CHAPTER II

THE GA UTAMADHARMASUTRA - ITS PROMINENCE

IN THE VEDIC LITERATURE

The Dharmasutras are the earliest works on Hindu law. Among all of

the Dharmasutras the Gautamadharmasutra is considered one of the earliest

Dharmasutras which belongs to the Samaveda. In this chapter, a detailed

introductory note on the Gautamadharmasutra is furnished.

The Author of the Gautamadharmasutra

The Gautamadharmasutra is one of the earliest Dharmasutras which is

written entirely in Sutra style and no versified passages are found in this

Dharmasutra as traceable in the Apastambadharmasutra, Baudhdyana-

dharmasiitra, Vasi$thadharmasiitra and the like. But there occur some Sutras

which resemble like verses composed in Anustubh meters.1 Gautama is the

author of this valuable work on ancient Hindu law. Gotama is a famous r$h i.e.

seer of the JRgveda. In the Rgvedic mantras, the name Gotama occurs at least

eighteen times.2 In the Brhadaranyakopani$ad, Gautama is mentioned

1. cf. akrosanrtahimsasu triratrarh paramam tapah/ GDS., 3.5.27

2. Vide, Kane, P.V., History ofDharmasastra, Vol.2, Part.l, p. 2

25
among the lines of teachers through whom the tradition was carried on. In the

same work Arufli is addressed as Gautama by Pravahana Jaivali.3

4

Samkaracarya states that Aruoi is called Gautama is the patronymic name of

Aruiii.5 In the Kathopani$ad the name Gautama is used to denote Naciketas6

and in another context Gautama is mentioned as the father of Naciketas.7 Again

in the Chandogyopani$ad there occurs a name of Acarya called Haridrumat

Gautama,8 i.e. Gautama was the son of Haridrumat. The VamsabrahmaQa of

the Samaveda enumerates the names of four members of Gautama-family,

3. handilyah kausikacca gautamacca/

gargyo gautamat gautamab saitavat/ Br.U., 2.6.1.4.6.2

4. Ibid., 6.2. 4-13

5. sa ajagama gautamo gotrato gautama araniryatra ... /
Samkaracarya, Ibid.

6. evam munervijanata atma bhavati gautama/

yatha ca maranarh prapya atma bhavati gautama/

Katha.U., 2.4.15, 2.5.6

7. vltamanyurgautamo mabhi/ Ibid., 1.1.10

8. sa ha haridrumatarh gautamametyovaca brahmacaryam

bhagavati vatsyamyupeyarii bhagavantamiti/ Cha.U., 4.4.3

26
viz. Radha Gautama, Gatri Gautama, Sumanta Babhrava Gautama and Samkara

Gautama who handed down the Samaveda9’ Thus, it is observed that the name

Gautama is patronymic and the Gautamadharmasutra, in all probability, was

composed by the founder of the Gautama School of the Samaveda. It is very

difficult to assert the proper identity of the propounder of the

Gautamadharmasutra as there arises confusion due to the recurrence of similar

names in the Vedic passages.

Place of Gautama

The geographical provenance of ancient Sanskrit works is not very

clear. George Buhler has argued that Apastamba came from south India.10

S,C. Baneqi holds that Gautamas were a school in South India studying the

Samaveda and it proves that this work originated in that region.*11 Julius Jolly

observes, “The Ranayanlyas had their principal seat in Maharastra and Telinga-

SamavedTs are still said to exist in eastern Hyderabad who are considered as

Raoayaniyas and are divided into seven gotras, one of which is called Gautama.

9. Vide, Sathe, Jayashree, D., Grhya Rituals ofSdmavedins, p.15

10. Vide, Max Muller, F.(ed), The Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 2,

Introduction, pp.xxxii-xl

11. Vide, Banerji, S.C., Dharmasutras - A Study in Their Origin and

Development, p. 20
27
Of course, the occurrence of the name of the Gautama school here may be

accidental, as is the case with the Gautama Brahmans in Bombay and other

places for Gautama is a well-known gotra name.” 12 According to Patrick

Olivelle,13 “All the Dharmasutras were probably composed in the area that we

today call North India, principally because that appears to have been the region

of Brahmanical literary activity during the centuries before the common era.”

