# स्मृति (smṛti)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/smriti

स्मृति (smṛti) is a Sanskrit word meaning remembrance, memory, memory as one of the transient feelings in dramaturgy, the whole body of traditional codes of law, symbolic name for the number 18, a kind of metre, the letter g. Its 23 recorded definitions are grouped into 6 contexts, among them Memory and Recollection, Miscellaneous Technical Meanings, Personified Smṛti (Deity or Mythological Figure).

- **Root:** स्मृ (smṛ)
- **Etymology:** E. स्मृ to remember, aff. क्तिन् । — E. smṛ to remember, aff. ktin
- **SLP1:** `smfti`  **IAST:** smṛti  **Devanagari:** स्मृति
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sm%E1%B9%9Bti
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/smriti/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Memory and Recollection (11 definitions)
- remembrance, memory  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 1272,2] स्मृति (smṛti) f. remembrance, reminiscence, thinking of or upon ( loc. or comp. ), calling to mind ( स्मृति (smṛti) म् अपि ते न यान्ति (smṛtim api te na yānti), ‘they are not even thought of’), memory, TĀr.; ChUp.; MBh. &c. [ ID=257270 ]
- memory as one of the transient feelings in dramaturgy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 1272,3] memory as one of the Vyabhicāri-bhāvas ( q.v. ), Daśar. [ ID=257271 ]
- 1. Remembrance or recollection. 2. Memory. 3. Authoritative tradition exclusive of Vedic writings. 4. A canonical traditional law-book or code.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 369-1 ] स्मृति (smṛti) smṛ́-ti, f. remembrance, recollection, of ( lc., —° ); memory; authoritative tradition ( exclusive of sruti or Vedic writings ), canonical traditional law-book, code, statement of a law-book: smṛtim api na te yānti, they are not even remembered: -kārin, a. awakening memory, producing recollection; -tantra, n. law-book; -da, a. strengthening the memory; -patha, m. path of memory: -ṃ gā, go the way of memory, perish; -pāṭhaka, m. one learned in the law; -bhū, m. god of love; -bhraṃsa, m. loss of memory; -mat, a. having recollection; possessing full consciousness; having a good memory; versed in law; -rodha, m. failure of memory; -vartman, n. path of memory: ac. w. i, be remembered; -vibhrama, m. derangement of memory; -viṣaya, m. range of memory: -tāṃ gamita, dead; -śāstra, n. law-book; -śīla, n. du. tradition and usage; -śeṣa, a. surviving in memory only, destroyed: -ṃ kṛ, destroy. [ ID=20107 ]
- 1. Memory, recollection, or remembrance. 2. Traditional law or the sacred code of laws. 3. Wish or desire. 4. Understanding.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृ (smṛ) ति (smṛti) [Printed book page 959 ] स्मृ (smṛ) ति (smṛti) f. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) 1 Recollection, remembrance, memory. 2 Law, the body of law, as delivered originally by MANU, YĀJÑAVALKYA, and other inspired legislators, to their respective pupils, and committed by them from recollection to writing. 3 A law book, a code of laws. 4 Wish, desire. 5 Understanding. E. स्मृ (smṛ) to remember, aff. क्तिन् (ktin). [ ID=43458 ]
- 1. Recollection. 2. A body of laws. 3. Wish. 4. Understanding.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 882-b ] स्मृति (smṛti) ( तिः ) ((tiḥ)) 2. f. Recollection; the law, body of laws; wish; understanding. [ ID=43255 ]
- 1. Memory or remembrance. 2. The body of civil and religious law. 3. A law-book. 4. A legal text. 5. Understanding. 6. Desire.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 817-06 ] स्मृति (smṛti) f. 1. Recollection, remembrance, memory, स्मृति (smṛti) मपि न ते यांति क्ष्मापा विना यदनुग्रहम् (smṛtimapi na te yāṃti kṣmāpā vinā yadanugraham) Rajat.; 2. the body of law (civil and religious) (as op. to श्रुति (śruti) or revelation), M. ii.6; 3. a law-book; 4. a passage concerning law, a text of Smṛiti; 4. understanding; 5. desire. [ ID=42493 ]
