Gobhil Grihya Sutra is the domestic rituals as laid down by
Gobhila. Grihya Sutras as the name suggests deal with grihya karmani (domestic
rituals) which are marked by utmost brevity and terseness.
The Grihya Sutras present a systematic interpretation of
domestic rituals as practiced in their respective schools. There is no strict
uniformity in the general scheme of arrangement of the subject matter.
The number and order of the rites vary from one Grihya Sutra
to another. All ceremonies prescribed in them are performed by the householder
himself or by his wife, son, pupil or priest with the help of the grihyagni
(sacred household fire).
The authorship of Gobhil Grihya Sutra is ascribed to Gobhil,
who was a follower and perhaps a teacher f Sama Veda.
The text predates Mantra Brahmana, whose mantras are used at
the performance of various grihya rites.
While describing the grihya rites, it quotes only the
initial words of the mantras, which should accompany the grihya acts ad which
are found in Mantra Brahmana. Those mantras that are not found in Mantra
Brahmana are quoted in the text in their entirety.
Knauer holds that Mantra Brahmana precedes Gobhil Grihya
Sutra, but Oldenberg regards the two as contemporaneous.
Khadira Grihya Sutra, which is an abridgement of Gobhil
Grihya Sutra, also admits that the arrangement of the rites is based on the arrangement
of mantras in the collection of mantras.