75. Prakāsha

Volume I: Part II pp. 652–655

This chapter examines the work known as "Prakāsha," an ancient treatise that addressed critical areas such as *vyavahāra*, *dāna*, and *śrāddha*, among others. While its precise nature as an independent digest remains doubtful, the prevailing scholarly view suggests it was most likely a commentary on the venerable *Yājñavalkyasmṛti*. The composition of this text is generally placed within the period spanning 1000 to 1100 A.D., situating it firmly in the later developments of Dharmaśāstra literature. Significantly, various names appear to refer to this same body of work. The "Mahārṇava prakāśa," the "Smṛtimahārṇava," and simply "Mahārṇava," all terms frequently encountered in the extensive quotations by the revered Hemādri, are considered designations for this single literary endeavour. Consequently, it is highly probable that the work known simply as "Prakāśa" is indeed identical with the more elaborate "Smṛtimahārṇavaprakāśa," thereby consolidating its identity within the intricate landscape of Hindu legal and customary texts.

— Synopsis by P.V. Kane, from History of Dharmaśāstra

75. Prakāsha

75. Prakāśa

The Vivādaratnākara of Cāṇḍeśvara cites the views of Prakāśa scores of times (e. g. pp. 131, 145, 456, 460, 462, 474, 485, 504 etc.). Frequently Prakāśa is coupled with Pārijāta (vide Vivādaratnākara pp. 145, 241, 260, 286, 456). On p. 602 of the V. R. the two (Prakāśa and Pārijāta) are cited as differing from each other. On pp. 286 and 465 of the V. R., Prakāśa, Pārijāta and Halāyudha are cited together as holding the same view. It would be shown under ‘Kalpataru’ that a work called ‘Mahārṇava’ is mentioned in verses 12 and 13 of the Introduction to the Brahmacārikāṇḍa and that the same work is cited in different ways as Smṛtimahārṇava or Mahārṇava-prakāśa’ or simply as ‘Mahārṇava’ or as ‘Prakāśa’ (e. g. p. 497). On page 518 of the Vivādaratnākara a remark of Prakāśa wherein both Asahāya and Medhātithi are named — 75. Prakāśa

is citeḍ² The Dānaratnākara of Cāṇḍeśvara quotes a passage of Samvarta with Prakāśa's explanation of it.³ In the Śrāddhasaukhya of Toḍarānanda Prakāśa's explanation of the word ‘Yānevata’ occurring in a passage of Saṅkha about the fruits allowed in śrāddha is quoteḍ⁴

These quotations establish that Prakāśa was a work that not only dealt with vyavahāra, but also with such topics as dāna, śrāddha etc.

Whether the Prakāśa was an independent work or a commentary is somewhat doubtful. But from a passage of the Vivādaratnākara it seems to follow that it was a commentary on the Yājñavalkyasmṛti. There are we are told that the Kalpataru⁵ read ‘abhijānātā’ for ‘avijānātā’ in Yāj. II. 258, but that since that reading is opposed to Yājñavalkya-prakāśa, Halāyudha and Pārijāta it must be regarded as a wrong reading. As it is a reading of Yāj. himself that was being discussed, it would be somewhat strange if it were said that it was opposed to Yāj. and Prakāśa and therefore it is necessary to suppose that Yājñavalkyaprakāśa is one work.

The Vivādacintāmaṇi in several places gives the explanation of Prakāśa.⁶ The Smṛtisāra⁷ gives at great length the explanation of Prakāśa on the controversial verses of Yāj. (II. 138-139 ). The Viramitrodaya⁸ quotes at length Prakāśa's explanation of Manu (9. 207) and disapproves of it on the ground (among others) that the verse can more clearly be explained so as to convey a meaning similar to that of Yāj. II. 116. The Prakāśa is mentioned in the Dayatattva (vol.II, p. 173) and in the Suddhitattva ( vol. II, p. 288 ) and p. 385 and the Mahārṇavaprakāśa is mentioned in the Kalpataru on Śrāddha p. 262.

As the Prakāśa is quoted in the Kalpataru it is certainly earlier than 1125. A. D. It mentions Medhātithi. Besides the Mit. does not refer to it. There is room for thinking that it follows the Mit. Yāj. II. 116 is, according to the Vivādaratnākara,⁹ explained by the Prakāśa in almost the same words as the Mit. It is possible that both borrow from the same original. At all events the Prakāśa must have been composed between 1000 and 1100 A. D.

Hemādri frequently cites a work called Mahārṇavaprakāśa.¹⁰ According to the latter the sandal unguents, flowers, incense, lamp presented in śrāddha are to be offered to the Brāhmaṇas invited and not to the pitṛṣ In another place Hemādri quotes the explanation of the word 'nimaṇtraṇa'¹¹ given by the Mahārṇavaprakāśa. In some places Hemādri refers to a work called Smṛtimahārṇava or simply Mahārṇava.¹² It appears to me that all these are the names of the same work. The Madanapārijāta (p. 93) quotes a verse from the Smṛtimahārṇava about upākarma.

