बहूनि स्मृतिशास्त्राणि यज्ञशास्त्राणि चाऽवनौ । धर्मकामार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं कल्पितान्युचितान्यथ ॥ १२ ॥
bahūni smṛtiśāstrāṇi yajñaśāstrāṇi cā’vanau | dharmakāmārthasiddhyarthaṁ kalpitānyucitānyatha || 12 ||
Translation
On the earth many treatises of remembered law and of sacrifice were then composed, fitting for the attainment of duty, desire and wealth.
Word by word
- bahūni
- many
- smṛti
- of remembered law
- śāstrāṇi
- treatises
- yajña
- of sacrifice
- ca
- and
- avanau
- on the earth
- dharma
- of duty
- kāma
- desire
- artha
- and wealth
- siddhyarthaṁ
- for the attainment
- kalpitāni
- were composed
- ucitāni
- fitting
- atha
- then
Meaning
Smṛti-śāstra and yajña-śāstra: the commentary says these are for regulating the dharma of kings and subjects, and mentions the sūtras and manuals of rites. Note what they aim at: dharma, kāma and artha. These are three of the four ends of life. The fourth, liberation, is absent, and the omission is intended. The law books order the world; they do not take one out of it.