The Smriti Chandrika of Devannabhatta, also known by names such as Devanna-Bhattopadhyaya, Devanna, Devananda, and Devagana, is one of the notable dharmasutras. Devannabhatta, the son of Keshava Bhattopadhyaya, likely lived during the 12th century CE. This comprehensive digest is renowned for compiling the opinions of various authorities without adding personal views, presenting an extensive collection of quotes from earlier sources and authors.
In his work, Devannabhatta holds Vijnaneshwara, the author
of Mitakshara on the Yajnavalkya Smriti, in high regard, despite differing from
him on several issues. The Smriti Chandrika covers a wide range of topics
related to Hindu law and rituals. It includes discussions on various samskaras
(sacraments), the duties of brahmacharins (Vedic students) and grihasthas
(householders), daily rituals such as sandhya (a form of worship), shrauta and
smarta rites, the functioning of law courts, rules of partnership, inheritance
(dayabhaga), and details about shraddha (rituals for the deceased).
The Smriti Chandrika stands out due to its depth and
breadth, distinguishing it from other similarly named works by authors such as
Shukadevamishra and Apadeva, which have not achieved the same level of
recognition.
In addition to the Smriti Chandrika, Devannabhatta is
credited with another work, Sangitamuktavali, which focuses on music and
dancing. This indicates his diverse scholarly interests and contributions to
different fields of traditional Indian knowledge.