Kalpa (Vedanga) - Revision history

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	===Srauta Sutras===		===Srauta Sutras===
	[[File:Pythagorean.svg\|thumb\|260px\|The verses 1-2 of ''Baudhayana Shulba Sutra'' state that the squares of any rectangle's width and length add up to the square of its diagonal.{{Sfn\|Plofker\|2009\|p=18 with note 13}} This is ~~known in western literature as~~ the [[Pythagorean theorem]].]]		[[File:Pythagorean.svg\|thumb\|260px\|The verses 1-2 of ''Baudhayana Shulba Sutra'' state that the squares of any rectangle's width and length add up to the square of its diagonal.{{Sfn\|Plofker\|2009\|p=18 with note 13}} This is one of the earliest descriptions of [[Pythagorean theorem]], appearing many centuries before [[Pythagoras]].]]
	The '''Śrautasūtras''' (Shrauta-sutra) form a part of the corpus of [[Sanskrit]] [[sutra\|sūtra]] literature. 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 late [[Vedic Sanskrit]], dating to the middle of the first millennium BCE (generally predating [[Pāṇini]]).		The '''Śrautasūtras''' (Shrauta-sutra) form a part of the corpus of [[Sanskrit]] [[sutra\|sūtra]] literature. 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 late [[Vedic Sanskrit]], dating to the middle of the first millennium BCE (generally predating [[Pāṇini]]).

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	===Dharmasūtras===		===Dharmasūtras===
	The '''Dharmasūtras''' are 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 later [[dharmaśāstra]]s, the dharmasūtras are composed in prose. The oldest dharmasūtra is generally believed to have been that of [[Apastamba Dharmasutra\|Apastamba]], followed by the dharmasūtras of [[Gautama Dharmasutra\|Gautama]], [[Baudhayana sutras\|Baudhayana]], and an early version of [[Vashistha]]. It is difficult to determine exact dates for these texts, but the dates between ~~500–300~~ BCE have been suggested for the oldest dharmasūtras.{{citation needed\|date=March 2016}}		The '''Dharmasūtras''' are 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 later [[dharmaśāstra]]s, the dharmasūtras are composed in prose. The oldest dharmasūtra is generally believed to have been that of [[Apastamba Dharmasutra\|Apastamba]], followed by the dharmasūtras of [[Gautama Dharmasutra\|Gautama]], [[Baudhayana sutras\|Baudhayana]], and an early version of [[Vashistha]]. 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\|date=March 2016}}

