28. Shātātapa
Volume I: Part I pp. 294–296
It is widely posited that an authoritative sūtra work by Śātātapa, primarily dedicated to the intricate aspects of *dharma*, particularly *prāyaścitta*, *śrāddha*, and *ācāra*, must have existed in antiquity. This original text's influence is evident, as numerous verses attributed to Śātātapa are extensively quoted and relied upon in seminal later commentaries and digests, most notably the *Mitākṣarā*. Such frequent citation underscores its early importance in the development of *dharmaśāstra* literature. However, it is crucial to understand that this foundational sūtra work is likely distinct from the *smṛti* compilations also ascribed to Śātātapa. Scholarly examination indicates the presence of not just one, but several verse-based compilations bearing this name. Among these, specific designations like *Vṛddha Śātātapa* and *Bṛhat Śātātapa* have been identified, pointing to an evolving tradition where the teachings of Śātātapa were perhaps reinterpreted, expanded, or compiled in different forms over various periods, suggesting a complex textual history rather than a singular authorial voice.
— Synopsis by P.V. Kane, from History of Dharmaśāstra
28. Shātātapa
28. Śātātapa Śātātapa is enumerated among the expounders of dharma by Yāj. (I. 4-5) and by Parāśara. Viśvarūpa, Haradatta and Aparārka quote several prose passages of Śātātapa on prāyaścitta. Viśvarūpa (on Yāj. III. 236) tells us that Śātātapa spoke of only eight upapātakas and that without dealing with śrāddha as a principal topic he spoke of some of the subsidiary details of śrāddha.1 The latter passage quoted from Śātātapa is a half verse. So Viśvarūpa had a prose work of Śātātapa before him, mixed with verseṣ Haradatta on Gaut. (Dh. S. 22. 18) quotes a prose passage of Śātātapa about the penance for killing a cow. Viśvarūpa on Yāj. III. 236 (part II. p. 93) states that Śātātapa mentioned in a prose passage only eight Upapātakas ‘ Śātātape tu aṣṭa- vevopapātakānyuktāni, athopapātakānyanuutsādityādini ’ etc. Viśvarūpa on Yāj. III. 262 (part 2, p. 148) mentions a sūtra of Śātātapa on prāyaścitta. Maskari on Gaut. 23. 35 quotes a prose passage from Ś. on prāyaścittas ‘ anudaka-mūtrapu- rīṣagrahaṇe śvakākaspárśane sacelasnānam mahāvyāhṛti- homaśca rajasvalāgamane caitadevam '. The Laghu-Śātātapa- smṛti (Anaṇ collection ) contains several verses of Manu (e.g. verses 103, 105, 107 of it are respectively the same as Manu III. 237, III. 174, III. 235 and verses 45 and 58 refer to Śātātapa. Vṛddha-Śātātapa is quoted several times in Kalpa- taru e. g. on pp. 98-99 of Brahmā°, on pp. 286, 405 of Gṛhas- tha, 6 times on Śrāddha. It is interesting to note that a verse of Śātātapa quoted by the Mit. on Yāj. I. 192 provides that a prāyaścitta is not prescribed for men who bathe in or drink the water from a well or a dam dug or constructed by antyajuṣ The Mit. on Yāj. quotes several prose passages of Śātātapa on III. 243, 254, 263–64. In the Mit., the Smṛti-candrikā and other works numerous verses of Śātātapa are quoted on ācāra and śrāddha. This work of Śātātapa is most probably a different one from the sūtra work. It appears that there are several smṛtis ascribed to Śātātapa. In Jīvānanda's collection there is a smṛti of Śātātapa called Karmavipāka in six chapters and about 231 verseṣ Its contents are: certain diseases are concomitants of certain sins; gifts of land, cows &c. ; eulogy of Brāhmaṇas ; penances for killing a brāhmaṇa, a cow &c., penances for drinking wine, for incest and forbidden sexual intercourse of various sorts, for thefts ; rites for those who meet with violent and accidental death. The last verse declares that the Smṛti was promulgated by Śātātapa to his pupil Śarabhaṅga. It is a late productioṇ It prescribes the reading of the Harivamśa ( II. 30 ) as a penance for infanticide. Vide below under Madanapāla.
No. 1362 of the I. O. catalogue ( and cat. of Madras Govt. msṣ vol. V. pp. 1994–96 ) is a Śātātapa-smṛti in twelve chap-ters dealing with prāyaścittas for mahāpātakas, prāyaścittas for injuries to various beings, marriage, vaiśvadeva, śrāddha, pitṛtarpaṇa, rules about taking one's dinner, prāyaścitta for dogbites and similar matters ; impurity on birth and death, rules of conduct ( ācāra ).
No. 1361 of the I. O. catalogue is a treatise in mixed pros-and verse on prāyaścittas for the Mahāpātakas and Upapā-takaṣ Several verses of Manu ( such as III. 8, 11, 171 ) occur thereiṇ It contains 139 verseṣ In Mitra's Notices ( II. p. 4 ) there is a mṣ called Karmavipāka in 87 chapters and 2376 verses, of which the work in Jīvānanda's collection seems to be a part or abridgment.
Aparārka in several places quotes the views of Śātātapa immediately followed by quotations from Vṛddha-Śātātapa or vice versa ( e. g. on Yāj. I. 190, on III. 292 p. 1195 and p. 1201 ).
No. 205 of A. 1882–83 of the Deccan College Collection is a Vṛddha-Śātātapa smṛti in 64 verses on prāyaścittas for doing various things, on śrāddha, on washing the teeth. I. O. Cat. No. 1360 p. 398 is a Vṛddha-Śātātapa-smṛti in 97 verses on defilement and purificationṣ The Ānandāśrama collection contains a Vrddha-Sātātapa smṛti in 68 verses ( pp. 232-235) on prāyaścittas, purification from various defilements and other miscellaneous matterṣ There are two prose passages thereiṇ
Hemādri mentions a Vrddha-Sātātapa along with several other smṛtikāras ( vide note 278 above ). In the Vyavahāra-mātṛkā of Jīmūtavāhana (p. 305) Vrddha-Sātātapa is cited on the six kinds of uttara (defendant's reply).2 This shows that Vrddha-Sātātapa wrote on Vyavahāra also.
The Mit. ( on Yāj. III. 290 ) cites a Bṛhat-Sātātapa.
Hemādri (III, 1. 801) speaks of a bhāṣyakāra of Vrddha-Sātātapa.