Śātātapa
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Śātātapa is one of the ancient authors of a smṛti, quoted by others like Yājñavalkya, Parāśara, Viśvarupa and Haradatta, especially on the topic of prāyaścitta or expiations for sins. His work seems to have been both in prose and in verses. The prose-work in the form of sutras and the one in verses may have been different compilations.
Works by Śātātapa[edit]
Contents of Śātātapa Smṛti[edit]
The manuscript of a Śātātapa Smṛti discovered has twelve chapters dealing with the following subjects:
- Prāyaścittas
- Vivāha - marriage
- Vaiśvadeva - offering of cooked food for all gods, a domestic rite
- Śrāddha - obsequal rites
- Rules about taking food
- Aśauca - observance of ceremonial impurities
- Etc.
Contents of Karmavipāka[edit]
Another work called Karmavipāka attributed to Śātātapa contains different subjects like:
- Gifts of land
- Eulogy of brāhmaṇas
- Rites for those who meet violent or accidental death
- Certain penances
Vṛddha-Śātātapa[edit]
One more work called Vrddha-Śātātapa has also been quoted by the writers and commentators of dharmaśāstras.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore