Pranam
*AAPASTHAMBA DHARMA SUTRAM*
*VEDA DHARMA SASTRA PARIPALANA SABHA (Regd.)*
Out of his supreme and causeless compassion towards all moving and
non-moving creatures, Srimad Aapasthamba Maharishi has bestowed the jewel
of a book called ‘Aapasthamba Dharma Sutram’ for the progress of all. The
fact that Veda Dharma Sastra Paripalana Sabha has published this book with
Tamil translation under instructions and with blessings of Sri Acharyapada
of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham with the aim that all astikas (believers)
should improve spiritually by knowing the contents of this book is very
important in the service of propagation of Dharma. This can fetch a great
benefit to the Astika world.
It is but natural in the present context that there is interest in knowing
the greatness of our esteemed Acharya Sri Aapasthamba Muni and his works
conveying the essence of Vedas and understanding the principles of dharma
therein, which are conducive to the good of the world. Unfortunately, owing
to the spread of western culture in respect of language, food, dress etc.
in our sacred Bharata desa, we have forgotten for a long time our own Vedas
and other authoritative texts and explanatory texts like Kalpasutras,
Smritis etc. Many of us may not be aware of even the names of the
authoritative texts of our Vedic religion.
The Rishi (Aapasthamba) teaches us in his Dharma Sutram the practices to be
followed by men right from birth till end and duties to be performed in
everyday life. They also contain the Raja dharmas to be practised by
kshatriya during his reign for protecting his subjects. The Dharma Sutram
prescribes dharmas for varnas and asramas including prayaschitta (expiation
ritual), division of property among heirs etc.
Hence Dharma Sutram is like the law of Vedic religion. It is of the form of
do’s and don’ts. Let us now look at some of Aapasthamba’s rules, as an
example, leading to the welfare of the world and justice for all men and
all creation including even non-moving objects.
*Benefit of Dharma Sutram*
Dharma sutram teaches the discipline to be followed by man in his daily
life and as a member of the society. We can see that besides teaching of
dharmas pertaining to varnas and asramas, various guidelines relating to
how man should live in social, economic and political spheres are described
here. The very life in the world has Dharma as its basis. Sruti states that
Dharma is the foundation for all the worlds and that if that foundation
quakes, the superstructures will also shake and fall off.
It is only our Vedic Hindu religion that has organised life in the world on
the basis of Dharma in this manner and protected it. This special feature
is not found in other religions. Dharma sutras are largely responsible for
this.
*A Speciality: Bhagavatpada’s commentary*
There is a special value for Aapasthamba Sutram, not shared by other
sutras: Adya Sri Bhagavatpada Acharya has written a commentary on the
‘Adhyatma Patalam’ in this Sutram. That Srimad Acharya, who incarnated as
spark of Iswara, became a world teacher, overthrew non-Vedic religions and
re-established the Vedic religion, wrote a forceful and clear commentary on
a part of Aapasthamba Sutram like he did for Brahmasutram, Upanishads etc.
shows the greatness of Aapasthamba and his Sutram. What is the place of
‘Adhyatma yoga’ preaching Atmagnana (Knowledge of Self) in the middle of
Dharma sutram? The commentary of Sri Bhagavatpada describes how the supreme
state of Atmagnana and removal of defects like desire, anger, greed,
delusion and pleasure, which afflict the beings are in fact part of Dharma.
The way Sri Acharya refers to Aapasthamba as ‘Bhagavan’ and ‘Acharya’ in
many places in his commentary points to the greatness of Aapashamba.
*Subjects covered*
The following are the subjects covered sequentially in Apastamba Dharma
Sutram:
Authority of Vedic religion, Time for Upanayanam, rules for brahmachari,
time for study, time for rest, householder’s duties, Details of
Panchayagna, Pooja etc., rules for eating, Pancha maha patakas (five great
sins), Prayaschitta (expiation) etc., rules for Sraadham, rules for
Vanaprastham and Sanyasam, duties of kings, means of livelihood, trade
etc., division of property, dealings etc.; many other related dharmas and
common dharmas are mentioned here and there.
*Vedas and Rishis*
Aapasthamba quotes as authority the three Vedas in general as well as in
specific cases. He has also referred to Atharvana Veda. Among Rishis, he
quotes as authority Kaanva, Pushkarasaadi, Varshyayani, Haaritha et al.
Even where he has a difference of opinion, he quotes them. Names like
Gautama, Bodhayana, Manu, Parasara et al do not find mention. Puranas,
specially Bhavishya Purana, have been referred to.
*Was Aapasthamba a disciple of Bodhayana?*
Yagneswara, the commentator of Bodhayana sutra, says that Aapasthamba was
the disciple of Bodhayana. But this is not borne out in the tradition of
followers of his sutram. Aapasthamba does not seem to have mentioned the
name of Bodhayana anywhere in his sutram.
