Meaning of “Smrti” in the Brahma-Sutras

Summary

This paper argues that the term ‘Smrti’ in the Brahma‑sutras (II.1) refers to epic texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata rather than to the Samkhya philosophy. The author opens by stating that he aims to show that the Smrti‑pada is concerned with interpreting such worksfile:///home/oai/share/split_articles/ihq_vol12_no4_meaning_of_smrti_in_the_brahma_sutras.pdf#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20this%20paper,19. He points out that there is no pre‑Sankara authority equating ‘Smrti’ with Samkhya and that the sutra‑kara uses the term and its derivatives about twenty times, always meaning texts like the Gita or similar narrativesfile:///home/oai/share/split_articles/ihq_vol12_no4_meaning_of_smrti_in_the_brahma_sutras.pdf#:~:text=about%20twenty%20times%20%28I,work%20like%20the%20Gita%20or. The paper examines numerous sutras and Shankara’s commentary to demonstrate that the author of the Brahma‑sutras interprets the Gita’s doctrine in his own way rather than refuting it. The author argues that if ‘Smrti’ meant Samkhya, the sutras would not require a separate section to refute Yoga. He also notes that later commentators who read Samkhya into the Smrti‑pada were influenced by later polemics rather than the original intent. Throughout the article, the writer stresses that understanding ‘Smrti’ as scriptural tradition clarifies the structure of the Brahma‑sutras and aligns with the text’s reliance on the Gita and Mahabharata.