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| - Kalpa is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga, treating ritual. Tradition does not single out any special work in this branch of the Vedanga; but sacrificial practice gave rise to a large number of systematic sutras for the several classes of priests. A number of these works have come down to us, and they occupy by far the most prominent place among the literary productions of the sutra-period. The Kalpa-sutras, or rules of ceremonial, are of two kinds: (1) the Shrautasutras, which are based on the shruti, and teach the performance of the great sacrifices, requiring three or five sacrificial fires; and (2) the Smartasutras, or rules based on the smrti or tradition. The latter class again includes two kinds of treatises: (1) the Grhyasutras, or domestic rules, treating the rites of passage
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| abstract
| - Kalpa is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga, treating ritual. Tradition does not single out any special work in this branch of the Vedanga; but sacrificial practice gave rise to a large number of systematic sutras for the several classes of priests. A number of these works have come down to us, and they occupy by far the most prominent place among the literary productions of the sutra-period. The Kalpa-sutras, or rules of ceremonial, are of two kinds: (1) the Shrautasutras, which are based on the shruti, and teach the performance of the great sacrifices, requiring three or five sacrificial fires; and (2) the Smartasutras, or rules based on the smrti or tradition. The latter class again includes two kinds of treatises: (1) the Grhyasutras, or domestic rules, treating the rites of passage, such as marriage, birth, namegiving, etc., connected with simple offerings into the domestic fire; and (2) the Dharmasutras, which treat customs and social duties, and have formed the chief sources of the later law-books. Further, the Shrauta-sutras of the Yajurveda have usually include a set of so-called Shulva-sutras, i.e. rules of the cord, which treat of the measurement by means of cords, and the construction, of different kinds of altars required for sacrifices. These treatises are of special interest as supplying important information regarding the earliest geometrical operations in India. Along with the Sutras may be classed a large number of supplementary treatises, usually called Parishishta (παραλιπομενα), on various subjects connected with the sacred texts and Vedic religion generally.
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