shruti versus smriti (was Re: Some Vedic sacrifices...)

[Ravisankar Mayavaram]

>Sankaran Jayanarayanan <kartik at ECE.UTEXAS.EDU> wrote:
>> On Wed, 12 Jan 2000, Anand Hudli wrote:
>

> > >I'm only saying that one must consider smR^iti as an aid to
> understanding
> > >the import of shruti statements, and not take shruti at face value
> when
> > >smR^iti *seems to* contradict shruti. Rather, one should reconcile
> the
> > >so-called contradictions.
> >
> >  Not so. There is absolutely no question of reconciling shruti with
> >  smR^iti. Reconciliation is possible ONLY when two or more texts
> >  at the SAME level of authority seemingly contradict each other.
> >  Reconciliation cannot be done when one text is at a higher level
> of
> >  authority than the others under consideration. In such cases, the
> >  text at the higher level wins, hands down!
> >
>

Instead of saying reconciliation, one may have to learn from the
supporting smriti-s on how to understand and interpret the shruti
correctly. The apparent contradiction between shruti and smriti may be
due to misinterpretation of shruti statements. That is the reason why
Acharya says an integrated approach is required.

Anand sometime back pointed out in the post "tips on interpretation"
how one has to resolve while explaining mAdhvipAnAlasa. Even simple
words may give scope to interpret it differently.  Each word carries an
history with it and its meanings change over a period of time. When it
comes to explaining supra-sensory feelings (revelations) they may not
serve as an accurate vehicle to express it.

My 2c.

Ravi



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