Jimutavahana
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Jimutavahana (c. 12th century CE) was a Sanskrit scholar and writer of legal and religious treatises of early medieval period. He was the earliest writer on smriti (law) from Bengal whose texts are extant. He was a Brahmin of Pāribhadrakula (Pāribhadra family) from Radha (western Bengal).
[edit] Major works
Jimutavahana is known for his three major works. His Kalaviveka has dealt with the appropriate kala (timings) for religious rites and ceremonies. This text also contains discussions on solar and lunar months.
His Vyvahāra-mātrikā or Nyayaratna-mātrikā or Nyayamātrikā has dealt with vyavahāra (judicial procedure). The text is divided into five sections, Vyvaharamukha, Bhashapada, Uttarapada, Kriyapada and Nirnayapada.
His magnum opus Dayabhaga has dealt with the laws of inheritance based on Yājnavalkyasmriti. In Bengal (and post-independence West Bengal and Tripura) and Assam, Dayabhaga was the principal guide for laws on inheritance till the enactment of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. This treatise differs in some aspects from Mitakshara, which was prevalent in other parts of India. The right of a widow without any male issue to inherit the properties of her deceased husband is recognized in Dayabhaga.
Dayabhagatippani of Srinath Acharyachudamani (c. 16th century CE), Dayabhagatika of Raghunandan Bhattacharya (16th century CE) and Dayabhagatika of Srikrishna Tarkalankar (18th century CE) are the notable commentaries written on Dayabhaga during the late medieval period.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Roy, Niharranjan. Bangalir Itihas: Adiparba (in Bengali), Dey’s Publishing, Kolkata, 1993, ISBN 81-7079-270-3, pp. 615-616.
- Rocher, Ludo. Jīmūtavāhana's Dāyabhāga, Oxford Univ Press, 2002, ISBN 0-19-513817-1