	{\| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"		{\| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
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	\|{{IAST\|Sāmaveda}}\|\|{{IAST \|Lātyāyana Śrautasūtra<br />Drāhyāyana Śrautasūtra<br />Jaiminiya Śrautasūtra}} \|\| \|\|Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Khādira-Gṛhyasūtra<br>(Drāhyāyana-Gṛhyasūtra)<br />Jaiminiya-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Kauthuma-Gṛhyasūtra \|\|{{IAST \|Gautama Dharmasūtra}}		\|{{IAST\|Sāmaveda}}\|\|{{IAST \|Lātyāyana Śrautasūtra<br />Drāhyāyana Śrautasūtra<br />Jaiminiya Śrautasūtra}} \|\| \|\|Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Khādira-Gṛhyasūtra<br>(Drāhyāyana-Gṛhyasūtra)<br />Jaiminiya-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Kauthuma-Gṛhyasūtra \|\|{{IAST \|Gautama Dharmasūtra}}
	\|-		\|-
	\|{{IAST\|Kṛsna Yajurveda}}\|\| {{IAST\|Baudhāyana Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST\|Vādhūla Śrautasūtra}} <br/> {{IAST \|Mānava Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Bharadvāja Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Āpastamba ~~Śrautastūra~~}}<br/>{{IAST \|Hiraṅyakeśi Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Vārāha Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST\|Vaikhānasa Śrautasūtra}} \|\| {{IAST \|Baudhāyana Śulbasûtra<br>Mānava Śulbasûtra <br>Āpastamba Śulbasûtra}} \|\|Baudhāyana-Gṛhyasūtra<br />{{IAST\|Hiraṇyakeśi-Gṛhyasūtra}}<br>(Satyāsādha-Gṛhyasūtra) [http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/yvs/hirgs/hirgs.htm]<br />Mānava-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Bhāradvāja-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Āpastamba-Gṛhyasūtra<br />{{IAST\|Āgniveśya-Gṛhyasūtra}}<br />Vaikhānasa-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Kāthaka-Gṛhyasūtra<br>(Laugāksi-Gṛhyasūtra)<br />Vārāha-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Vādhûla-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Kapisthala-Katha Gṛhyasūtra (unpublished) \|\|{{IAST \|Baudhāyana Dharmasūtra<br>Āpastamba Dharmasūtra}}		\|{{IAST\|Kṛsna Yajurveda}}\|\| {{IAST\|Baudhāyana Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST\|Vādhūla Śrautasūtra}} <br/>{{IAST \|Mānava Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Bharadvāja Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Āpastamba Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Hiraṅyakeśi Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST \|Vārāha Śrautasūtra}}<br/>{{IAST\|Vaikhānasa Śrautasūtra}} \|\| {{IAST \|Baudhāyana Śulbasûtra<br>Mānava Śulbasûtra <br>Āpastamba Śulbasûtra}} \|\|Baudhāyana-Gṛhyasūtra<br />{{IAST\|Hiraṇyakeśi-Gṛhyasūtra}}<br>(Satyāsādha-Gṛhyasūtra) [http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/yvs/hirgs/hirgs.htm]<br />Mānava-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Bhāradvāja-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Āpastamba-Gṛhyasūtra<br />{{IAST\|Āgniveśya-Gṛhyasūtra}}<br />Vaikhānasa-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Kāthaka-Gṛhyasūtra<br>(Laugāksi-Gṛhyasūtra)<br />Vārāha-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Vādhûla-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Kapisthala-Katha Gṛhyasūtra (unpublished) \|\|{{IAST \|Baudhāyana Dharmasūtra<br>}}

			''Āpastamba Dharmasūtra''

			''Hārīta Dharmasūtra''

			''Hiraṇyakeśi Dharmasūtra''

			''Vaikhānasa Dharmasūtra''

			''Viṣṇu Dharmasūtra''
	\|-		\|-
	\|{{IAST \|Śukla Yajurveda}} \|\| {{IAST \|Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra}}\|\|{{IAST \|Kātyāyana Śulbasūtra}}\|\|<br />Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Katyayana-Gṛhyasūtra\|\| ~~{{IAST \| Vishnu~~ Dharmasūtra}}		\|{{IAST \|Śukla Yajurveda}} \|\| {{IAST \|Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra}}\|\|{{IAST \|Kātyāyana Śulbasūtra}}\|\|<br />Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra<br />Katyayana-Gṛhyasūtra\|\| ''Śaṅkha-Likhita Dharmasūtra''
	\|-		\|-
	\| Atharvaveda\|\|{{IAST \|Vaitāna Śrautasũtra}} \|\| \|\|{{IAST\|Kauśika Gṛhyasūtra}} \|\|		\| Atharvaveda\|\|{{IAST \|Vaitāna Śrautasũtra}} \|\| \|\|{{IAST\|Kauśika Gṛhyasūtra}} \|\|''Auśanasa Dharmasūtra''
	\|}		\|}

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	==References==		==References==
	{{~~reflist~~\|30em}}		{{Reflist\|30em}}

