नारदस्मृतिः- Narad Smriti (An Old and Rare Book)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Narada-smrti, as it has come down to us, deals. prominently with the Vyavahara portion of Dharma-astra. Though later writers quote Narada in the context of acara in a few cases, as for example ekada, Sraddha and so on (cf. Hemadri , Caturvargaci-ntamani) or the worship of Narayakia (Smrticandrika they have to be taken as later addition to the main and original Naradasrarti. Earlier texts and commentators do not quote any Naradasmrti passage in this context. Hence, it is clear that Vyavahara was the original theme of the Naradasmrti. another point is that, though Narada is mentioned quite early, in the Aitareya BrahmaKla (33.1) in the context of the account of Harindra, along with Parvata, as extolling the virtue of getting a son, he does not appear there as a law-giver, The mahabharata appears to know Narada as an exponent of duties (Udyoga, 49.22) for the Vmis, but there also it is difficult to take him as a law-giver of the status of Manu or Yajna-valkya. Narada, whose teachings could be taken as the basis of the Naradasmrti, has to be taken as a different person.

As is generally the case with ancient Sanskrit works, manu refers to Narada, while the Naradasmrti mentions manu. (See the opening prose passage, iha hi bhagavan manuh etc.).

Narada is one of the most prolific writers 'and one of the foremost authorities on ancient Indian Dharma4astras. Narada seems to be a pseudonym of a brilliant jurist of ancient India. It is estimated by Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. Pandurangavaman Kane, the author of the Classical History of Dharmagastras, that, he arrived between 100 A. D.-400 A D. Naradasmrti shows unmistakable evidence of the fact that its auther lived in a Period later than Menu' Et Yajnavalkya.

Naradasmrti is one of the methodical books of ancient law. The first three chapters are introductory dealing with the principle of judicial procedures. Like Yajnavalkya, he deals with the law of evidence under the chapter (13TT4T4' money-lending. The classification and sub-classification of the topics of law show the analytical kind of Narada. Manu first divided the substantive law into eighteen heads. Other authors followed Manu substantially. Narada divides these into sub-heads totalling one hundred and thirty two sub-heads.

Dr. P. V. Kane says that Narada, Brhaspati Ft Katyayana form the triumvirate in the realm of Hindu Law of procedure. The works of Brhaspati and Katy. Yana are yet to be recovered See Dr. P. V. Kane History of Dharmagastras Vol. I page. 213).

**Contents and Sample Pages**