Regarding the place of Gautama he states, “Gautama’s use of the term yavana

(“Greek”) and bhik?u (mendicant), terms also used by Pan ini, and his ‘correct’

Sanskrit conforming to Paninian rules may indicate that he came from the

north-western region to which Pan ini also belonged.”14

The Gautamadharmasutra, Its Relation to the Sfimaveda

The Gautamadharmasutra has its direct association with the Samaveda.

The Tantravartika of Kumarilabhatta states very clearly that the

Gautamadharmasutra and Gobhilagrhyasutra were studied by the followers of

the Samaveda, the Vasitfhadharmasutra by the followers of the Rgveda,

12. cf., Jolly, Julius, Hindu Law and Custom, p.9

13. cf., Olivelle, Patrick, Dharmasutras, Introduction, p. 5

14. cf., Ibid

28
the Dharmasiitra of Sankha-Likhita by the followers of Vajasaneyi-Samhita

and the Dharmasutras of Apastamba and Baudhayana were studied by the

followers of the Taittiriya school of the Yajurveda}5 It proves that

Gautamadharmasiitra was specially studied by the Samavedins as their text­

book. Among the four Vedas, the largest number of Sakhas is ascribed to the

Samaveda and it is said that it has one thousand recensions.16 Of the many

recensions of the Samaveda, only three have survived, e.g. the Raoayaniya, the

Kauthuma and the Jaiminiya. The Raoayanlyas are again subdivided into nine,

viz. Raoayanlyas, SathyayanTyas, Satyamudgalas, Khalvalas, Mahakhalvalas,

Lahgalas, Kauthumas, Gautamas and Jaiminlyas.17 The commentary on the

Caranavyuha. states that Gautama was one of the nine sub-divisions of the
1 ft
Ranayaniya school of the Samaveda. Gautama is mentioned as a teacher in

the Lafyayanasrautasutra and Drahydyaoasrautasutra of the Samaveda.19

Again, the eighth chapter of the third prasna of the Gautamadharmasiitra

15. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 1, p.20

16. Vide., Max Muller, F., A History ofAncient Sanskrit Literature, p. 196

17. Vide, Sathe, Jayashree, D., Op. cit, p.15

18. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op.cit., Vol.l, Part.1, p. 22

19. Vide, Baneiji, S.C., Op.cit., p. 17

29
which deals with Krcchra penance is almost identical with the second Khan'da

of the first prapathaka of the Samavidha-nabrahmaoa of the Samaveda. The

Gautamadharmasutra directly prescribes the recitation of some purificatory

texts, i.e. some Samans for expiating a blamable act or misbehavior. Again,

Gautama prescribes the recitation of five vyahrtis, viz.bhur, bhuvas, svas,

satya andpum$a in his Dharmasutra.20 Among these, Gautama mentions satya

as the fifth Vyahrti.21 Generally, the three Vyahrtis are noted, viz. bhur, bhuvas

and svas or sometimes they are counted as seven in number. Again

Gautama prescribes some mantras in his work which are called as the

acamanamantra of the Chandogas, i.e. the reciter of the Samaveda 24 Thus it is

observed that Gautama followed the tradition of the Samaveda. Haradatta, the

20. vyahrtisama bhurbhuvab svab satyarh puru?a iti panca/

Haradatta on GDS., 1.1.52

21. om purva vyahrtayah paflca satyantab/ GDS., 1.1.52

22. akarancapyukarafiea makaraflcaprajapatib/

vedatrayanniradurhadbhurbhuvab svarititT ca// MS.,

2.76

23. Vide., Apte, Vaman Shivram, The Student’s Sanskrit-English Dictionary,

p.541

24. Vide., GDS., 3.7.9

Also vide, Sathe, Jayashree, D., Op. cit, p. 6

30
well-known commentator of the Gautamadharmasutra frequently and

pointedly refers in his commentary to the practices of the Chandogas and also

quotes the Gfhyasutra of the JaiminTyas of the Samaveda?5 Govindasvamin,

the commentator of the Baudhayanadharmasutra states that the Gautama­

dharmasutra was originally studied by the Chandogas.26

Thus, the above discussion reveals that the author of the

Gautamadharmasutra was a Samavedin and his work obviously belonged to

the Samaveda.

