A Study of the Smrti Passages in the Mahabhasya

Summary

This study focuses on the citations of Smrti (law code) literature found in Patañjali’s Mahābhāṣya, the authoritative commentary on Panini’s grammar composed in the second century BCE. The author catalogues more than forty passages where Patañjali refers to rules of dharma, including marriage customs, inheritance, penances and caste duties. By analysing these quotations, the paper seeks to identify the sources that Patañjali may have used and to illuminate the state of Dharmaśāstra in his time. The author argues that many of the cited verses do not correspond verbatim to extant Smrti texts such as the Manusmriti, Gautama Dharmasutra or Baudhayana Dharmasutra. Instead, they appear to belong to older Vedic schools’ sutras or to regional traditions that have since been lost. Through philological comparison, he suggests possible affiliations of the passages with the Taittiriya and Maitrayani recensions of the Yajurveda. The article also analyses Patañjali’s own glosses on these verses, noting where he supports or criticises the norms expressed. For example, Patañjali’s discussion of the right of a woman whose husband has taken a second wife reveals a concern for fairness that diverges from later Smrti law. The author further examines how these citations are used to illustrate grammatical rules, showing that Patañjali often chooses examples involving social obligations to explain linguistic constructions. The study argues that the inclusion of Smrti material in a grammar commentary reflects the interconnectedness of linguistic and legal knowledge in ancient India. The article is meticulously organised with an introduction, several analytical sections and a concluding discussion. The author draws on a wide range of sources, including primary texts, inscriptions, chronicles and modern scholarship, and consistently references them in notes and bibliographies. The argument is developed logically, with careful consideration of opposing views and potential counterarguments. Technical terms are explained for the benefit of readers unfamiliar with the subject. Throughout, the article emphasises the importance of situating the topic within its broader historical, cultural and intellectual context, and it often suggests directions for further research. In addition to the substantive analysis, the article places its findings in relation to existing scholarship, discussing how it confirms, refutes or refines earlier interpretations. It outlines methodological challenges such as dating of sources, textual corruption and biases in historical records, and explains the criteria used to evaluate evidence. The author also reflects on the contemporary relevance of the study, suggesting how a better understanding of the past can illuminate present cultural dynamics.