Mimamsa interpretation of Vedic Injunctions (Vidhi)

by Shreebas Debnath | 2018 | 68,763 words

This page relates ‘Necessity of knowledge of Mimamsa to the Assessors of King’s Court’ of the study on the Mimamsa theory of interpretation of Vedic Injunctions (vidhi). The Mimamsakas (such as Jaimini, Shabara, etc.) and the Mimamsa philosophy emphasizes on the Karmakanda (the ritualistic aspect of the Veda). Accordingly to Mimamsa, a careful study of the Veda is necessary in order to properly understand dharma (religious and spiritual achievement—the ideal of human life).

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Chapter 10.2 - Necessity of knowledge of Mīmāṃsā to the Assessors of King’s Court

In our ancient India, a king’s court had been assisted by the learned brahmins as assessors. There were some qualifications of these assessors. One of these qualifications is that an assessor must be acquainted with the sacred law, which includes rules of Mīmāṃsā.

Yājñavalkya said in his Saṃhitā

śrutādhyayanasampannā dharmajñā satyavādinaḥ |
rājñā sabhāsadaḥ kāryā ripau mitre ca ye samāḥ ||”[1]

(The king should appoint some brahmins as assessors or jurors who are well versed in the Vedas, Mīmāṃsā, grammar etc. and who are well acquainted with the dharmaśāstras like Manusaṃhitā etc. They must be truthful and they must have equal attitude to their enemies and friends).

Vijñaneśvara explained the meaning of the word ‘śruta’ of this ‘kārika’ in his commentary ‘Mitākṣarā’. He wrote

śrutena mīmāṃsāvyākaraṇādiśravaṇena”.

So, the word śruta means ‘listening to the Mīmāṃsā, grammar etc.’ The other authors of the smriti text, like Nārada, Vaśisṭha, Baudhāyana etc. had also accepted this view. Thus, the paramount importance of the knowledge of the rules of Mīmāṃsakas has been prominently recognized from the earliest times in India.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Yājñavalkyasaṃhitā, Vyavahārādhyāya-2.

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