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Course Details

Dharmashastra

$1,500.00

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Course Code:

HSF7100

Credit Hours:

3

Course Level:

700

Area of Study:

Texts and Traditions

Course Description

HSF7100 – (DHS – None) Dharmaśāstras are scriptural treatises that contain instruction on Dharma. This course will present sections of the vast Dharma literature, spanning Vedic revelation (śruti), authoritative texts (smṛti) like Manudharmaśāstra, itihāsapurāṇa and the vast commentarial tradition. Hinduism and Dharma are interchangeable terms. The term “Dharma” accurately describes the scriptural, textual, ethical, and practical concerns of Hinduism, yet the term is nearly impossible to translate, let alone define. In the present context, Dharma deals with injunctions, prohibitions, duties, rights, politics, and proper conduct necessary for the development of the individual, the flourishing of the family and society, and ultimately liberation of the individual from the cycles of birth and death.
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Program of Study

This course is part of the following programs:

Division

Graduate Division

Required / Core / Elective:

Prerequisites:

Semester / Quarter System:

Semester

Number of Weeks:

Semester / Quarter Offered:

January 2023

Days of the Week:

Time:

Start Date:

End Date:

Faculty

Vishwa P. Adluri

Dr. Vishwa P. Adluri is a Professor in the Philosophy Department at Hunter College, New York. He holds Ph.D.s in Philosophy (New School for Social Research, New York), Indology (Philipps University, Marburg), and Sanskrit (Deccan College, Pune). Prof. Adluri’s work focuses on the reception of ancient Greek and Indian thought in modernity. He is the author of three monographs (Bloomsbury, OUP, and Anthem); four edited volumes (Brill, Bhandarkar Oriental Institute, and de Gruyter); and numerous articles and essays.
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vishwa.adluri@hua.edu

Course Learning Objectives:

As a result of taking this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate comprehensive engagement with the textual-commentarial tradition of the Dharmaśāstra.
  • Analyze the revelation of Dharma through logic, the context of ethics, the purpose of human life and the possibility of a good society.
  • Critique interpretations of being and thinking in Western and Hindu traditions by postulating and defending philosophically sound arguments.
  • Synthesize creative interpretations by organizing textual passages in the defense of classical Hinduism, while adapting them to contemporary concerns and critical issues.
  • Reconcile texts, traditions, and practices by carefully articulating perspectives in their historical, textual, and commentarial contexts.
  • Communicate and clarify the relationship of the Dharma Shastra literature with classical and contemporary Hinduism.
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Dharmashastra

Course content

In the Bhagavadgītā, Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna: “Ignoring the precept of the scriptures [śāstra], he who acts under the impulsion of passion, he does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme Goal. Therefore, the scripture [śāstra] is your authority as regards the determination of what is to be done and what is not to be done.

After understanding (your) duty as presented by scriptural injunction, you ought to perform (your duty) here.” (Gītā 16, 23-24). The Dharma literature is enormous, it includes Vedic revelation (śruti), authoritative texts (smṛti) like Manudharmaśāstra, itihāsapurāṇa and the vast commentarial tradition. The History of Dharmaśāstra, a concise overview of Dharma by P. V. Kane, spans about 6,500 pages. In this course, we will read brief sections of the Kane text, focusing on:

  1. The meaning and sources of Dharma.
  2. Introduction to the various authors and texts of Dharmaśāstra.
  3. Topics in the Dharmaśāstra such as varṇa, āśrama, yagna, niyoga, saṃskāras, pañcamahāyajña and so on.
  4. Śrauta rituals such as Darśapūrṇamāsa, Cāturmāsya, Agniṣṭoma and other Soma sacrifices.
  5. Rājadharma and some political aspects of Dharma
  6. Sin and expiation (pāpa, prāyaścitta)
  7. Vratas and Utsavas including those observed by modern Hindus (Dīpāvali, Vijaya Daśami, Mahāsamīkrānti, Mahāśivarātri etc.
  8. Dharma in relation to philosophical schools such as Pūrvamīmāṃsā, Buddhism, Sāṃkhya, Yoga, etc. The doctrine of karma and rebirth.

We will read pre-assigned sections from The History of the Dharmaśāstra: Vols. 1-V. The primary goal of the course is to understand the scope, structure, function and interpretation of Dharmaśāstras; with the aim of reading Manusmṛti contextually, analytically, and philosophically.

Close reading of the text, class discussion, lectures, and guest lectures (when possible) constitute the method of instruction. Students are required to write 15-page paper on one section of Manusmṛti. The paper should reconstruct Manu’s thesis and analyze its argument, while enriching your interpretation with materials from Kane’s work.

Class Structure

  • The class will meet for three hours each week. Attendance is mandatory. If you miss more than one session, your grade will suffer. If you miss two sessions, you will have to retake the course for a grade.
  • An online session is exactly like a classroom session, so proper etiquette is expected. Please make sure you secure a quiet place with access to the online session. Please switch off your phones. Do not eat during the class (drinking water, tea, or coffee is permitted). Make sure you have access to a camera: if you switch off your camera, you will be marked absent. We will take a 10-minute break halfway through each session.
  • Please keep up with the required reading. This will facilitate participation in discussions. It will also help you get the most out of the course.
  • Each student is required to present a portion of the text in class for discussion. Within two weeks, this presentation should be turned into a paper and submitted. The paper should be minimum 15 pages in length and should be written according to academic standards. If you require assistance in learning how to write a paper, please contact the Academic Writing Center at Hindu University of America.
  • Readings will be posted on the LMS platform. No textbooks need to be purchased.

Prerequisites:

  • Admission into a qualifying Program of Study
  • Any prerequisite courses: NONE
  • Any prerequisite knowledge or skills (i.e., Sanskrit, reading research): NONE

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Doctor of Philosophy in Hindu Studies, Mahābhārata Certificate Program, Master of Arts in Hindu Studies
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Dharmashastra

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