	===Bibliography===		===Bibliography===
	*{{cite book\|first=Kim\|last=Plofker\|author-link=Kim Plofker\|title=Mathematics in India \|title-link= Mathematics in India \|year=2009 \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|isbn=0-691-12067-6 }}		*{{cite book\|first=Kim\|last=Plofker\|author-link=Kim Plofker\|title=Mathematics in India \|title-link= Mathematics in India (book) \|year=2009 \|publisher=Princeton University Press \|isbn=0-691-12067-6 }}
	*{{cite book\| author=Maurice Winternitz\| author-link=Moriz Winternitz\| title=History of Indian Literature, Volume 1\| year=1963\| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass\| isbn=978-81-208-0056-4}}		*{{cite book\| author=Maurice Winternitz\| author-link=Moriz Winternitz\| title=History of Indian Literature, Volume 1\| year=1963\| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass\| isbn=978-81-208-0056-4}}

>Daask: Adding local short description: "Study of Vedic ritual practices", overriding Wikidata description "Vedic era study of ritual procedures and ceremonies, one of six Vedangas" (Shortdesc helper)

2021-05-26T05:25:10Z

Adding local short description: "Study of Vedic ritual practices", overriding Wikidata description "Vedic era study of ritual procedures and ceremonies, one of six Vedangas" (Shortdesc helper)

New page

{{Short description|Study of Vedic ritual practices}}
{{About|a discipline of Vedic literature|the reckoning of time|Kalpa (aeon)|other uses|Kalpa (disambiguation){{!}}Kalpa}}
{{Hindu scriptures}}
'''Kalpa''' ({{lang-sa|कल्प}}) means "proper, fit" and is one of the six disciplines of the [[Vedanga|Vedānga]], or ancillary science connected with the [[Vedas]] – the scriptures of [[Hinduism]].<ref name=jameslochtefeldsca339/> This field of study is focused on the procedures and ceremonies associated with Vedic [[ritual]] practice.{{Sfn|Plofker|2009|p=313}}<ref name=jameslochtefeldsca339>James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, {{ISBN|0-8239-2287-1}}, page 339</ref>

The major texts of Kalpa Vedanga are called ''Kalpa Sutras'' in Hinduism.{{Sfn|Maurice Winternitz|1963|p=252}} 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.<ref>{{cite book|author=Wendy Doniger |title=Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780877790440 |url-access=registration |year=1999 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |isbn=978-0-87779-044-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780877790440/page/629 629] }}</ref> Most Kalpasutras texts have experienced interpolation, changes and consequent corruption over their history, and Apasthamba Kalpasutra ancillary to the [[Yajurveda]] may be the best preserved text in this genre.<ref>{{cite book|author=Patrick Olivelle |title=The Dharmasutras: The Law Codes of Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d0YTQ9Ty8r4C |year=1999|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-160604-5 |pages=xxv-xxviii with footnotes}}</ref>

Kalpa Sutras are also found in other Indian traditions, such as [[Jainism]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Moriz Winternitz|title=A History of Indian Literature: Buddhist literature and Jaina literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lgz1eMhu0JsC|year=1988 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint)|isbn=978-81-208-0265-0|pages=412–413, 444–446}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Kalpa is a [[Sanskrit]] word that means "proper, fit, competent, sacred precept", and also refers to one of the six [[Vedanga]] fields of study.<ref name=monierwilliamskalpa>{{cite book|author=Monier Monier-Williams|title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA212|year=1923|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=212–213}}</ref> In Vedanga context, the German Indologist [[Max Muller]] translates it as "the Ceremonial".<ref name="Müller1860p169">{{cite book|author=Friedrich Max Müller |title=A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofancient00mlle |year=1860|publisher=Williams and Norgate |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofancient00mlle/page/169 169]–170 }}</ref>

The word is widely used in other contexts, such as "cosmic time" (one day for Brahma, 4.32 billion human years),<ref>James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, {{ISBN|0-8239-2287-1}}, page 338</ref> as well as for precepts or procedures that are "proper, fit" in medicine or another profession.<ref name=monierwilliamskalpa/>