Date of the Gautamadharmasutra and Its Priority

It is very difficult to find out the actual date and place of the authors of

the ancient Sanskrit works. The Gautamadharmasutra is considered one of the

earliest Dharmasutras. Gautama in his Dharmasutra mentions the following

works, viz. the Vedas, DharmaSastras, Vedangas, Upavedas, Puranas,

Upanisads, Vakovakya, Itihasa, Nyayavidya etc.27 The eighth chapter of the

third prasna of the Gautamadharmasutra is borrowed from the

25. Vide., Max Mtiller, F., (ed.), The Sacred Books of the East, Vol.2,

Introduction, p. xlix

26. Vide., Ibid

27. GDS., 1.8.6; 2.2.3,19; 3.1.12

si
Samavidhdnabrahmaoa. Again, Gautama borrows the first six Sutras of the

seventh chapter of the third prasna from the Taittiriya-Araoyaka (11.18).

Among the teachers on DharmaSastras, only Manu is mentioned by Gautama.28

In several places Gautama frequently quotes certain opinions ascribed to the

Acaryas who were his predecessors.29 Again in one context, Gautama seems to

have followed Yaska’s Nirukta in interpretating the term danda. Gautama

'JA

states dando damanadityahustenadantan damayet and in the Nirukta of

28. trTni prathamanyanirdesyanyanu/ GDS., 3.3.7

This Sutra is seen in the GDS, which is published by Chaukhamba

Samskrit Sansthan with Haradatta’s commentary. In this edition, Manu’s
name is omitted. But the Suk$ma Vftti states that in the commentary of the
present Sutra, Maskarin has mentioned the word manu in place of anu.
anusthane manuriti maskaripathati/ Vide Siik$ma Vftti on GDS., 3.3.7
Again scholars like Georg Buhler, Patrick Olivelle have translated this
Siitra (3.3.7) according to Maskarin and name Manu is mentioned vividly.
Vide, Max Mtiller, F.(ed.), Op.cit., Vol.2, p. 277
Also vide, Olivelle, Patrick, Dharmasutras, p.173
29. cf. GDS., 1.2.15,40,56; 1.3.1, 35; 1.4.13, 17, 18; 1.6.6; 1.7.23; 2.4.12;

2.5.31, 34; 2.6.11, 20,31; 2.7.14,27,45; 2.9.7; 3.1.4,6; 3.3.6,8,14; 3.5.13,29;

3.6.4; 3.9.14; 3.10.17,24,38

30. GDS., 2.2.28

32
 31 ,i •
Yaska, it is stated dandyahpurusah ... damanadityau-pamanyavah. Thus it

is observed that some other prominent works on law definitely existed before

Gautama.

The earliest reference to Gautama as an author on law is mentioned in

the Baudhayanadharmasutra32 The first chapter of the third prasna of the

Gautamadharmasiitra, which deals with the prayascittas, seems to have been

borrowed by Baudhayana with slight variations.33 The Vasi$thadharma- sutra

too quotes the view of Gautama in two distinct passages.34 Again, the twenty-

second chapter of the Vasitfhadharmasutra is borrowed from the first chapter

of the third prasna of the Gautamadharmasiitra. Gautama is mentioned as the

son of Utathya in the Manusmrti35 According to Georg Biihler, Gautama is the

son or grandson of the sage Utathya and the grandson or great grandson

31. Nir.,2.2

32. neti gautamotyugro hi k$atradharmo brahmanasya/ BDS., 2.2.70

33. Vide, Ibid., 3.10

34. sadyab saucamiti gautamab/

ahitagniscetpravasanmriyeta punab sarhskaram
krtva savavacchaucamiti gautamab/ VDS., 4.35, 37

