Srinatha Acarya-cidamani of Bengal

Summary

'Srinatha Acarya-cidamani of Bengal' by Dr. R. C. Hazra studies the life and works of Śrīnatha Ācārya‑cūḍāmaṇi, a prominent fifteenth‑century scholar of Bengal who profoundly influenced Hindu ritual law. The author notes that Bengal is widely known for the Smṛti works of Raghunandana, but little attention has been paid to his teacher Śrīnatha. Drawing on manuscripts and earlier scholarship, Hazra reconstructs the biography of Śrīnatha, identifying him as a resident of Navadvīpa (Nadia district) and situating him between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The article inventories Śrīnatha’s major writings, which include ritual manuals such as Kr̥tya‑tattvārṇava (on religious duties throughout the year), Kr̥tya‑kalpa‑viveka (on fasting and festivals), Durgotsava‑viveka (on Durga worship), and Prayascitta‑viveka (on expiations). Hazra lists about a dozen works attributed to him, noting their extant manuscripts in libraries at Kolkata and Dhaka. The author analyses the content and style of these treatises, showing how Śrīnatha synthesised earlier Dharmaśāstra traditions with local Bengali practices. For example, his Kr̥tya‑tattvārṇava draws from Kātyāyana and Smṛti‑Chandrikā while introducing regional observances; his Durgotsava‑viveka systematises ritual timing and procedure for the annual Durga Puja; and his Prayascitta‑viveka distinguishes major and minor sins with corresponding penances. Hazra argues that Śrīnatha’s works laid the foundation for the later and more elaborate Smṛti of his pupil Raghunandana, earning him the title Ācārya‑cūḍāmaṇi (‘crest jewel of teachers’). The article also discusses Śrīnatha’s influence on subsequent Bengali scholarship and the preservation status of his manuscripts. By collating scattered references and manuscripts, Hazra establishes Śrīnatha as a pivotal figure in the evolution of ritual law in eastern India.