==History==
The Kalpa field of study traces it roots to the [[Brahmana]] layer of texts in the Vedas,<ref name="WinternitzSarma1996p252">{{cite book|author1=Moriz Winternitz|author2=V. Srinivasa Sarma|title=A History of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRfuJFRV_O8C |year=1996|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0264-3 |pages=252–262 }}</ref> however its texts are more focussed, clear, short and practical for ceremonies.<ref name="Müller1860p169"/><ref name="Smith1998p121"/> Kalpa Sutras are related to the ''Karma kanda,'' or ritual parts of the Veda, in contrast to the [[Upanishads]] which are the ''Jnana kanda,'' or the knowledge part.<ref>{{cite book|author=Kireet Joshi|title=The Veda and Indian Culture: An Introductory Essay|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1CJlM2nhlt0C |year=1991|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0889-8 |pages=97–98 }}</ref><ref name="Holdrege2012p71">{{cite book|author=Barbara A. Holdrege|title=Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YlvikndgEmIC |year=2012|publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=978-1-4384-0695-4 |pages=71–72 }}</ref>

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.<ref name="WinternitzSarma1996p252"/> 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.<ref name="WinternitzSarma1996p252"/>

==Texts==
{| class="wikitable floatright" align=center style = " background: transparent; "
|+ Kalpa sutras known<ref>Max Muller, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofancient00mluoft#page/198/mode/2up History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature], Oxford University Press, pages 198-199</ref>
|-style="text-align: center;"
| width=80px style="background: #ffad66;" | Veda
| width= 300px | Sutras
|-style="text-align: left;"
| width=80px | [[Rigveda]]
| width= 300px | Asvalayana-sutra (§), Sankhayana-sutra (§), Saunaka-sutra (¶)
|-style="text-align: left;"
| width=80px | [[Samaveda]]
| width= 300px | Latyayana-sutra (§), Drahyayana-sutra (§), Nidana-sutra (§), Pushpa-sutra (§), Anustotra-sutra (§)<ref>Max Muller, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofancient00mluoft#page/210/mode/2up History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature], Oxford University Press, page 210</ref>
|-style="text-align: left;"
| width=80px | [[Yajurveda]]
| width= 320px | Manava-sutra (§), Bharadvaja-sutra (¶), Vadhuna-sutra (¶), Vaikhanasa-sutra (¶), Laugakshi-sutra (¶), Maitra-sutra (¶), Katha-sutra (¶), Varaha-sutra (¶)
|-style="text-align: left;"
| width=80px | [[Atharvaveda]]
| width= 320px | Kusika-sutra (§)
|-style="text-align: center;"
|colspan="2" |¶: only quotes survive; §: text survives
|}
The rituals related ancient texts are of two kinds: (1) the ''Śrautasūtras'', which are based on the ''[[śruti]]'', and (2) the ''Smārtasūtras'', or rules based on the ''[[smriti]]'' or 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.<ref name=jameslochtefeldsca339/> These texts are written aphoristic [[sutra]]s style, and therefore are taxonomies or terse guidebooks rather than detailed manuals or handbooks for any ceremony.<ref name="Smith1998p121">{{cite book|author=Brian K. Smith |title=Reflections on Resemblance, Ritual, and Religion |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nkruE6UCz54C |year=1998|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1532-2 |pages=120–137 with footnotes}}</ref>

Scholars such as Monier-Williams classified only ''Shrautasutras'' as part of Kalpa Vedanga, stating that the ''Smartasutras'' did not relate to Srauta or Vedic ceremonies, but instead focused on domestic events such as rites of passage when a baby is born and to ''Samayachara'' or "conventional everyday practices" that are part of every human being's life.<ref name="Monier-Williams1876p195">{{cite book|author=Monier Monier-Williams|title=Indian Wisdom|url=https://archive.org/details/indianwisdomwith00moniuoft|year=1876|publisher=W. H. Allen & Company|pages=[https://archive.org/details/indianwisdomwith00moniuoft/page/195 195]–198}}</ref> However, other scholars include both.<ref name="WinternitzSarma1996p252"/><ref name="Holdrege2012p71"/>

===Srauta Sutras===
[[File:Pythagorean.svg|thumb|260px|The verses 1-2 of ''Baudhayana Shulba Sutra'' state that the squares of any rectangle's width and length add up to the square of its diagonal.{{Sfn|Plofker|2009|p=18 with note 13}} This is known in western literature as the [[Pythagorean theorem]].]]
The '''Śrautasūtras''' (Shrauta-sutra) form a part of the corpus of [[Sanskrit]] [[sutra|sūtra]] literature. 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 late [[Vedic Sanskrit]], dating to the middle of the first millennium BCE (generally predating [[Pāṇini]]).