35. sudravedl patatyatrerutathyatanayasya ca1

saunakasya sutotpattya tadapatyataya bhfgob// MS., 3.16

33
of USanas or Sukra, the regent of the planet Venus and his work possessed

generally binding force in the second or Treta yuga.36 Again Manu mentions

the view of Vasi$tha in his work.37 Yajnavalkya also quotes Gautama as one of

the authors of law-books in his work.38 Apararka, the commentator of the

Ydjnavalkyasmfti quotes a verse from the Bhavi$yapurana which speaks of

Gautama’s view regarding the prohibition of drinking. Kulluka the

commentator of the Manusmfti too quotes a verse from the Bhavisyapurana

which speaks the view of Gautama.40

Thus, it is clear that Gautama is older than Baudhayana and Vasi§tha

because both the authors quote Gautama as an authority on law and that

Baudhayana has incorporated a whole chapter from Gautama’s work which

36. Vide, Max Muller, F.(ed.), Op.cit, Vol.2, Introduction, p. xlv

37. vasi§thavihitam vrddhim srjedvittavivardhimm/

asTtibhagam grhnlyanmasadvardhu§ikah sate// MS., 8.140

38. parasaravyasaSatikhalikhita dak$agautamau/ YS., 1.5a

39. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 34

40. itthameva vyakhyatam bhavi$yapurane

akamatab krte pane gaudTmadhvyomaradhipa/
taptakrcchravidhanarh syat gotamena yathoditam//
Kulluka on MS., 11.146

34
Vasistha again has borrowed from Baudhayana. Gautama is prior to Manu and

Vasistha, because Manu quotes Vasistha’s view and Vasistha quotes

Gautama’s view. As Yajfiavalkya quotes Gautama as one of the authors on law,

it proves that he is older than Yajfiavalkya also. As Manu is mentioned by

Gautama which is already referred to in the relevant context, proves that he

knew an ancient work on law which was attributed to Manu. It indicates the

existence of the Manavadharmasastra41 Gautama has cited the opinion of

some writers that the Yavana is the offspring of a Ksatriya male and a Sudra

female.42 The word Yavana again denotes the Greeks. According to some

scholars, the Yavanas became known to the Indians only at the time of

Alexander’s invasion of India and hence the works containing the word Yavana

must be later than 320 B.C.43 George Btihler holds that with the single use of

the word Yavana, the date of the Gautamadharmasutra cannot be ascertained.44

Patrick Olivelle observes that, the use of word Yavana places the upper limit of

41. Vide, Max Muller, F.(ed.), Op.cit., Vol. 2, Introduction, p. lvii

42. tebhya eva ksatriya murdhavasikthak$atriyadhivarapulkasarh-

stebhya eva vaisya bhujjakanthamahi$yavai3yavaidehanparasa-

vayavanakaranaSudrafichudretyeke/ GDS., 1.4.17

43. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit, Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 35

44. Vide, Max Muller, F.(ed.), Op.cit., Vol.2, Introduction, p. lvi

35
Gautama in the middle of the third century B.C.E.45 Sukumari Bhattacharji too

states “The occurrence of the term Yavana gives us the upper limit of the text

as around the third century B.C.46 According to Macdonell, Gautama’s age can

be placed about 500 B.C 47 Kane holds that the works on the Dharmasastra

existed prior to Yaska or at least prior to the period 600-300 B.C. and in the

second century B.C. they had attained a supreme position.48 He is also of the

opinion that the Dharmasiitra of Gautama cannot be placed later than the

period between 600-400 B.C.49 Thus, the Dharmasiitra of Gautama is earlier

than the other Dharmasutras.50

45. cf., Olivelle, Patrick, Dharmasutras, Introduction, p. 9

46. Vide, Bhattachaiji, Sukumari, Literature in the VedicAge, Vol. 2, p.351

i

47. Macdonell, A. A., A History ofSanskrit Literature, p. 219

48. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 14

49. Vide., Ibid., p.36

50. Vide., Sathi, Jayashree D., Opleit, p. 6

f

36
 Works Ascribed to Gautama

There are many works ascribed to Gautama in Sanskrit Literature.

