Kalpa (Vedanga)

Kalpa(Sanskrit:कल्प) means "proper, fit" and is one of the six disciplines of theVedānga,or ancillary science connected with theVedas– the scriptures ofHinduism.^[1]This field of study is focused on the procedures and ceremonies associated with Vedicritualpractice.^[2]^[1]

The major texts of Kalpa Vedanga are calledKalpa Sutrasin Hinduism.^[3]The scope of these texts includes Vedic rituals, rites of passage rituals associated with major life events such as birth, wedding and death in family, as well as personal conduct and proper duties in the life of an individual.^[4]Most Kalpasutras texts have experienced interpolation, changes and consequent corruption over their history, and Apasthamba Kalpasutra ancillary to theYajurvedamay be the best preserved text in this genre.^[5]

Kalpa Sutras are also found in other Indian traditions, such asJainism.^[6]

Etymology

Kalpa is aSanskritword that means "proper, fit, competent, sacred precept", and also refers to one of the sixVedangafields of study.^[7]In Vedanga context, the German IndologistMax Mullertranslates it as "the Ceremonial".^[8]

The word is widely used in other contexts, such as "cosmic time" (one day for Brahma, 4.32 billion human years),^[9]as well as for precepts or procedures that are "proper, fit" in medicine or another profession.^[7]

History

The Kalpa field of study traces its roots to theBrahmanalayer of texts in the Vedas,^[10]however its texts are more focussed, clear, short and practical for ceremonies.^[8]^[11]Kalpa Sutras are related to theKarma kanda,or ritual parts of the Veda, in contrast to theUpanishadswhich are theJnana kanda,or the knowledge part.^[12]^[13]

This field of study emerged to serve the needs of priests as they officiated over domestic ceremonies such as weddings and baby naming rites of passage, so that the rituals were efficient, standardized and appeared consistent across different events.^[10]They also helped the audience and the individuals integrate within customs and cultural practices, state Winternitz and Sarma, from "the moment when he is received in his mother's womb to the hour of his death", and beyond during his cremation.^[10]

Texts

Kalpa sutras known^[14]
Veda	Sutras
Rigveda	Asvalayana-sutra (§), Sankhayana-sutra (§), Saunaka-sutra (¶)
Samaveda	Latyayana-sutra (§), Drahyayana-sutra (§), Nidana-sutra (§), Pushpa-sutra (§), Anustotra-sutra (§)^[15]
Yajurveda	Manava-sutra (§), Bharadvaja-sutra (¶), Vadhuna-sutra (¶), Vaikhanasa-sutra (¶), Laugakshi-sutra (¶), Maitra-sutra (¶), Katha-sutra (¶), Varaha-sutra (¶), Apastamba-sutra (§), Baudhayana-sutra (§)
Atharvaveda	Kusika-sutra (§)
¶: only quotes survive; §: text survives

The rituals related ancient texts are of two kinds: (1) theŚrautasūtras,which are based on theśruti,and (2) theSmārtasūtras,or rules based on thesmritior tradition. The first versions of the Kalpa Sutras text were probably composed by the 6th-century BCE, and they were attributed to famous Vedic sages out of respect for them in the Hindu traditions or to gain authority.^[1]These texts are written aphoristicsutrasstyle, and therefore are taxonomies or terse guidebooks rather than detailed manuals or handbooks for any ceremony.^[11]

Scholars such as Monier-Williams classified onlyShrautasutrasas part of Kalpa Vedanga, stating that theSmartasutrasdid not relate to Srauta or Vedic ceremonies, but instead focused on domestic events such as rites of passage when a baby is born and toSamayacharaor "conventional everyday practices" that are part of every human being's life.^[16]However, other scholars include both.^[10]^[13]

Srauta Sutras

TheŚrautasūtras(Shrauta-sutra) form a part of the corpus ofSanskrit sūtraliterature. Their topics include instructions relating to the use of the śruti corpus in ritual ('kalpa') and the correct performance of these rituals. Some early Śrautasūtras were composed in the late Brahmana period (such as the Baudhyanana and Vadhula Sūtras), but the bulk of the Śrautasūtras are roughly contemporary to the Gṛhya corpus of domestic sūtras, their language being lateVedic Sanskrit,dating to the middle of the first millennium BCE (generally predatingPāṇini).

