I have written on the Smritis,Laws governing Hindu Society.
Laws undergo change with changing Times.
Our present Laws get changed, including The Constitution quite frequently in a short span of Time.
Hinduism takes Time Span on a larger scale,the present Aeon ,Kali Yuga lasting for a period of 4,32,000 years and the earlier one Dwapara Yuga 8,64,000 years!
And we have two more earlier Yugas,Treta and Krutha Yugas.
Yugas
The religious texts of Hindus are classified into two types.
Sruthi,that which is ‘Heard, and ‘Smriti’,that which is remembered.
Vedas are called Sruthi and their authority is final in case of a conflict between Sruthi and Smriti.
Since Hindu texts are transmitted orally and never by written words,there are,at times differences in the number of texts available .
So,there are two versions regarding Smritis.
One lists Eleven Smritis and some Eighteen.
Though it is said that Many Smriti is the first one,being compiled by the first Human,Manu,all Smritis disappear with the dissolution of the world.
They come into being when new Time scale or creation manifests.
Vyasa,the great Complier,the name Vyasa means ‘Compiler’.
He declares that Manu Smriti is not meant for the present Time scale, Kaliyuga.
The Smriti to be followed for the present Yuga,Kali, is Parasara Smriti.
There are variations between Manu and Parasara Smriti.
I shall write on some important points from Parasara Sruthi.
'The author of the Veda there is none ; (he) the four- faced (God) , at each succeeding revolution of a Kalpa, re- calls to mind the Veda ; and so does Manu remember the
law (at each succeeding revolution of a Kalpa) .
22. ” In conformity to the character of the age, the rules
of law (suitable) for men differ from age to age. The rules
for the Krita differ from the Treta rules ; the Dvapara laws
are not identical with the Kali rules.
23. ” Self-mortification is the rule in the Krita age ;
knowledge is said (to be the same) in the Treta ; in the
Dvapara, (they) say sacrifice (to the gods to be) the sole
(rule) ; and charity alone in the Kali age.
24. ” For the Krita are suited the laws of Manu ; for the Treta, those
by Gautama (are) prescribed ; for the Dvapara those by Shank and
Likhita ; for the Kali, those by Parasara are prescribed. ‘
Reference and citation.
https://archive.org/stream/ParasharaSmriti/SriParasharaSmrithiPdf_djvu.txt
You may download Parasara Smriti PDF from the above Link.
‘The Smritis are named after them. We have Manu Smriti or Manava Dharma-Sastra (the Laws of Manu or the Institutes of Manu), Yajnavalkya Smriti and Parasara Smriti. Manu is the greatest law-giver of the race. He is the oldest law-giver as well. The Yajnavalkya Smriti follows the same general lines as the Manu Smriti and is next in importance to it. Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti are universally accepted at the present time as authoritative works all over India. Yajnavalkya Smriti is chiefly consulted in all matters of Hindu Law. Even the Government of India are applying some of these laws.
There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important are those of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita, Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama, Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and Saunaka.
The laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga, those of Yajnavalkya are for the Treta Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali Yuga.
The laws and rules which are based entirely upon our social positions, time and clime, must change with the changes in society and changing conditions of time and clime. Then only the progress of the Hindu society can be ensured.‘
http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection§ion_id=572
Related.
You must be logged in to post a comment.