The Mitak$ara of VijnaneSvara, the Smfticandrika of Apadevamlmarhsaka,

Hemadri and Madhava quote a Slokagautama. Apararka, Hemadri and

Madhava also quote Vrddhagautama, the Dattakammamsa of Madhavacarya

quotes both the works Vfddhagautama and Brtiadgautama.51 The

Vrddhagautamasmrti in twenty-two chapters with one thousand and seen

hundred verses is published by Jlvananda.52 It is entirely different from the

Gautamadharmasutra and it seems to be a part of the Asvamedhikaparvan of

the Mahabhdrata. Other works, ascribed to Gautama are, viz. the

Gautamapitjmedha Sutra, the Gautamasraddhakalpa, the Gautamasmrti, the

Gautamisik?a, the Gautama-Ahnikasutra, the Gautama-Gfhyaparisi$ta, the

Gautami -Paddhati etc., of which the last three works are published.53 Of all

the works of Gautama, the Gautamadharmasutra is a famous work on ancient

Hindu law. It is divided into three broad parts called prasna. Each prasna is

again divided into chapters. The first Prasna has nine chapters

51. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 38

52. Vide., Ibid

53. Vide.,Sathe, Jayashree, D.,Op.cit., pp.6-450

37
(<adhyaya), the second has nine and the third prasna has ten chapters. Thus the

whole book is divided into twenty-eight chapters.54 The whole work contains

approximately one thousand sutras altogether.

The contents of the Gautamadharmasutra are as follows: The first

chapter contains sources of law, time of initiation, the appropriate girdle, deer

skin, cloth and staff for each varna, rules about purification, and method of

approaching the teacher. The second chapter deals with rules about uninitiated

children, rules for the students, control of pupils, rules for begging alms, period

of study etc. The third chapter describes in detail of four dramas, the duties of

Brahmacarin, Bhik$u and Vaikhanasa etc. Rules for the householders, rules of

marriage, eight forms of marriage, sub-castes etc., are described in the fourth

chapter. In the fifth chapter rules of sexual intercourse, the five great sacrifices,

the rewards of gifts, honey-mixture, rules of honouring guests of several castes

etc., are discussed. The sixth chapter discusses the rules of showing respect to

the parents, relatives and teachers, etc. The seventh chapter deals with the rules

about the avocations of a Brahman a avocations for him in distress and

54. gautamokte dharmasastre haradattakrtaviha/

a$tavimso’yamadhyayo vrttau dayab samapitab//

Haradatta on GDS., 3.10.51

38
discussions are made on what articles a Brahmana cannot sell or deal in. The

position of the king and a Brahmana in the society, the forty samskaras and the

eight good qualities in a human being etc., are discussed in the eighth chapter.

The rules for the snataka and the householder are discussed in the ninth

chapter. The firstprasna contains these nine chapters.

The second prasna starts with the tenth chapter. In the tenth

chapter the occupations of the four classes, responsibilities, of the king, taxation

system, ownership of the lost property, guardianship of minor’s wealth etc., are

thoroughly discussed. The duties and qualities of the king, the qualities of the

king’s priest, the judicial process, punishment, criminal and civil law etc., are

discussed in the eleventh chapter. The twelfth chapter deals with the discussion

on punishments for abuse, assault, hurt, adultery and rape , the theft and

property damage, moneylending system and rates of interest, debts etc. The

rules for witnesses are discussed in the thirteenth chapter. In the fourteenth

chapter, rules regarding impurity on the birth and death are discussed in detail.

The fifteenth chapter deals with the sraddha, i.e. the ancestral offerings, quality

of invitees, types of food unfit invitees, sexual abstinence, pollution and

remedies in regard to the sraddha ceremony. The sixteenth chapter discusses

about the rules of the annual course of the Vedic study, suspension of the Vedic

recitation etc. The seventeenth chapter discusses the food to be taken, unfit

food and forbidden food etc. The duties of women, levirate, remarriage of a

39
wife if her husband is missing, time of marriage for girls, legitimate seizure of

property etc., are discussed in the eighteenth chapter. Here ends the second

prasna.

The third prasna which contains the remaining ten chapters starts

with the nineteenth chapter.The penances, five things that remove sin,

purificatory Vedic prayers, holy food for one who practices japa, various kinds

of tapas and gifts, proper time and places for japa etc., are discussed in the

nineteenth chapter. The twentieth chapter discusses in detail the

excommunication from caste, contact with outcast, readmission into caste and

sins causing loss of caste etc. The twenty-first chapter describes the sinners of

various grades, mahapatakas, upapatakas etc. The penances for various sins

such as adultery, killing a Brahmapa, Ksatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, Cow or other

animals etc., are discussed in the twenty-second chapter. The penance for

drinking wine and other forbidden things, penance for incestuous sex, for illicit

sex, for breaking the vow of chastity, miscellaneous sins etc., are discussed in

the twenty-third chapter. The secret penances are discussed in detail in the

twenty-fourth chapter. The penances for a student who has broken his vow of

chastity are discussed in the twenty-fifth chapter. The Kfcchfa penances, i.e.

arduous penances are discussed in the twenty-sixth chapter. The Candrayaoa

penance is discussed in the twenty-seventh chapter. The last chapter of the

40
Gautamadharmasutra, i.e. the twenty-eighth chapter deals with partition,

woman’s property, re-union, twelve kinds of sons, inheritance etc.

