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Kalpa (Vedanga)
Kalpa (Sanskrit: क प) means "proper, fit" and is one of the six disciplines of the Vedānga, or ancillary science connected
with the Vedas – the scriptures of Hinduism.[1] This field of study focused on procedures and ceremonies associated with
Vedic ritual practice.[2][1]

The major texts of Kalpa Vedanga are called Kalpa Sutras in Hinduism.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

Kalpa Sutras are also found in other Indian traditions such as Jainism.[6]

Contents
Etymology
History
Texts
Śrauta Sutras
Smarta Sutras
See also
References
Bibliography

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.[7] In Vedanga context, the German Indologist Max Muller translates it as "the Ceremonial".[8]

The word is widely used in other contexts, such as "cosmic time" (one day for Brahma, 4.32 billion human years),[9] as
well as for precepts or procedures that are "proper, fit" in medicine or another profession.[7]

History
The Kalpa field of study traces it roots to the Brahmana layer of texts in the Vedas,[10] however its texts are more focussed,
clear, short and practical for ceremonies.[8][11] Kalpa Sutras are related to the Karma kanda or rituals parts of the Veda, in
contrast to the Upanishads which are the Jnana kanda or the knowledge part.[12][13]

This field of study emerged to serve the need 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.[10] 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.[10]
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Texts
The rituals related ancient texts are of two Kalpa sutras known[14]
kinds: (1) the Śrautasūtras, which are based
Veda Sutras
on the śruti, and (2) the Smārtasūtras, or rules
Asvalayana-sutra (§), Sankhayana-sutra (§),
based on the smriti or tradition. The first Rigveda
Saunaka-sutra (¶)
versions of the Kalpa Sutras text were probably
Latyayana-sutra (§), Drahyayana-sutra (§), Nidana-
composed by the 6th-century BCE, and they Samaveda
sutra (§), Pushpa-sutra (§), Anustotra-sutra (§)[15]
were attributed to famous Vedic sages out of
Manava-sutra (§), Bharadvaja-sutra (¶), Vadhuna-
respect for them in the Hindu traditions or to
Yajurveda sutra (¶), Vaikhanasa-sutra (¶), Laugakshi-sutra (¶),
gain authority.[1] These texts are written Maitra-sutra (¶), Katha-sutra (¶), Varaha-sutra (¶)
aphoristic sutras style, and therefore are
Atharvaveda Kusika-sutra (§)
taxonomies or terse guidebooks rather than
¶: only quotes survive; §: text survives
detailed manuals or handbooks for any
ceremony.[11]

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.[16] However,
other scholars include both.[10][13]

Śrauta Sutras
The Śrautasūtras (Shrauta-sutra) form a part of the corpus of Sanskrit
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 Śulbasûtra (or Shulva-sutras) deal with the mathematical

methodology to construct altar geometries for the Vedic rituals.[18] The
Sanskrit word "Shulba" means cord, and these texts are "rules of the The verses 1-2 of Baudhayana Shulba
Sutra state that the squares of any
cord".[19] They provide, states Kim Plofker, what in modern
rectangle's width and length add up to the
mathematical terminology would be called "area preserving
square of its diagonal.[17] This is known in
transformations of plane figures", tersely describing geometric formulae western literature as the Pythagorean
and constants.[19] Five Shulba Sutras texts have survived through theorem.
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).[20]

Smarta Sutras

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The Gṛhyasūtras "domestic sūtras" are a category of Sanskrit texts prescribing Vedic rituals, mainly relating to rites of
passage such as rituals of wedding, birth celebration, namegiving and coming of age (puberty).[21][22] Their language is
late Vedic Sanskrit, and they date to around roughly 500 BCE, contemporary with the Śrautasūtras. They are named after
Vedic shakhas.

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 Saman, thou art the 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[23][24]

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 dharmaśāstras, the dharmasūtras are composed in prose. The oldest dharmasūtra is generally believed to have been
that of Apastamba, followed by the dharmasūtras of Gautama, 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.

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Veda Srautasutra[25] Sulbasutra[25] Grihyasutra[25] Dharmasutra[25]

Âśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra [26]
Āśvalāyana Kausîtaki-Gṛhyasūtra
Ṛgveda Śrautasūtra[26] (Bāṣkala śakha) Vasishtha
Sāṅkhāyana Śāṅkhāyana-Gr̥hyasūtra [1] (http://titus.uni-fran Dharmasūtra
Śrautasūtra kfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/rv/gs/sankhgs/s
ankh001.htm)
Lātyāyana
Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautasūtra
Khādira-Gṛhyasūtra
Drāhyāyana Gautama
Sāmaveda (Drāhyāyana-Gṛhyasūtra)
Śrautasūtra Dharmasūtra
Jaiminiya-Gṛhyasūtra
Jaiminiya
Kauthuma-Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautasūtra
Baudhāyana
Baudhāyana-Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautasūtra
Hiraṇyakeśi-Gṛhyasūtra
Vādhūla
(Satyāsādha-Gṛhyasūtra) [2] (http://titus.uni-fra
Śrautasūtra
nkfurt.de/texte/etcs/ind/aind/ved/yvs/hirgs/hirg
Mānava
s.htm)
Śrautasūtra Baudhāyana
Mānava-Gṛhyasūtra
Bharadvāja Śulbasûtra Baudhāyana
Bhāradvāja-Gṛhyasūtra
Kṛsna Śrautasūtra Mānava Dharmasūtra
Āpastamba-Gṛhyasūtra
Yajurveda Āpastamba Śulbasûtra Āpastamba
Āgniveśya-Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautastūra Āpastamba Dharmasūtra
Vaikhānasa-Gṛhyasūtra
Hiraṅyakeśi Śulbasûtra
Kāthaka-Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautasūtra
(Laugāksi-Gṛhyasūtra)
Vārāha
Vārāha-Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautasūtra
Vādhûla-Gṛhyasūtra
Vaikhānasa
Kapisthala-Katha Gṛhyasūtra (unpublished)
Śrautasūtra

Śukla Kātyāyana Kātyāyana Vishnu

Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra
Yajurveda Śulbasûtra Śrautasūtra Dharmasūtra
Katyayana-Gṛhyasūtra
Vaitāna
Atharvaveda Kauśika Gṛhyasūtra
Śrautasũtra

See also
Kalpa Sūtra, scriptures of Jainism
Mīmāṃsā
Orthopraxy

References
1. James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing,
ISBN 0-8239-2287-1, page 339
2. Kim Plofker 2009, p. 313.
3. Maurice Winternitz 1963, p. 252.
4. Wendy Doniger (1999). Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions (https://books.google.com/books?id=ZP_
f9icf2roC). Merriam-Webster. p. 629. ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0.
5. Patrick Olivelle (1999). The Dharmasutras: The Law Codes of Ancient India (https://books.google.com/books?id=d0Y
TQ9Ty8r4C). Oxford University Press. pp. xxv-xxviii with footnotes. ISBN 978-0-19-160604-5.
6. Moriz Winternitz (1988). A History of Indian Literature: Buddhist literature and Jaina literature (https://books.google.co
m/books?id=Lgz1eMhu0JsC). Motilal Banarsidass (Reprint). pp. 412–413, 444–446. ISBN 978-81-208-0265-0.

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7. Monier Monier-Williams (1923). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary (https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&

pg=PA212). Oxford University Press. pp. 212–213.
8. Friedrich Max Müller (1860). A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature (https://books.google.com/books?id=cHCe48QS
ZaUC&pg=PA169). Williams and Norgate. pp. 169–170.
9. James Lochtefeld (2002), "Kalpa" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing,
ISBN 0-8239-2287-1, page 338
10. Moriz Winternitz; V. Srinivasa Sarma (1996). A History of Indian Literature (https://books.google.com/books?id=JRfuJ
FRV_O8C). Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 252–262. ISBN 978-81-208-0264-3.
11. Brian K. Smith (1998). Reflections on Resemblance, Ritual, and Religion (https://books.google.com/books?id=nkruE6
UCz54C). Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 120–137 with footnotes. ISBN 978-81-208-1532-2.
12. Kireet Joshi (1991). The Veda and Indian Culture: An Introductory Essay (https://books.google.com/books?id=1CJlM2
nhlt0C). Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-81-208-0889-8.
13. Barbara A. Holdrege (2012). Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture (https://books.google.com/boo
ks?id=YlvikndgEmIC). State University of New York Press. pp. 71–72. ISBN 978-1-4384-0695-4.
14. Max Muller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature (https://archive.org/stream/historyofancient00mluoft#page/198/mod
e/2up), Oxford University Press, pages 198-199
15. Max Muller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature (https://archive.org/stream/historyofancient00mluoft#page/210/mod
e/2up), Oxford University Press, page 210
16. Monier Monier-Williams (1876). Indian Wisdom (https://books.google.com/books?id=CgBAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA195).
W. H. Allen & Company. pp. 195–198.
17. Kim Plofker 2009, p. 18 with note 13.
18. Pradip Kumar Sengupta (2010). History of Science and Philosophy of Science (https://books.google.com/books?id=z
wO-f53m5BQC). Pearson. pp. 79–80. ISBN 978-81-317-1930-5.
19. Kim Plofker 2009, p. 17.
20. Kim Plofker 2009, pp. 17-18.
21. Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, ed. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXIX, "The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic
domestic ceremonies" (https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul01oldeuoft), part 1, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1886
22. Hermann Oldenberg, trans., Max Müller, trans. Sacred Books of the East Vol. XXX, "The Grihya-sûtras, rules of Vedic
domestic ceremonies" (https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul02oldeuoft), part 2, Oxford, The Clarendon press 1892
23. Monier Monier-Williams (1876). Indian Wisdom (https://books.google.com/books?id=CgBAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA195).
W. H. Allen & Company. p. 199.
24. Subodh Kapoor (2002). Encyclopaedia of vedic philosophy (https://books.google.com/books?id=qJUlAQAAIAAJ).
Cosmo. pp. 2114–2115. ISBN 978-81-7755-290-4.
25. Kochar, Rajesh Vedic People:Their History and Geography, Orient Longman, New Delhi, 2000, ISBN 81-250-1080-7,
p.18
26. Catalogue of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit Books in the British Museum (1876) p. 9 (https://archive.org/stream/catalogue
sanskr03manugoog#page/n20/mode/2up). Gargya's commentaries (vrttis) are based on the longer bhashyas by
Devasvamin (11th century). B.K. Sastry, review (http://yabaluri.org/TRIVENI/CDWEB/reviewsjul83.htm) of K. P. Aithal
(ed.), Asvalayana Grihya Sutra Bhashyam of Devasvamin, 1983.

Bibliography
Kim Plofker (2009). Mathematics in India (https://books.google.com/books?id=DHvThPNp9yMC). Princeton University
Press. ISBN 0-691-12067-6.
Maurice Winternitz (1963). History of Indian Literature, Volume 1. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0056-4.

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