Shulba Sutras

TheŚulbasûtra(orShulva-sutras) deal with the mathematical methodology to constructaltargeometries for the Vedic rituals.^[18]The Sanskrit word "Shulba" means cord, and these texts are "rules of the cord".^[19]They provide, statesKim Plofker,what in modern mathematical terminology would be called "area preserving transformations of plane figures", tersely describing geometric formulae and constants.^[19]FiveShulba Sutrastexts have survived through history, of which the oldest surviving is likely the Baudhayana Shulba Sutra (800-500 BCE), while the one by Katyayana may be chronologically the youngest (~300 BCE).^[20]

Gṛhyasūtras

TheGṛhyasūtras"domestic sūtras" are a category ofSanskrittexts prescribing Vedic rituals, mainly relating torites of passagesuch asrituals of wedding,birthcelebration,namegivingand coming of age (puberty).^[21]^[22]Their language is lateVedic Sanskrit,and they date to around roughly 500 BCE, contemporary with the Śrautasūtras. They are named after Vedicshakhas.

Vedic sacrifice rituals at a wedding
West of the (sacred) fire, a stone (for grinding corn and condiments) is placed and northeast a water jar. The bridegroom offers an oblation, standing, looking towards the west, and taking hold of the bride's hands while she sits and looks towards the east. If he wishes only for sons, he clasps her thumbs and says, "I clasp thy hands for the sake of good fortune"; the fingers alone, if he wishes only for daughters; the hairy side of the hand along with the thumbs if wishes for both (sons and daughters). Then, whilst he leads her towards the right three times around the fire, and round the water jar, he says in a low tone,
"I am he, thou are she; thou art she, I am he,
I am the heaven, thou art the earth; I am theSaman,thou art theRig.
Come let us marry, let us possess offspring,
united in affection, well disposed to each other,
let us live for a hundred years ".
— Āśvalāyana Kalpa sutra, Book 1.7, Translated by Monier Monier-Williams^[23]^[24]

Dharmasūtras

TheDharmasūtrasare texts dealing with custom, rituals, duties and law. They include the four surviving written works of the ancient Indian tradition on the subject of dharma, or the rules of behavior recognized by a community. Unlike the laterdharmaśāstras,the dharmasūtras are composed in prose. The oldest dharmasūtra is generally believed to have been that ofApastamba,followed by the dharmasūtras ofGautama,Baudhayana,and an early version ofVashistha.It is difficult to determine exact dates for these texts, but the dates between 500 and 300 BCE have been suggested for the oldest dharmasūtras.^{[citation needed]}

Veda	Srautasutra^[25]	Sulbasutra^[25]	Grihyasutra^[25]	Dharmasutra^[25]
Ṛgveda	Āśvalāyana Śrautasūtra^[26] Sāṅkhāyana Śrautasūtra		Âśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra^[26] Kausîtaki-Gṛhyasūtra (Bāṣkala śakha) Śāṅkhāyana-Gr̥hyasūtra[1]	Vasishtha Dharmasūtra
Sāmaveda	Lātyāyana Śrautasūtra Drāhyāyana Śrautasūtra Jaiminiya Śrautasūtra		Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra Khādira-Gṛhyasūtra (Drāhyāyana-Gṛhyasūtra) Jaiminiya-Gṛhyasūtra Kauthuma-Gṛhyasūtra	Gautama Dharmasūtra
Kṛsna Yajurveda	Baudhāyana Śrautasūtra Vādhūla Śrautasūtra Mānava Śrautasūtra Bharadvāja Śrautasūtra Āpastamba Śrautasūtra Hiraṅyakeśi Śrautasūtra Vārāha Śrautasūtra Vaikhānasa Śrautasūtra	Baudhāyana Śulbasûtra Mānava Śulbasûtra Āpastamba Śulbasûtra	Baudhāyana-Gṛhyasūtra Hiraṇyakeśi-Gṛhyasūtra (Satyāsādha-Gṛhyasūtra)[2] Mānava-Gṛhyasūtra Bhāradvāja-Gṛhyasūtra Āpastamba-Gṛhyasūtra Āgniveśya-Gṛhyasūtra Vaikhānasa-Gṛhyasūtra Kāthaka-Gṛhyasūtra (Laugāksi-Gṛhyasūtra) Vārāha-Gṛhyasūtra Vādhûla-Gṛhyasūtra Kapisthala-Katha Gṛhyasūtra (unpublished)	Baudhāyana Dharmasūtra Āpastamba Dharmasūtra Hārīta Dharmasūtra Hiraṇyakeśi Dharmasūtra Vaikhānasa Dharmasūtra Viṣṇu Dharmasūtra
Śukla Yajurveda	Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra	Kātyāyana Śulbasūtra	Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra Katyayana-Gṛhyasūtra	Śaṅkha-Likhita Dharmasūtra
Atharvaveda	Vaitāna Śrautasũtra		Kauśika Gṛhyasūtra	Auśanasa Dharmasūtra

