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THE SCRIPTURES OF THE AGES
Each of these Ages has its appropriate Śāstra or Scripture, designed to meet the characteristics and needs of the men who live in them.1 The Hindu Śāstras are classed into: (1) S'ruti, which commonly includes the four Vedas (Rg, Yajuh, Sama, Atharva) and the Upanisads, the doctrine of which is philosophically exposed in the Vedanta Darsana. (2) Smrti, such as the Dharma Śāstra of Manu and other works on family and social duty prescribing for pravrtti-dharma. (3) The Puranas,2 of which, according to the Brahma-vaivarta Puràna, there were originally four lakhs, and of which eighteen are now regarded as the principal. (4) The Tantra.
For each of these ages a suitable Śāstra is given. The Veda is the root of all Śāstras (mula-Śāstra). All others are based on it. The Tantra is spoken of as a fifth Veda. Kulluka-Bhatta, the celebrated commentator on Manu, says that S'ruti is of two kinds, Vaidik and Tantrik (vaidiki-tantriki caiva dvi-vidha srutih-kirtita). The various Śāstras, however, are different presentments of sruti appropriate to the humanity
1. On the subject matter of this paragraph see my Introduction to " The Principles of Tantra " (Tantra-tattva), where it is dealt with in greater detail. 2. These are referred to as sarhhita (collection), which term includes amongst other things Dharma-Śāstra, SmjtJ, S'rutijlvika, PurSna, Upa-puranas, Itihasa (history), the books of Vaiistha, Valmiki, and others. See S'abda-ratnavali, and Brahmavaivartta PurSna, JnSna-K&nda, chap cxxxii. of the age for which they are given. Thus the Tantra is that presentment of sruti which is modelled as regards its ritual to meet the characteristics and infirmities of the Kali-yuga. As men have no longer the capacity, longevity, and moral strength necessary for the application of the Vaidika Karma-kanda, the Tantra prescribes a special sadhana, or means or practice of its own, for the attainment of that which is the ultimate and common end of all Śāstras. The Kularnava-Tantra says1 that in the Satya or Krta age the Śāstra is Sruti (in the sense of the Upanisads); in Treta-yuga, Smrti (in the sense of the Dharma-Śāstra and Sruti-jivika, etc.); in the Dvapara Yuga, the Purana; and in the last or Kali-yuga, the Tantra, which should now be followed by all orthodox Hindu worshippers. The Mahānirvāņa2 and other Tantras and Tantrik works3 lay down the same rule. The Tantra is also said to contain the very core of the Veda to which, it is described to bear the relation of the PaRāmātma to the Jivātma. In a similar way, Kulacara is the central informing life of the gross body called vedacara, each of the acara which follow it up to kaulacara, being more and more subtle sheaths.
1. Krte srutyukta acaras TrctaySm smrtl-sambhavah, Dvapare tu pura-noktarh Kalau agama kevalarh. 2. Chapter I, verse 23 et seq. 3. So the Tsra-Pradlpa (chap, i) says that in the Kali-yuga the Tantrika and not the Vaidika-Dharma is to be followed (see as to the Śāstras, my Introduction to " Principles of Tantra "). |
