[Advaita-l] Veda as source of dharma.

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

Dear Sri Sarma,
 
On the flip side, do consider that in Apastambha's world-view, the category of dharma-jna
would not have been wholly separate from the category of veda-jna. What the sUtra does
is a very practical thing for a religion based on the veda-s. Given that the veda was supposed
to be learned only through oral instruction and that the written word was frowned upon, it is
but natural that the onus for transmitting sAmAnya dharma lies primarily with the teachers,
not merely in the text that is taught. 

I agree with you that it is an oversimplification to think that by doing sandhyAvandana, one
is following vaidika dharma, but I also think that nowadays we have gone a long way from
even following SishTAcAra!
 
Regards,
Vidyasankar
 

> The point to be noted is that Taittiriya itself prescribes
> आचारश्चैव साधूनाम् as pramana. This is the basis for
> Apastamba giving first place to instruction of
> dharmajnas and not vedajnas. It is very clear
> that he gives only secondary importance to the Vedas.
> 
> Any way we are following only sistachara . The saying is
> आचारप्रभवोधर्मः। Sistachara gets codified later as smriti.