Question

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Mon, 10 Jan 2000, Ashish Chandra wrote:

> According to our calendar, we are into the 51st year of Brahma, this is the
> 7th manavantara (Vaivasvata Manu). Is the Manu of Manu Smriti the same as
> Vaivasvata Manu or is it different ?
>

Not a 100% sure but I believe that was Manu Svayambhuva.

> How are Srautas different from Smaartas ?
>

The Vedas prescribe two forms of worship.  Shrauta rites involve three
fires which are to be kept alight throughout the ones Grhasthashram and
sacrificed into twice a day (Agnihotra), every new and full moon
(Darshapaurnamasa Ishtis), and certain times a year.  (Chaturamasya ishtis
and Pashubandha.)  Nowadays there are probably only a couple of hundred
people who practice the Shrauta rites.  Smarta or Grhya rites invlove
one fire which need not be kept going perpetually.  They are a lot
more common and include things like Upanayana, Vivaha, Shraddha, Vastupuja
etc.  Plus many of our common rituals are Puranokta or Tantrokta.

As a social group, Smarta are those people who follow "tradition" as a
whole rather than one particular God and mode of worship like the
Vaishnavas and Shaivas do.  In South India, the boundaries between Smartas
and others are more distinct than in the north.

> What is the Dharmasutra for the Madhyandina Shakha of Sukla Yajur Veda ?
>

There isn't one.  Paraskara is the Grhya sutra and Katyayana is the
Shrauta sutra.

> What are (or were) some of the Vedas (and corresponding Shakhas and
> Dharmasutras) prevalent in most parts of North India (West UP, Punjab,
> Haryana, Delhi) ?
>

That you would have to ask a learned person of those parts.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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