References

^^a ^b ^cJames Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, Rosen Publishing,ISBN 0-8239-2287-1,p. 339.
^Plofker 2009,p. 313.
^Maurice Winternitz 1963,p. 252.
^Wendy Doniger (1999).Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions.Merriam-Webster. pp.629.ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0.
^Patrick Olivelle (1999).The Dharmasutras: The Law Codes of Ancient India.Oxford University Press. pp. xxv-xxviii with footnotes.ISBN 978-0-19-160604-5.
^Moriz Winternitz (1988).A History of Indian Literature: Buddhist literature and Jaina literature.Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint). pp. 412–413, 444–446.ISBN 978-81-208-0265-0.
^^a ^bMonier Monier-Williams (1923).A Sanskrit-English Dictionary.Oxford University Press. pp. 212–213.
^^a ^bFriedrich Max Müller (1860).A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature.Williams and Norgate. pp.169–170.
^James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing,ISBN 0-8239-2287-1,page 338
^^a ^b ^c ^dMoriz Winternitz; V. Srinivasa Sarma (1996).A History of Indian Literature.Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 252–262.ISBN 978-81-208-0264-3.
^^a ^bBrian K. Smith (1998).Reflections on Resemblance, Ritual, and Religion.Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 120–137 with footnotes.ISBN 978-81-208-1532-2.
^Kireet Joshi (1991).The Veda and Indian Culture: An Introductory Essay.Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 97–98.ISBN 978-81-208-0889-8.
^^a ^bBarbara A. Holdrege (2012).Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture.State University of New York Press. pp. 71–72.ISBN 978-1-4384-0695-4.
^Max Muller,History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature,Oxford University Press, pages 198-199
^Max Muller,History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature,Oxford University Press, page 210
^Monier Monier-Williams (1876).Indian Wisdom.W. H. Allen & Company. pp.195–198.
^Plofker 2009,p. 18 with note 13.
^Pradip Kumar Sengupta (2010).History of Science and Philosophy of Science.Pearson. pp. 79–80.ISBN 978-81-317-1930-5.
^^a ^bPlofker 2009,p. 17.
^Plofker 2009,pp. 17–18.
^Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, ed.Sacred Books of the EastVol. XXIX,"The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies",part 1, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1886
^Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, trans. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXX,"The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies",part 2, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1892
^Monier Monier-Williams (1876).Indian Wisdom.W. H. Allen & Company. p.199.
^Subodh Kapoor (2002).Encyclopaedia of vedic philosophy.Cosmo. pp. 2114–2115.ISBN 978-81-7755-290-4.
^^a ^b ^c ^dKochar, RajeshVedic People:Their History and Geography,Orient Longman, New Delhi, 2000,ISBN 81-250-1080-7,p.18
^^a ^bCatalogue of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit Books in the British Museum(1876)p. 9.Gargya's commentaries (vrttis) are based on the longerbhashyas by Devasvamin (11th century). B.K. Sastry,review Archived2016-03-14 at theWayback Machineof K. P. Aithal (ed.),Asvalayana Grihya Sutra Bhashyam of Devasvamin,1983.