Thus, the Gautamadharmasutra discusses in detail the subjects,

noted above, in Sutra style which is fully related to the social life of a human

being. It should be noted that in some manuscripts, a chapter on Karmavipaka

is found after chapter nineteenth, but this chapter is not commented upon by

Haradatta and Maskarin.55 Thus, it can be conjectured that the

Gautamadharmasutra has, in the course of time, undergone many

modifications and interpolations and has, therefore, not come down to us in its

original form. Again, the repetition of the last word in every chapter of the

Gautamadharmasutra is an archaism. Haradatta says that Gautama’s repetition

of the last word in every chapter indicates that this chapter is finished and in the

last chapter it indicates that the book is completed.56

The Commentaries on the Gautamadharmasutra

There are three noteworthy commentaries on the Gautama­

dharmasutra, viz. the commentary of Maskarin, Haradatta and Kulamani-

55. Vide., Gopal Ram., India o/Vedic Kalpasutras, p. 53

56. a) dviruktiradhyayaparisamaptyartha/
b) dviruktih sastraparisamaptyartha/ Haradatta on GDS., 1.1.62, 3.10.51

41
misra Sarma and a few commentaries are already lost.

Among the available commentaries, the commentary of Maskarin

is a scholarly one. The commentary is far more extensive than Haradatta’s

commentary. Maskarin was the first commentator of the Gautamadharmasutra

and his commentary can be assigned to the period 900-1100 A.D. Maskarin’s

father was named Vamana. Before Maskarin, there were other two early

commentaries of Bhartryajna and Asahaya on the Gautamadharmasutra. But

fO

these two commentaries are not available in print.

The commentary of Haradatta on the Gautamadharmasutra is

very useful in deriving the real purport of the sutras. His commentary is known

as Mitak$aravrtti. He too wrote a commentary called Anakula on the

Apastambagrhyasutra, Anavila on the Asvalayanagfhyasutra, Ujjyala on the

Apastambadharmasutra and a commentary on the Apastamblyamantra-patha.

Haradatta profusely quotes various Smrtis, Puranas, the Vedas, Vedahgas,

Mimamsd, Nyaya, Gfhyasutras etc., in his commentary.59 Among the Smfti

57. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 37

Also vide, Swain, Brajakishore, The Dharmasastra - An Introductory
Analysis, p.5
58. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit, Vol. 1, Part 1, p. 37
59. cf. tacca”hagrhykarah .../Haradatta on GDS, 2.1.66,
Also vide, Ibid 3.1.2, 3.4.7
42
writers he frequently quotes Manu, Yajnavalkya, Apastamba, Vasistha, Visou,

Devala, Katyayana, Bhrgu, USanas,Narada, Vyasa, Vyaghra, Vrhaspati,

Jatukarnya and the like. Haradatta frequently quotes the opinions of his

previous commentators with the words anye, aparah, kecit etc.60 But he does
<>

not mention the name of his previous comentators, for which it is very

difficult to ascertain whether Haradatta followed Asahaya and Bhartryajna or

Maskarin. Haradatta was a grammarian too as it is evidenced by the fact that

the un-Pan inian forms are distinctly marked by him in his commentary on the

Gautamadharmasutra.61

Haradatta was a great devote of lord siva. He begins his

commentary of the Gautamadharmasutra with an obeisance to Rudra and that

of the Apastambadharmasutra with an obeisance to Mahadeva.62

60. Vide, Haradatta, Ibid., 1.2.28; 1.7.4,14; 1.9.53; 2.2.17; 2.3.32,33; 3.6.5;
3.8.9; 3.10.7
61. vanmanasoriti patho’smabhyam na rocate/
acatureti samasantavidhiprasangat/ Haradatta, Ibid., 3.7.8
Also vide, Kane, P.V., Op. cit, Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 742
62. a) namo rudraya yaddharmagastrarh gautamanirmitam/
Kriyate haradattena tasya vrttirmitaksara// Haradatta on GDS., 1.1.1
b) pranipatya mahadevam haradattena dhunata/
dharmakhyapra&iayoresa kriyate vrttirujjvala//
Haradatta on ADS., 1.1.1

