What Is The Difference Between Dharmashastras And Dharmasutras?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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There are two kinds of Smritis viz. Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras. Their subject matter is almost the same. The difference is

that the Dharmasutras are written in prose, in short maxims (Sutras) and the Dharmashastras are composed in poetry (Shlokas)

.

Which of the following is also known as Dharmasutras?

The Dharmashastra includes the following dharmasutras:

Gautama, Baudhayana, Apastamba, Vasishtha, Vishnu, and Vikhanas

, as well as the metrical Laws of Manu.

What do you mean by Dharmasutras?

The Dharmasutras can be called

the guidebooks of dharma

as they contain guidelines for individual and social behavior, ethical norms, as well as personal, civil and criminal law. They discuss the duties and rights of people at different stages of life like studenthood, householdership, retirement and renunciation.

Is manusmriti part of Dharmasutras?

Its contents can be traced to Kalpasutras of the Vedic era, which led to the development of Smartasutras consisting of Grihyasutras and Dharmasutras. The foundational texts of Manusmriti include many of these sutras, all from an era preceding the common era.

What are the Upanishads and the Dharmashastras?

Explanation: Dharmaśāstra (Sanskrit: धर्मशास्त्र) is a

genre of Sanskrit theological texts

, and refers to the treatises (shastras) of Hinduism on dharma. There are many Dharmashastras, variously estimated to be 18 to about 100, with different and conflicting points of view.

What are the Dharmashastras Class 9?

Dharmashastras consist of

the Dharmasutras, the Smritis and their commentaries

. They were compiled between 500 BC and 200 BC. The principal Smritis are supposed to have been codified in the first six centuries of the Christian era. The Dharmashastras elaborate on the duties of common folk, royal officials and kings.

How many types of dharma are there?

The

four main classes

are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. This social class system appears in an ancient Hindu book of law called the Manusmriti. Some Hindus consider it to be important as it places an emphasis on a person’s position due to their actions in previous births.

How many Smriti are there?

Yājñavalkya gives the list of total

20

by adding two more Smritis, namely, Yājñavalkyasmriti and Manusmriti.

Who wrote Dharmasastra?

The History of Dharmashastra with subtitle Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law in India, is a monumental five-volume work consisting of around 6,500 pages. It was written by

Bharat Ratna Pandurang Vaman Kane

, an Indologist. The first volume of the work was published in 1930 and the last one in 1962.

What is Srautasutras?

Śrautasūtras are

ritual-related sutras based on the śruti

. The first versions of the Kalpa (Vedanga) sutras were probably composed by the sixth century BCE, starting about the same time as the Brahmana layer of the Vedas were composed and most ritual sutras were complete by around 300 BCE.

Who wrote Vedas?

In the Hindu Epic Mahabharata, the creation of Vedas is credited to

Brahma

. The Vedic hymns themselves assert that they were skillfully created by Rishis (sages), after inspired creativity, just as a carpenter builds a chariot.

Was manusmriti followed?

Apart from the dependent status accorded to women, Manusmriti is also responsible for the commencement of the varna (later, the varnas got subdivided into castes which got further subdivided into jatis) system in India, with Brahmins elevated to the highest rank followed by

Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras

.

Why is manusmriti important?

Manusmriti is unique amongst dharma-shastras as it

presents itself like a holy text

, a purana, beginning with the origin of the world, the origin of the four communities (varna), the law for the four communities, managing adversities, transgressions, and finally the two great conclusions of human life – obtaining …

What are the 6 shastras?

  • Dharma Shastra.
  • Artha Shastra.
  • Kamasutra.
  • Brahma Sutras.
  • Samkhya Sutras.
  • Mimamsa Sutras.
  • Nyāya Sūtras.
  • Vaiśeṣika Sūtra.

What are the 6 sutras?

These are six subjects that said in the Vedas to be necessary for complete mastery of the Vedas. The six subjects with their own sutras were “

pronunciation (Shiksha), meter (Chandas), grammar (Vyakarana), explanation of words (Nirukta), time keeping through astronomy (Jyotisha), and ceremonial rituals (Kalpa).

What do Upanishads teach us?

The Upanishads deal with

ritual observance and the individual’s place in the universe

and, in doing so, develop the fundamental concepts of the Supreme Over Soul (God) known as Brahman (who both created and is the universe) and that of the Atman, the individual’s higher self, whose goal in life is union with Brahman.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.