===Shulba Sutras===
The [[Shulba Sutras|{{IAST | Śulbasûtra}}]] (or ''Shulva-sutras'') deal with the mathematical methodology to construct [[Vedi (altar)|altar]] geometries for the Vedic rituals.<ref>{{cite book|author=Pradip Kumar Sengupta|title=History of Science and Philosophy of Science|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zwO-f53m5BQC|year=2010|publisher=Pearson|isbn=978-81-317-1930-5|pages=79–80}}</ref> The Sanskrit word "Shulba" means cord, and these texts are "rules of the cord".{{Sfn|Plofker|2009|p=17}} They provide, states [[Kim Plofker]], what in modern mathematical terminology would be called "area preserving transformations of plane figures", tersely describing geometric formulae and constants.{{Sfn|Plofker|2009|p=17}} Five ''Shulba Sutras'' texts 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).{{Sfn|Plofker|2009|pp=17-18}}

===Smarta Sutras===
The '''Gṛhyasūtras''' "domestic sūtras" are a category of [[Sanskrit]] texts prescribing Vedic rituals, mainly relating to [[Sanskara (rite of passage)|rites of passage]] such as [[Hindu wedding|rituals of wedding]], [[birth]] celebration, [[namegiving]] and coming of age (puberty).<ref>Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, ed. [[Sacred Books of the East]] Vol. XXIX, [https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul01oldeuoft "The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies"], part 1, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1886</ref><ref>Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, trans. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXX, [https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul02oldeuoft "The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic domestic ceremonies"], part 2, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1892</ref> Their language is late [[Vedic Sanskrit]], and they date to around roughly 500 BCE, contemporary with the Śrautasūtras. They are named after Vedic [[shakha]]s.

{{quote|'''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 the [[Samaveda|Saman]], thou art the [[Rigveda|Rig]]. 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<ref>{{cite book|author=Monier Monier-Williams|title=Indian Wisdom|url=https://archive.org/details/indianwisdomwith00moniuoft|year=1876|publisher=W. H. Allen & Company|page=[https://archive.org/details/indianwisdomwith00moniuoft/page/199 199]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Subodh Kapoor|title=Encyclopaedia of vedic philosophy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qJUlAQAAIAAJ |year=2002 |publisher=Cosmo |isbn=978-81-7755-290-4 |pages=2114–2115}}</ref>}}

===Dharmasūtras===
The '''Dharmasūtras''' are 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 later [[dharmaśāstra]]s, the dharmasūtras are composed in prose. The oldest dharmasūtra is generally believed to have been that of [[Apastamba Dharmasutra|Apastamba]], followed by the dharmasūtras of [[Gautama Dharmasutra|Gautama]], [[Baudhayana sutras|Baudhayana]], and an early version of [[Vashistha]]. It is difficult to determine exact dates for these texts, but the dates between 500–300 BCE have been suggested for the oldest dharmasūtras.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
! Veda!! Srautasutra<ref name="kochar">Kochar, Rajesh ''Vedic People:Their History and Geography'', Orient Longman, New Delhi, 2000, {{ISBN|81-250-1080-7}}, p.18</ref>!! Sulbasutra<ref name="kochar"/> !!Grihyasutra<ref name="kochar"/> !! Dharmasutra<ref name="kochar"/>
|-
| {{IAST |Ṛgveda}}||{{IAST | Āśvalāyana Śrautasūtra}}<ref name="Gargya">''Catalogue of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit Books in the British Museum'' (1876) [https://archive.org/stream/cataloguesanskr03manugoog#page/n20/mode/2up p. 9]. Gargya's commentaries (''vrtti''s) are based on the longer ''bhashya''s by Devasvamin (11th century). B.K. Sastry, [http://yabaluri.org/TRIVENI/CDWEB/reviewsjul83.htm review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314084413/http://yabaluri.org/triveni/cdweb/reviewsjul83.htm |date=2016-03-14 }} of K. P. Aithal (ed.), ''Asvalayana Grihya Sutra Bhashyam of Devasvamin'', 1983.</ref> {{IAST|Sāṅkhāyana Śrautasūtra}} || ||{{IAST|Âśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra}} <ref name="Gargya"/> Kausîtaki-Gṛhyasūtra (Bāṣkala śakha) {{IAST|Śāṅkhāyana-Gr̥hyasūtra}} [http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/rv/gs/sankhgs/sankh001.htm] ||{{IAST | Vasishtha Dharmasūtra}}
|-
|{{IAST|Sāmaveda}}||{{IAST |Lātyāyana Śrautasūtra Drāhyāyana Śrautasūtra Jaiminiya Śrautasūtra}} || ||Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra Khādira-Gṛhyasūtra (Drāhyāyana-Gṛhyasūtra) Jaiminiya-Gṛhyasūtra Kauthuma-Gṛhyasūtra ||{{IAST |Gautama Dharmasūtra}}
|-
|{{IAST|Kṛsna Yajurveda}}|| {{IAST|Baudhāyana Śrautasūtra}} {{IAST|Vādhūla Śrautasūtra}} {{IAST |Mānava Śrautasūtra}} {{IAST |Bharadvāja Śrautasūtra}} {{IAST |Āpastamba Śrautastūra}} {{IAST |Hiraṅyakeśi Śrautasūtra}} {{IAST |Vārāha Śrautasūtra}} {{IAST|Vaikhānasa Śrautasūtra}} || {{IAST |Baudhāyana Śulbasûtra Mānava Śulbasûtra Āpastamba Śulbasûtra}} ||Baudhāyana-Gṛhyasūtra {{IAST|Hiraṇyakeśi-Gṛhyasūtra}} (Satyāsādha-Gṛhyasūtra) [http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/yvs/hirgs/hirgs.htm] Mānava-Gṛhyasūtra Bhāradvāja-Gṛhyasūtra Āpastamba-Gṛhyasūtra {{IAST|Āgniveśya-Gṛhyasūtra}} Vaikhānasa-Gṛhyasūtra Kāthaka-Gṛhyasūtra (Laugāksi-Gṛhyasūtra) Vārāha-Gṛhyasūtra Vādhûla-Gṛhyasūtra Kapisthala-Katha Gṛhyasūtra (unpublished) ||{{IAST |Baudhāyana Dharmasūtra Āpastamba Dharmasūtra}}
|-
|{{IAST |Śukla Yajurveda}} || {{IAST |Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra}}||{{IAST |Kātyāyana Śulbasūtra}}|| Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra Katyayana-Gṛhyasūtra|| {{IAST | Vishnu Dharmasūtra}}
|-
| Atharvaveda||{{IAST |Vaitāna Śrautasũtra}} || ||{{IAST|Kauśika Gṛhyasūtra}} ||
|}

==See also==
*[[Kalpa Sūtra]], scriptures of Jainism
*[[Mīmāṃsā]]
*[[Orthopraxy]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book|first=Kim|last=Plofker|author-link=Kim Plofker|title=Mathematics in India |title-link= Mathematics in India |year=2009 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=0-691-12067-6 }}
*{{cite book| author=Maurice Winternitz| author-link=Moriz Winternitz| title=History of Indian Literature, Volume 1| year=1963| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass| isbn=978-81-208-0056-4}}

{{Hindudharma}}

[[Category:Vedangas]]
[[Category:Ritual]]
[[Category:Hindu texts]]