- 1. Recollection or memory. 2. The body of traditional law and jurisprudence. 3. A law book or code of laws. 4. Wish or desire. 5. Understanding.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृ (smṛ) ति (smṛti) [Printed book page 818-b ] स्मृ (smṛ) ति (smṛti) f. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) 1. Recollection, remembrance, memory. 2. Law, the body of law, (civil and religious,) as delivered originally by MANUYĀJNAWALKYA and other inspired legislators, to their respective pupils, and committed by them from recollection to writing, (as opposed to श्रुति (śruti) or revelation.) 3. A law-book, a code of laws. 4. Wish, desire. 5. Understanding. E. स्मृ (smṛ) to remember, aff. क्तिन् । (ktin.) [ ID=45970 ]
- 1. Memory or remembrance. 2. The body of traditional law. 3. A law book. 4. A legal passage. 5. Understanding. 6. Desire or wish.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 1091-b ] स्मृति (smṛti) smṛ + ti, f. 1. Recollection, remembrance, memory, Hit. iv. d. 96; Bhag. 2, 63; Bhāṣāp. 47; Rājat. 5, 5; Utt. Rāmac. 100, 14. 2. The body of law, as delivered originally by tradition; tradition, Man. 2, 6; Pañc. 164, 20. 3. A law book. 4. A passage concerning law, Vedāntas. in Chr. 203, 2. 5. Understanding. 6. Desire, wish. [ ID=16775 ]
- 1. Remembrance, memory, or tradition. 2. A body of sacred works based on tradition.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 647 ] स्मृति (smṛti) f. remembrance, memory, tradition ( opp. Page648 श्रुति (śruti) revelation); a class of works based on authoritative tradition. [ ID=38742 ]
- 1. Remembrance. 2. Authoritative tradition. 3. A traditional law-book.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 281-b ] smṛti, f. —1. remembrance; —2. tradition ( see √smṛ 2); tradition which is handed down and accepted as authoritative ( except śruti, q. v. ); defined, 58 18, see note; a work based on such tradition; a law-book. [ √smṛ. ] [ ID=4786 ]
- 1. Remembrance, memory, recollection, or calling to mind. 2. Traditional or memorial law handed down by inspired legislators. 3. Pensive recollection, desire, or understanding.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 1154-b ] Smṛti, is, f. remembrance, memory, reminiscence, recollection, thinking of or upon (any person or thing), calling to mind; Memory (personified as a daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Aṅgiras); what is remembered, that which is borne in mind from the beginning, tradition, law; the institutes or body of traditional or memorial law (as handed down ori- ginally by Manu, Yājñavalkya, and other great legis- lators who were supposed to have been inspired, and to have based their precepts on the Veda and divine revelation, though the laws they promulgated were called Smṛti, ‘what is remembered,’ in contradistinc- tion to Śruti, ‘what is heard or revealed,’ and to Ācāra, ‘established usage;’ the very essence of Smṛti being that it was delivered memoriter by human authors, and not directly revealed, as explained in Manu II. 10, see śruti; in its widest acceptation Smṛti is said to include the Vedāṅgas, the Sūtras or aphorisms both śrauta and gṛhya, the institutes of Manu and other inspired law-givers, the Itihāsas, such as the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahā-bhārata, and the Purāṇas, but the term Smṛti is more usually re- stricted to the metrical codes of Manu, Yājñavalkya, Parāśara, &c., see