As regards the so-called opposing points of view between the sutras of
Bodhayana and Aapasthamba pointed out by white analysts, we will inquire at
some other time.
*Is it seen or unseen fruit?*
There is now an important question: If dharmas prescribed in Dharmasutras
are practised by man, is the fruit enjoyed here in this world, or is it
welfare in the next world? If mundane benefit is absent, we have to fault
our Hindu religion as one of blind faith, with no visible use in practice.
If mundane benefit alone is there, this religion will also become a worldly
religion in a way. The way shown by Aapasthamba on this difficult question
is acceptable to all. The Sutrakara says that it is a religion which has a
mix of both. In certain sutras, he criticises mundane benefit in exclusion
and says that practices aimed at only mundane welfare will become fruitless
at the end, resulting in blemishes leading to naraka etc. He adds:
“Pleasure is the cause of pride; a proud man will transgress dharma; he
will then go to naraka” and shows the ills of ‘seen’ (drishta) benefits.
Aapasthamba, who thus condemns practising dharma only for mundane benefit,
mentions in many places mundane advantages like long life, health, progeny,
wealth, strength etc. as fruit of dharma. He describes those also as
dharma. He says that it is dharma to live in a village where firewood,
water etc. are available in plenty; one should not cross a river by
swimming with hands; if boat is in bad condition such that it will not
safely reach one to the other shore, one should not get into it; one should
not bathe with a stick; one should talk with women only to the extent
needed. For such numerous rules, it is only the ‘seen’ (drishta) benefit
that is appro-priate. By living in a village where firewood, water etc. are
available in plenty, life will be comfortable. By swimming in the river,
there could be danger. By talking too much with women, good character may
be lost. Such worldly benefits are there for such rules.
Where seen benefits are there, it is by sheer nature that man is inclined
towards them. There is no need in such cases for Sastra or interest in
dharma. When hunger sets in, one eats automatically; here a rule compelling
one to eat is unnecessary. If one wants a comfortable life, he lives in a
good village. Where is the need for Sastraic rule for this? The result will
then be that as seen benefit is perceived for all common dharmas like
non-violence, truth, non-stealing etc. and for many special dharmas, there
is no need for Sastraic teaching on these matters.
Mimamsakas lay down certain rules, like ‘pound the paddy’. (Note: Mimamsa,
meaning enquiry or investigation, is one of the six chief Darrsanas or
systems of Indian philosophy. Mimamsaka is the investigator). It is clear
from practice that if paddy is to be turned into rice, it has to be pounded
in a mortar. Then why the rule ‘pound the paddy’? Mimamsakas aver that this
rule is for teaching that paddy should be pounded only in a mortar and it
should not be turned into rice by peeling off the skin with hand nails.
But it appears that Aapasthamba did not accept this explanation. His prime
view is that for all dharmas the ‘unseen’ (adrishta) benefit is important.
He feels that adherence to dharma will decline if seen benefit is accepted.
His sutras bear this out. His view is that all rules are aimed at unseen
benefit.
However, though seen benefit is mentioned in many of the rules, it helps us
traditionally by acting in consonance with unseen benefit, though not
directly perceptible. As living in a village with good supply of water and
firewood is helpful for proper practice of a man’s dharmas like bath, fire
worship etc., it becomes a traditional dharma contributing to unseen fruit.
In the same manner, Aapasthamba’s view is that seen benefits like long
life, health, progeny etc. are helpful for dharmas with unseen fruit and
hence should be regarded as dharmas only.
What is the purport of the Sutrakara who says that unseen fruit exists even
for rules of dharma like washing hands and feet? Does he think there is no
benefit? Or does he think that seen benefit is secondary?
Nobody can say that there is no seen benefit in the rules of dharma, which
show the way to live worldly life well. The Sutrakara also does not refute
this. He only criticises attaching prime importance to worldly benefits and
practising dharmas for the sake of those benefits. He makes this clear in
one of his Sutras. Hence Aapasthamba himself explains through examples that
worldly benefits will accrue on their own when dharma is practised as
per Sastraic
rules and that they are acceptable. He says in a Sutra that when a mango
tree is grown for the sake of mango fruit, besides that main benefit, one
automatically gets additional benefits like shade, good smell etc.
Similarly by practice of dharma, in addition to getting the prime aim of
unseen fruit, one gets automatically worldly benefit also. Hence he has
concluded in his Dharmasutram that unseen fruit is the prime aim of
practice of dharmas and that seen benefit is only secondary. This indeed is
the purpose of Vedic religion. This can be described in modern terms as
‘Godly life’.
KR IRS 5822
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