43
 Regarding the place of Haradatta, scholars opine that he was an

inhabitant of South-India. Haradatta has mentioned a synonym in the Dravida

language for a skin disease called kilasa.63 He has mentioned elsewhere certain

practices of the Dravidas. According to Haradatta the Dravidas invoke Sun

when the Sun is in Aries or Virgo.64 The VTramitrodaya of Mitramisra too

states that Haradatta was an inhabitant of South-India.65

To affix the date of Haradatta is very difficult. George Buhler has

placed Haradatta in the sixteenth century A.D., whereas P.V. Kane has placed

Haradatta between 1100-1300 A.D.66

Kulamapimifra Narnia wrote a fresh commentary on the

Gautamadharmasutra called Suk$mdvftti. , It was published by Sri Narayana

Press of Puri in 1991 edited by Professor Brajakishore Swain with a lucid

introduction. He took the help from his earlier commentators like Haradatta

63. kilasastvagdoso balamllti dravidanam prasiddhab/

Haradatta on GDS, 2.6.18
64. tatra dravidab kanyame$asthe savitaryaditya-
pujamacaranti... / Haradatta on ADS., 2.29.16

65. Vide., Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 743

66. Vide, Max Muller, F.(ed.), Op.cit., Vol.2, Introduction, p.xliii

Also vide, Kane, P.V., Op. cit., Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 746

44
and Maskarin. He was a distinguished scholar who was felicitated by the

President of India. His father was Gadadhara and mother’s name was Vimala

and Anandamisra was his teacher.67 He was the great devotee of lord

Jagannath.68 His commentary is very lucid and thereby it is easily

understandable.

Editions of the GautamadharmasUtra

The GautamadharmasUtra has been published several times. The

edition of Dr. Stenzler has been published from London in 1876 as The

Institutes of Gautama. In the same year, another edition of this Dharmasutra

has been published from Calcutta by JTvananda Bhattacarya, The Anandasrama

edition with the commentary of Haradatta has been published in 1910. Again,

one of its editions with the commentary of Maskarin is published by the

Mysore Government Oriental Library Series. In 1879 Georg Biihler has

published a scholarly English translation of the Dharmasutra of

67. vimalagarbhajatena gadadharatanubhuva/

sisyenanandamisrasya gurvaslrvadasalina//

Vide, Sarma, Kulamanimisra(ed.), GDS., p. 213

68. pranamya paramatmanarh lTladaravavigraham/

gautamadharmasutran am suksmavrttirvitanyate//

Suk$mavftti on GDS., 1.1.1

45
Apastamba and Gautama under the title, The Sacred Laws of the Aryas, the

second volume of the Sacred Books of the East, edited by Max Mtiller. The

Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan of Varanasi has published the Dharmasutra

with the commentary of Haradatta and with the Hindi commentary and

introduction of Umesh Chandra Pandey, In 1991, the Dharmasutra of

Gautama has been published with Suk$mdvftti by Brajakishore Swain. In 2000,

Patrick Olivelle has translated the Dharmasutra of Apastamba, Gautama,

Baudhayana and Vasistha and it is published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers

Private Limited, Delhi. Again, in 2005, Patrick Olivelle has prepared a

valuable work on the same Dharmasutras, under the title Dharmasutra

Parallels, published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi.

Thus, it is found that the Gautamadharmasutra is regarded as one

of the earliest Dharmasutras which is composed entirely in Sutra style. It was,

in all probability, composed as a Dharmasutra of the Gautama school of the

Samaveda. In Indian literature, it has its prominent place. As Manusmrti is

excellent one among the Smrtis, similarly among the Dharmasutras the

Gautamadharmasutra occupies a distinct position.

46