82. Smrityarthasāra of Shrīdhara
Volume I: Part II pp. 725–726
Contents of - personal history of Śrīdhara - authors and works relied on as authorities - Śrīdhara probably composed another larger work - date between 1150-1200 A. D.
— Synopsis by P.V. Kane, from History of Dharmaśāstra
82. Smrityarthasāra of Shrīdhara
##82. The Smṛtyarthasāra of Śrīdhara This well-known work was published by the Ānandāśrama Press, Poona, in 1912 A. D. The principal topics discussed by it are : the acts allowed in former ages but forbidden in the kali age; the number of saṁskāras, the detailed treatment of Upanayana, the duties of Brahmacārin, holidays, marriage, its various forms, prohibitions on the ground of sapiṇḍa relation, discussion about gotra and pravara, daily duties such as śauca, ācamana brushing the teeth, bathing, the five yajñas, daily saṁdhyā, daily worship; detailed treatment of śrāddha, proper time, articles, and brāhmaṇas to be invited at it, various kinds of śrāddha, discussion about various tithis; intercalary month; forbidden and allowed food ; purification of various substances and of one's own body; impurity on birth and death ; rites after death ; rules about saṁnyāsa; prāyaścittas for various grades of sins and lapseṣ
From the colophon it appears that Śrīdhara was himself a performer of Vedic sacrifices and was the son of Nāgabhaṭṭa Viṣṇubhaṭṭa of the Viśvāmitra gotra. This colophon does not however occur in the ancient mṣ of the work in the Deccan College collection (No. 44 of 1870–71) dated saṁvat 1495 (1438–39 A. D.). In the 2nd introductory verse (vide H. of Dh. vol. I. pt.1 note 749 ) the author tells us that Śrīkaṇṭha and Śrīkarācārya filled the gaps in the smṛtis that were scattered about (i. e. they composed digests thereof with their own remarks). He also says (vide note 839 above) that he relies on the Kāmadhenu, the Pradīpa, the Abdhi, the Kalpavṛkṣa (i. e. Kalpataru ), Kalpalatā, Śambhu, Draviḍa, Kedāra and Lollāṭa and the various commentators of Manu and other smṛtikāraṣ In dealing with saṁnyāsa he says that he would treat of the proce- dure of samnyāsa following the opinion of Govindarāja and of Baudhāyana.1 At the beginning of some sections (p. 48 and p. 49 on śrāddha and prāyaścitta respectively) he again repeats the verse about Kamadhenu and the other authoritieṣ The Abdhi named therein seems to be the Smṛtimahārṇava quoted in Hemādri, in the Vivādaratnākara and other workṣ He refers to Mitākṣarā also (p. 56). For Lollaṭa see above (under Medhātithi). It appears that Śrīdhara also composed another and a larger work on dharmaśāstra. For example, Hemādri who2 knew the Smṛtyarthasāra quotes certain views as Śrīdhara's which do not occur in the Smṛtyarthasāra. The Prayogapārijāta, the Nīrnayasindhu, and the Saṁskārakāustubha quote the views of a work called Śrīdharīya which are not found in the Smṛtyarthasāra. Śrīdhara seems to have been a writer from southern India.
The date of the Smṛtyarthasāra can be fixed within approximate limitṣ As it names the Mit., the Kāmadhenu, the Kalpataru and Govindarāja, it is later than 1150 A. D. The Smṛticandrikā and Hemādri3 both quote it as an authority. For example, the Smṛticandrikā says that the Smṛtyarthasāra holds that the Tulasī is among the things the use of which is to be avoided in śrāddha. Vide p. 435 of the Śrāddha section of the