Page:A History of Civilisation in Ancient India based on Sanscrit Literature Vol 1.djvu/252

Rh Among the Dharma Sutras which are lost, and have not yet been recovered, was the Manava Sutra or Sutra of Manu, from which the later metrical Code of Manu has been compiled. It seems that the Dharma Sutra of Manu was held in high honour in the Sutra Period, as the metrical Code of Manu is held in honour in the present day. The references to Manu are frequent in the Sutra literature, and Dr. Biihler has pointed out two quotations from Manu in Vasishtha's and Gautama's Dharma Sutras.

Among the Dharma Sutras still extant, Vasishtha belonging to the Rig Veda, Gautama belonging to the Sama Veda, and Baudhayana and Apastamba belonging to the Black Yajur Veda, have been translated by Dr. Biihler.

In point of time Gautama is the oldest, and we find Baudhayana transferring a whole chapter of Gautama's into his Sutra, and Vasishtha again has borrowed the same chapter from Baudhayana. And we have seen before that Apastamba also comes after Baudhayana. We have spoken of the Srauta Sutras which treat of the duties of a worshipper, and of the Dharma Sutras which treat of the duties of a citizen. But man has other duties and responsibilities beyond those of a worshipper and a citizen. As a son, a husband, and a father, he has duties to perform towards the members of his family. He has little rites to perform in connection with domestic occurrences, which are quite different from the more elaborate ceremonials taught in the Srauta Sutras. A distinct class of rules was necessary to fix the details of these Grihya or domestic rites, and these rules are given in the Grihya Siitras.

A great deal of interest attaches to these simple domestic rites performed at the domestic fireside, and not at the hearths which had to be specially lighted at great sacrifices. The domestic fire was lighted by each householder on his marriage, and the simple rites, the