47. Pracetas
Volume I: Part I pp. 519–520
Pracetas is established as a notable *dharmaśāstra* writer within the vast tradition of Hindu law and custom. He finds specific mention by the revered authority Parāśara, a crucial detail highlighting his standing in one lineage of legal thought. However, it is equally significant to note his absence from the works attributed to Yājñavalkya, indicating potential variations in recognition or scope among different schools. His work, as it has reached us, comprises various prose and verse quotations. These fragments are extensively cited by later, highly influential commentaries, most notably in the Mitākṣarā and in Apārarka's digest. Beyond these major sources, a limited number of distinct prose quotations attributed to Pracetas are also found embedded within Haradatta's commentary on Gautama, as well as in the Smṛticandrikā. Further adding to the complexity of identifying this authority, the tradition also refers to distinct figures such as Vṛddha Pracetas and Bṛhat Pracetas, suggesting either a lineage of writers or different recensions associated with the name Pracetas.
— Synopsis by P.V. Kane, from History of Dharmaśāstra
47. Pracetas
47. Pracetas Pracetas finds a place among the sages enumerated by Parāśara (though not in Yājñavalkya), in the list of 36 Smṛti- kāras by Paithināsi in Smṛticandrikā p. 1). In both Mit. and Aparārka there are passages in prose and verse ascribed to Pracetas on daily duties, śrāddha, āśauca, prāyaścitta. The Mit. (on Yāj. III. 27) quotes a verse from Pracetas saying that workmen, artisans, physicians, male and female slaves, kings, royal officers have not to observe periods of impurity1 (on death). This verse is cited as a smṛti by Medhātithi on Manu V. 60 without ascribing it to Pracetaṣ So Medhātithi looked upon Pracetas as equally authoritative with Manu, Viṣṇu and otherṣ It appears from the quotations in the Mit., Aparārka and Smṛticandrikā that they had before them a large work of Pracetas containing sūtras and verses and that Pracetas did not deal with Vyavahāra. An example of a long prose passage is cited below.2
The Mit. on Yāj. (III. 20, 263, 264 and 265), Haradatta on Gautama (22.18) and Aparārka (on pp. 910, 1125, 1171) quote several verses of Bṛhat-Pracetas on āśauca and prāyaścitta and the Mit. on Yāj. III. 265 and Aparārka (on pp.888, 897 and 1098 ) quote several verses of Vṛddha-Pracetas on the same topicṣ
A few prose quotations from Pracetas are noted in the Smṛticandrikā and by Haradatta (on Gautama 23. 1).