Bibliography

Plofker, Kim(2009).Mathematics in India.Princeton University Press.ISBN 978-0-691-12067-6.
Maurice Winternitz(1963).History of Indian Literature, Volume 1.Motilal Banarsidass.ISBN 978-81-208-0056-4.

[jameslochtefeldsca339-1] James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, Rosen Publishing,ISBN 0-8239-2287-1,p. 339.

[FOOTNOTEPlofker2009313-2] Plofker 2009,p. 313.

[FOOTNOTEMaurice_Winternitz1963252-3] Maurice Winternitz 1963,p. 252.

[4] Wendy Doniger (1999).Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions.Merriam-Webster. pp.629.ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0.

[5] Patrick Olivelle (1999).The Dharmasutras: The Law Codes of Ancient India.Oxford University Press. pp. xxv-xxviii with footnotes.ISBN 978-0-19-160604-5.

[6] Moriz Winternitz (1988).A History of Indian Literature: Buddhist literature and Jaina literature.Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint). pp. 412–413, 444–446.ISBN 978-81-208-0265-0.

[monierwilliamskalpa-7] Monier Monier-Williams (1923).A Sanskrit-English Dictionary.Oxford University Press. pp. 212–213.

[Müller1860p169-8] Friedrich Max Müller (1860).A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature.Williams and Norgate. pp.169–170.

[9] James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing,ISBN 0-8239-2287-1,page 338

[WinternitzSarma1996p252-10] Moriz Winternitz; V. Srinivasa Sarma (1996).A History of Indian Literature.Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 252–262.ISBN 978-81-208-0264-3.

[Smith1998p121-11] Brian K. Smith (1998).Reflections on Resemblance, Ritual, and Religion.Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 120–137 with footnotes.ISBN 978-81-208-1532-2.

[12] Kireet Joshi (1991).The Veda and Indian Culture: An Introductory Essay.Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 97–98.ISBN 978-81-208-0889-8.

[Holdrege2012p71-13] Barbara A. Holdrege (2012).Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture.State University of New York Press. pp. 71–72.ISBN 978-1-4384-0695-4.

[14] Max Muller,History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature,Oxford University Press, pages 198-199

[15] Max Muller,History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature,Oxford University Press, page 210

[Monier-Williams1876p195-16] Monier Monier-Williams (1876).Indian Wisdom.W. H. Allen & Company. pp.195–198.

[FOOTNOTEPlofker200918_with_note_13-17] Plofker 2009,p. 18 with note 13.

[18] Pradip Kumar Sengupta (2010).History of Science and Philosophy of Science.Pearson. pp. 79–80.ISBN 978-81-317-1930-5.

[FOOTNOTEPlofker200917-19] Plofker 2009,p. 17.

[FOOTNOTEPlofker200917–18-20] Plofker 2009,pp. 17–18.

[21] Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, ed.Sacred Books of the EastVol. XXIX,"The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies",part 1, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1886

[22] Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, trans. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXX,"The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies",part 2, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1892

[23] Monier Monier-Williams (1876).Indian Wisdom.W. H. Allen & Company. p.199.

[24] Subodh Kapoor (2002).Encyclopaedia of vedic philosophy.Cosmo. pp. 2114–2115.ISBN 978-81-7755-290-4.

[kochar-25] Kochar, RajeshVedic People:Their History and Geography,Orient Longman, New Delhi, 2000,ISBN 81-250-1080-7,p.18

[Gargya-26] Catalogue of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit Books in the British Museum(1876)p. 9.Gargya's commentaries (vrttis) are based on the longerbhashyas by Devasvamin (11th century). B.K. Sastry,review Archived2016-03-14 at theWayback Machineof K. P. Aithal (ed.),Asvalayana Grihya Sutra Bhashyam of Devasvamin,1983.

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