smṛti-śāstra below); any par- ticular law-book or code of laws; any particular law or rule of law, canon, legal text (e. g. anumitā smṛtiḥ pratyakṣayā smṛtyā bādhyate, a Smṛti which is only inferred is set aside by a visibly exist- ing Smṛti; iti smṛteḥ, according to such a Smṛti or legal text, according to such a traditional law); a passage in a work treating of law; pensive or loving recollection, desire, wish [cf. smara ]; under- standing. —Smṛti-kaumudī, f. ‘light of law,’ N. of a legal work by Viśveśvara (composed under the patronage of king Madana-pāla). —Smṛti-kaustu- bha, ‘jewel of law,’ N. of a work by Ananta-deva. —Smṛti-candrikā, f., N. of a legal work. —Smṛ- ti-tattva, am, n. ‘digest of legal truth,’ N. of a work by Raghu-nandana. —Smṛti-darpaṇa, ‘mirror of law,’ N. of a work. —Smṛti-pratyavamarśa, as, m. retentiveness of memory, accuracy of recollec- tion. —Smṛti-prabandha, as, m. a Smṛti com- position, legal work. —Smṛti-bhraṃśa, as, m. loss or failure of memory. —Smṛti-mañjarī, f., N. of a legal work. —Smṛti-mat, ān, atī, at, having a good memory, remembering, recollecting. —Smṛti- mahārṇava (°hā-ar°), as, m. ‘ocean of law,’ N. of a work. —Smṛti-ratnākara (°na-āk°), as, m. ‘jewel-mine of law,’ N. of a work by Caṇḍeśvara. —Smṛtiratnāvalī (°na-āv°), f. ‘string of jewels of law,’ N. of a work by Rāma-nātha. —Smṛti-rodha, as, m. temporary interruption or obstruction of memory, failure of memory. —Smṛti-vibhrama, as, m. confusion of memory. —Smṛti-viruddha, as, ā, am, contrary to law, illegal, unjust. —Smṛti- virodha, as, m. opposition to law, illegality, im- propriety; disagreement between two or more codes of law or legal texts. —Smṛti-śāstra, am, n. a law- book, a code, digest; legal science, (the most cele- brated law-books are those of Manu, Yājñavalkya with its commentary the Mitākṣarā, Parāśara, Hā- rīta, Vyāsa, Vasiṣṭha, Viṣṇu, Vṛhas-pati, Atri, Śaṅ- kha, Likhita, Uśanas, Aṅgiras, Yama, Āpastamba, Saṃvarta, Śātātapa, Kātyāyana, Dakṣa, Gautama; these authors are sometimes classed in three divisions, under the three heads of sāttvika, rājasa, and tāmasa, according to the tendency of their writings.) —Smṛti-śīla, e, n. du. traditions and moral prac- tices. —Smṛti-śeṣa, as, ā, am, one of whom only remembrance remains, a deceased or defunct person; that of which nothing is left but remembrance. —Smṛti-śaithilya, am, n. temporary failure or loss of memory. —Smṛti-saṅgraha or smṛti- samuccaya, as, m. ‘law-collection,’ N. of two legal works. —Smṛti-sammata, as, ā, am, approved by law. —Smṛti-sāgara and smṛti-sāgara-saṅ- graha and smṛti-sāgara-sāra, N. of various legal works. —Smṛti-sādhya, as, ā, am, capable of being proved by law. —Smṛti-sāra, as, m. Page1154-c+ 77 ‘essence of law,’ N. of a work by Deva-yājñika; of another work by Yādavendra; of another by Hari- nātha. —Smṛti-sārāvalī (°ra-āv°), f. ‘line of es- sence of law,’ N. of a work. —Smṛti-siddha, as, ā, am, established by law. —Smṛti-hārikā, f. ‘memory-seizer,’ N. of a daughter of Duḥsahana (described in the fifty-first chapter of the Mārkaṇ- ḍeya-Purāṇa as exercising an evil influence on the memory). —Smṛti-hetu, us, m. a cause of recollec- tion, any mental act stirring the memory, impression on the mind, reflection, association of ideas, recollec- tion. —Smṛty-antara, am, n. another law-book. —Smṛty-apeta, as, ā, am, departed from memory, forgotten; inconsistent with Smṛti; illegal, unjust. —Smṛty-artha-sāgara, as, m., N. of a work by Nṛ-siṃha. —Smṛty-artha-sāra, as, m. ‘essence of the meaning of Smṛti,’ N. of a work on Hindū cere- monies by Śrīdhara-svāmin. —Smṛty-ukta, as, ā, am, prescribed in the codes of law, enjoined by the Smṛtis, canonical. [ ID=53523 ]

