhyakarika (44) & the Sankhyasutra (3/24), there is only mention of the term 'bandha' but there is no reference

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870 to or elucidation of its nature, as found in the sutras of Devala. The Tattvas amas a 94 (21) specifically mentions the bondage to be of three kinds; The sutra is quite identical with the sutra of Devala. But the small work the threefold bondage. Tattvasamas a does not explain The commentators Vacaspati & Gaudapada refer to three kinds of bondage, while commenting upon the above Sankhyakarika (44). Gaudapada quotes a verse that refers to the threefold bondage. 95 Vacaspati Misra (com.on Ka.44) & Bhavaganes a (com.on Tattvasamasa 21) have elucidated the nature of the threefold bondage in detail. The explanation of the above two commentators is compared below with that of Devala.

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1) Prakrtiko bandhah TABLE NO. 12 Adhikari A) Devala: Devatah B) Vacaspati Prakrterupasakah C) Bhavaganes a - 2) Vaikariko bandhah A) Devala B) Vacaspati C) Bhavaganesa 3) Daksinabandhah Anyes am Vikaropas akah Pravrajitanam A) Devala Asraminam B) Vacaspati Is tapurtakari Svarupam 871 Avyaktadibhirastabhih Astaprakrtisu abhimanarupah Indriyaih indriyarthesu Bhutendriyahankarabuddhih purus abuddhya upasate Sabdadisu manas ah sangah Istapurtadibhih Purusatattvanabhijno histapurtakari kamopamanah bandhyate. Kamopahatacetasam p C) Bhavaganesa Grhasthadinam daksinam dadatam. •

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872 As mentioned above, the causes of bondage are said to be of three kinds & the attachment for bondage is of two kinds, according to Devala (2225 & 2226). The extant Sankhya works (like the Sankhyakarika, the Sankhyasutra, the Tattvas amas a) do not refer to both these concepts. But on Karika 63, the commentator Shivanarayana Shastri following Vacaspati points out 96 in clear terms that there are seven causes of bondage. viz dharma, adharma, ajnana, vairagya, avairagya, aisvarya, anaisvarya. Out of them, dharma & ajnana have been explicitly mentioned by Devala in his explanation (2283). While the addition of adi in the text, suggested by the researcher would include 'adharma' also as the third cause. It is evident that other causes, mentioned by the commentators are the offshoots or corollaries of the above three. The explanation of the sutra 'dvau bandharagau! (2226) is not found in the reconstructed text. It is also not explicable even on the basis of the extant Sankhya works. It may be that due to ajnana, the twofold attachment for bondage namely of dharma & adharma arises. The Bhagavadgita (16/20) mentions kama, krodha & lobha as the three doors leading to hell. These are in other words, three causes of bondage. Among them, kama & lobha may be understood as the two causes that give rise to the attachment for bondage. The kama is the attachment for sentiment substances, while lobha is the attachment for non-sentient substances

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