Talk:Gārgya
By Swami Harshananda
Gārgya literally means ‘One who has descended from the sage Garga’.
Gārgya in Dharmasutras[edit]
The dharmasutras are the earlier compilations on the various aspects of Dharma. One such ancient work mentioned by famous writer Viśvarupa (9th century A.D.) is the one by Gārgya.[1] His original work has not been traced. The topics dealt with Gārgya in his work, as gleaned from the questions given by Viśvarupa, Aparārka and other writers of 12th century A. D., are:
- Āhnika - daily routine
- Śrāddha - obsequial rites
- Prāyaścitta - expiations
Gārgya in Brhadāranyaka Upaniṣad[edit]
The Brhadāranyaka Upaniṣad[2] mentions one ‘Drpta-bālāki Gārgya.’ He was a descendant of Garga who was the son of a lady called Balākā. He got the appellation ‘dṛpta’ since he was extremely proud of his learning.[3]
Gārgya in Other Scriptures[edit]
Two more sages known to the epics and other scriptures are also mentioned here.
- The first sage Gārgya was the priest of Yudhājit, a prince of the Kekaya kingdom.
- The second sage Gārgya was the son of the sage Veṇuhotra. It is believed that he taught the secrets of dharma to Indra, the king of the gods in heaven.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore