Some forgotten Smrti-writers of Bengal
Summary
Focusing on neglected Smṛti authors from Bengal, this study pieces together fragments of evidence to profile writers who flourished between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. The author identifies Balaka, known for a treatise on expiation rites and dated by contextual clues to the mid‑eleventh century. Jikana (or Gikana) composed a Krtyatattva and a commentary on the Daiva‑smṛti; cross‑references in later Nibandhas suggest he lived in the twelfth century. Yogloka wrote a prakarana instructing pilgrims and ascetics on proper conduct; he emphasised duties of sannyāsins and householders. Jitendriya compiled a compendium synthesising earlier Smṛti rules and is dated to the early thirteenth century. By analysing colophons, commentaries and manuscript catalogues, the article reconstructs these authors’ chronology and contributions. It argues that Bengal had a vibrant tradition of Dharmashāstra scholarship that mainstream surveys overlook. Recovering the works of minor writers reveals the intellectual diversity of medieval Bengal and invites further manuscript research.
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Conclusion
The paper spotlights Bengal’s overlooked Smṛti writers, reconstructing their lives from fragmentary references. By identifying Balaka, Jikana, Yogloka and Jitendriya and dating their works, it shows that Bengal’s legal scholarship was richer than commonly thought. The study encourages historians to search manuscript collections for more forgotten voices.