Deval Dharm Sutra Me Aeshwaryo Ka Vivaran

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Title: Description of Powers (Aishwarya) in the Deval Dharmasutra Author: Lallan Gopal

This article discusses the presence and significance of "powers" or supernatural abilities (Aishwarya) as described in the ancient Deval Dharmasutra. While only a few Dharmasutras are currently available in print (like those of Apastamba, Baudhayana, Gautama, Vasistha, Vishnu, and Vaikhanasa), the author notes that many others existed in antiquity, with only fragments or references surviving. The Deval Dharmasutra is confirmed to have been in circulation during the time of the renowned Advaita Vedanta philosopher Adi Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya's commentary on the Vedanta Sutras (1.4.28) explicitly mentions Deval's Dharmasutra, stating that it expounded the principles of Sankhya philosophy, which posits "Pradhana" (primordial matter) as the cause of the universe. Shankaracharya's efforts to refute Sankhya's doctrines suggest the Deval Dharmasutra held considerable importance among Sankhya proponents.

The author's understanding of the Deval Dharmasutra is based on numerous quotations found in medieval commentaries and treatises. These citations suggest that the original text was not small and particularly featured extensive details on Sankhya and Yoga philosophy. This emphasis on philosophical and practical aspects of these traditions made it significant compared to other Dharmasutras.

A key focus of the article is a lengthy quotation from Deval cited by Lakshmidhar, a minister of King Govindachandra of the Gahadavala dynasty (1113-1154 CE), in his treatise "Krtyakalpataru," specifically in the "Mokshakanda" (section on liberation). Chapter 22 of this section deals with Yogic "Vibhutis" (superhuman powers). Lakshmidhar primarily relies on Deval for this chapter, with only two verses quoted from Yajnavalkya. This indicates that Lakshmidhar likely had access to the complete Deval Dharmasutra, as he cites it extensively across various sections of his work.

Another scholar who quoted Deval on "Aishwarya" is Mitra Mishra, likely active in the first half of the 17th century. His quote appears in the "Mokshaprakasha," the final volume of his "Virmitrodaya" treatise. While this work is not yet published, its manuscript was used for comparison in editing the "Mokshakanda" of "Krtyakalpataru." The author suggests that "Mokshaprakasha" might be an expanded version of the "Mokshakanda" and therefore doesn't hold independent significance. However, relying solely on Mitra Mishra's citations doesn't definitively prove the complete Deval Dharmasutra was available in the 17th century.

Lakshmidhar's significant reliance on Deval for the topic of "Aishwarya" suggests he considered Deval's account the most authoritative. The author hypothesizes that this section might have been a distinct chapter in Deval's Dharmasutra, possibly titled "Yogavibhuti."

The quoted passage from Deval is a mix of prose and poetry, beginning with aphorisms (sutras) and concluding with nine verses. The text lists eight "Aishwarya-qualities":

1. Animā: The power of becoming infinitesimally small.
2. Mahimā: The power of assuming immense size.
3. Laghimā: The power of becoming extremely light.
4. Prāpti: The power of obtaining anything desired, making one a universal perceiver.
5. Prākāmya: The power to fulfill all desires or to move at will.
6. Īśitva: Unrestricted dominion or lordship, surpassing even deities.
7. Vaśitva: Control over oneself, leading to immense longevity and future births.
8. Yatra-kāmāvasāyitva: The power to achieve anything one desires.

These eight powers are further divided into two categories: Śārīra (bodily) for Animā, Mahimā, and Laghimā, and Aindriya (sensory) for the remaining five, as they relate to the sense organs. Deval's style involves a concise explanation of each power followed by a description of the superhuman ability it grants. The eighth power, Yatra-kāmāvasāyitva, is further elaborated with three types: chhāyāveśa (entering shadows), avdhyānāveśa (entering the unassailable), and aṅgapraveśa (entering bodies). The final aphorism states that by acquiring these qualities, cleansing impurities, dispelling doubts, perceiving all things directly, understanding higher and lower dharma, achieving a stable state, and realizing the impermanent nature of all things, one attains peace.

The article notes that the concept of superhuman powers is also mentioned in the Apastamba Dharmasutra and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. While many texts list these eight siddhis, Deval's description is considered exceptionally detailed.

The nine verses following the aphorisms describe the benefits and qualities gained from following yogic practices. The first five verses differentiate between weak and strong yogis, using the analogy of fire. A weak yogi is overwhelmed by the practice, while a strong yogi can reform the entire world. Similar to a weak person being swept away by a current, a weak yogi is controlled by desires, whereas a strong yogi controls them. A yogi with powers can enter the realms of Prajapati, Rishis, Devas, and Mahabhutas, remaining unaffected by Yama or death, and can manifest in thousands of forms.

The author identifies that these nine verses are nearly identical to verses 19-27 of Chapter 289 of the Shanti Parva in the Mahabharata (Poona edition). While minor textual variations exist, the core meaning is consistent. The article then engages in a detailed comparison of the verses found in Deval and the Mahabharata, highlighting differences in wording and potential textual corruptions.

A crucial question arises: which text is original and which is derivative? The author analyzes the inclusion of vocative terms like "Rājan," "Prabho," and "Bharat-arshabha" in Deval's verses. These address forms suggest that the verses were originally directed at a king or prince, making the Mahabharata their more natural and original context, where they appear as part of Bhishma's teachings to Yudhishthira. The verses in the Mahabharata also show a stronger contextual flow with preceding and succeeding verses.

The author points out that in Mahabharata verses 6 and 9, the name "Pārtha" (referring to Yudhishthira, Arjuna, or Bhima) is used as a vocative, but this is omitted or altered in the corresponding Deval verses ("parashalyārtha" instead of "chavashah pārtha" and "punastāni" instead of "punah pārtha"). This deliberate alteration suggests an attempt to conceal the origin of these verses from the Mahabharata. The continued presence of other vocative terms unsuitable for the Deval context further reinforces this conclusion.

Shankara, in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, quotes two verses (identical to Deval's verses 8 and 9, which are also from the Mahabharata). However, Shankara does not attribute these to the Deval Dharmasutra, indicating his awareness of their original source in the Mahabharata.

The author concludes that these nine verses were borrowed from the Mahabharata into the Deval Dharmasutra. This implies that the Deval Dharmasutra was composed after Chapter 289 of the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata reached its current form.

An alternative interpretation is that Lakshmidhar might have cited only the aphorisms as Deval's and borrowed the verses from the Mahabharata, and later scribes mistakenly attributed the verses to Deval. The author cites another instance of such an error in "Krtyakalpataru" where a Mahabharata quote is misattributed to the Brahmapurana.

Another possibility is that these verses were interpolated into the Deval Dharmasutra during later revisions and additions. If the omission of "Pārtha" was intentional, it suggests an attempt to hide the interpolation, placing the composition of this section of the Shanti Parva before the revision of the Deval Dharmasutra. Shankara's silence on these verses in relation to Deval might indicate their late insertion, possibly after Shankara but before Lakshmidhar.

In conclusion, based on the presence of these nine verses attributed to Deval in "Krtyakalpataru," the author asserts that while the original Deval Dharmasutra is very ancient, it was later expanded with material from other sources, specifically the Mahabharata, after the Shanti Parva had reached its present form and incorporated its chapters on Yoga.