### Miscellaneous Technical Meanings (4 definitions)
- symbolic name for the number 18  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > symbolical N. for the number 18 ( fr. the 18 lawgivers above) [ ID=257275 ]
- a kind of metre  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a kind of metre, L. [ ID=257276 ]
- the letter g  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of the letter ग् (g), Up. [ ID=257277 ]
- a mantrakrit  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Smṛti (III) — a mantrakṛt. M. 145. 101. [ ID=16986 ]

### Personified Smṛti (Deity or Mythological Figure) (4 definitions)
- Memory personified as the daughter of Daksha and wife of Angiras or as the daughter of Dharma and Medha.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Memory (personified either as the daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Aṅgiras or as the daughter of Dharma and Medhā), Hariv.; Pur. [ ID=257272 ]
- tradition  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 644-2 ] Smṛti (“tradition,” personif.). § 615 u (Skanda): IX, 46 κ, 2682. [ ID=9970 ]
- born of medha  
  *The Purana Index*
  > स्मृति (smṛti) [Printed book page 3-721 ] Smṛti (I) — born of medha. Bhā. IV. 1. 52. [ ID=16984 ]
- A daughter of Daksha and wife of Angiras  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 3-722 ] Smṛti (IV) — a daughter of Dakṣa; wife of Angiras; a gotrakāra; 1 had two sons and four daughters — Sinīvāli, Kūhu, Rāka, and Anumatī; sons Bharatāgni and Kīrtimat. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 10. 27; 28. 14, 30; Vi. I. 7. 25.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 9. 52, 55; 11. 17; Vi. I. 10. 7.] [ ID=16987 ]

### Traditional Law and Legal Codes (2 definitions)
- the whole body of traditional codes of law  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the whole body of codes of law as handed down memoriter or by tradition ( esp. the codes of Manu, Yājñavalkya and the 16 succeeding inspired lawgivers, viz. Atri, Viṣṇu, Hārīta, Uśanas or Śukra, Aṅgiras, Yama, Āpastamba, Saṃvarta, Kātyāyana, Bṛhas-pati, Parāśara, Vyāsa, Śaṅkha, Likhīta, Dakṣa and Gautama; all these lawgivers being held to be inspired and to have based their precepts on the Veda; cf. Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 203 ), GṛŚrS.; Mn.; Yājñ. &c. [ ID=257274 ]
- Law books  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Smṛti (II) — Law books; distinguished from śruti in Dvāpara and interpreted in two ways; 1 no more recognised as authority in Kali. 2 [ Footnote: 1) M. 52. 12; 144. 7; Vā. 58. 24; 23. 8; 32. 44.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 31. 6, 34; IV. 1. 30; 6. 64; Vā. 58. 34.] [ ID=16985 ]

### Desire or Wish (1 definition)
- desire  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > desire, wish, Pañcatantra (Title) iii, 258 ( v.l. for स्पृहा (spṛhā) ). [ ID=257278 ]

### Sacred Tradition and Remembered Texts (1 definition)
- the whole body of sacred tradition remembered by human teachers  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the whole body of sacred tradition or what is remembered by human teachers (in contradistinction to श्रुति (śruti) or what is directly heard or revealed to the Ṛṣis; in its widest acceptation this use of the term Smṛti includes the 6 Vedāṅgas, the Sūtras both श्रौत (śrauta) and गृह्य (gṛhya), the law-books of Manu &c. [see next]; the Itihāsas [ e.g. the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa], the Purāṇas and the Nītiśāstras; इति स्मृतेः (iti smṛteḥ), ‘ accord. to such and such a traditional precept or legal text’), Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 144, 145 [ ID=257273 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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