(Continued from the previous page) व्यम्‌। किं च भूस्वामी संचेनाः किमिति ब्रूवैव तत्र स्वत्वं जह्यात्‌ । न ह्यत्र दृष्टमुद्देस्यं नासद्यं धर्मशास्त्रोक्तिकर्तव्यताविरहात्‌। ... नापि यदुद्देशेन यत्स्व- व्युच्यते ततस्य स्वमिति नियमः । उद्देशेनागृहीते व्यभिचारात्‌ । वीर० p. 212–14. ↩
चित्रा दत्तमिति खीधनसप्रोषलक्षणनिश्चयमहायनेनभाविधिरिति (० श्री इति ) प्रकाशकारः । वि. र. (on मनु ५.११८. ) Vide p. 509 of वि. र. where प्रकाश cites मेधातिथि alone ‘पस्युरनुजिनायभ्योप्यस्तृलदूरा यो मण्डनार्थं वृनः सोपिं दायादैर्न हर्त्तव्य इति मेधातिथिरिति प्रकाशः’. ↩
‘संवर्त्ते: । सर्वेषामेव दानानामेकत्र ‘ सोदरम् ’ । हाटकक्षितिगौरीणां ससजन्मा नृणां फलम् ॥ गौर्वीयं गावः प्रकरणात् । कस्यापवादः कन्येति प्रकाशः ।’ दानरत्नाकर (No. 114 of 1884-86 in the Govt. Msṣ Lab. at the B. O. R. Institute, Poona 4, folio 52 b ), ↩
‘आद्रान्न्यनिवेतनान्निसृद्धदां कामभ्यद्धदां डिमान् । ...थद्धकालोपवर्येत्त् ॥ यानेवतः कास्मीरे वोड इति प्रसिद्धः । प्राचीनमलक्रनमिति प्रकाशकारः । श्रादसोष्य folio 42 a (BORI. mṣ No. 257 of 1884-87), ↩
कल्पतरौ तु अविजातेति स्थाने अभिजातेति पाठो दर्शितः म तु याज्ञवल्क्य प्रकाश - हलायुध - पारिजाताविरोधात् प्रमादपाठ इति लक्षितः । वि. र. p. 198. ↩
विषयादि मावारणचनातुन्नप्रेयेण यदाज्ञैनं तदेवाविभाग्यमिति प्रकाशकारः । तत्र उभयोपादाननर्थक्यात् । वि. चि. p. 135 ; ‘परिसंख्यानवलाप्नितृभावितृ भ्यौरेव विभागपूर्वके धनसंसर्ग इति प्रकाशः ।’ वि. चि. p. 157; vide pp. 130, 140 al-o. ↩
प्रकाशे तु नुमन्वय संमृद्विनो धनं संमृद्धहरेत् तृद्दीयान् । विभागकाले अज्ञाधगर्भायां पित्वुभार्गयार्पा पथादुप्पज्यासंस्मृधेव दद्यात् । सोदरस् तु संमृद्विनो धनं ( Continued from the previous page ) ↩
संसृष्टौ सोदरौ गृह्णीयान्न भिन्नोदरः संसृष्टव्यर्धपीति पूर्वोक्तस्यापवादः अन्योदर्यस्तु संसृष्टो धनं गृह्णीयादिति शेषः । नान्योदर्यधनं हरेदिति संसृष्टव्यर्धपीत्यनेन संबध्यत &c. स्फूर्तिसार ( I. O. cat. No. 301, folio 148 b ). ↩
Vide वीर० p. 572; the same also occurs in वि.चि. p. 130. अत्रापि प्रकाशः किंचिदारमपि दत्त्वा पृथक्क्रिया विभागः कर्तव्यः तत्पुत्राणां विवादंनिवृत्यर्यमिति । वि. र. p. 485; यत्किंचिदारमपि दत्त्वा पृथक्क्रिया विभागः कार्यः पित्रा तत्पुत्राणां दायजिघृक्षा मा भूरिति । मिताक्षरा. ↩
किं गन्धपुष्पधूपदीपाच्छादनानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो देयान्युत पितृभ्य इति । तत्र तावद्वचनादर्शनन्यायोपलब्धेर्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो देयानीति महार्णवप्रकाशकारौ मन्येत । चतुर्वर्ग० III. 1. 1031. ↩
निमन्त्रणं नाम देवपितृकार्ययोःप्रत्याख्येयां नियोग इति मृतिचन्द्रिकाकारः । अध्येणपर्षेकमगुवमसंवादनमिति मेधातिथिहार्णवप्रकाशकारौ । चतुर्वर्ग० III. 1. 1131; vide also p. 1151 for another reference to महार्णवप्रकाश. ↩
तथा च स्मृतिमहार्णवे आह बुधः । गर्भाष्टमे वर्षे वसन्ते ब्राह्मण आत्मानामुपना- येत् । चतुर्वर्ग० III. 1. 112; on pp. 183, 545 of the same only the word महार्णव occurṣ ↩

74. Bhavadevabhatta 76. Pārijāta