మార్పులు

[[సంస్కృతం]]లో ''స్మార్త'' అంటే "హిందూ స్మృతులపై ఆధారపడినవి లేదా స్మృతులలో పొందుపరచబడిన వాటికి సంబంధించిన, సాంప్రదాయంపై ఆధారపడిన లేదా సాంప్రదాయ న్యాయము లేదా వాడుకకు సంబంధించినవి" అని అర్ధం. ఈ పదం స్మృ (గుర్తుకు తెచ్చుకొనటం) అన్న మూల సంస్కృత ధాతువునుండిధాతువు నుండి ఏర్పడింది. ''[[శ్రుతి]]'' యొక్క వృద్ధి కారకం ''[[శ్రౌత]]'' అయినట్టే ''[[స్మృతి]]'' యొక్క [[వృద్ధి]] కారకం ''స్మార్త''.

Smartas are followers and propagators of ''[[Smriti]]'' or religious texts derived from [[Vedas|Vedic scriptures]]. It is from this that the name ''smarta'' is derived. This term is used with respect to a certain specialized category of Brahmins. Propagating texts derived directly from the Vedas, they are followers of [[Apastamba]] Sutra (as opposed to others following [[Manuమను Smritiస్మృతి]]). When a detractor tells a Smarta that their beliefs are madness, the Smarta responds: ''Madness? This is Smarta!''

It was [[Adiఆది Sankara|Adi Shankaracharyaశంకరాచార్యులు]] who brought all the Vedic communities together. He removed the un-Vedic aspects that had crept into them. He said that any of the different Hindu gods could be worshipped, according to the prescriptions given in the smriti texts. He established that worship of various deities are compatible with Vedas and is not contradictory, since all are different manifestations of ''Brahman''. His ideas were accepted as he succeeded in convincing brahmins of his day, that this is exactly what was indicated by the [[Vedas]].

God, according to Smartas who happen to follow Advaita philosophy, is both [[Sagunaసగుణ]] and [[Nirgunaనిర్గుణ]]. As a Nirguna he is pure consciousness dissociated from matter. He (the gender itself is meaningless here) has no attributes, and has no form. As a Saguna, there is quality that can be attributed. He is infinite and thus can have a multitude of attributes. Accordingly, the scriptures hold that [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]] are ultimately the same. The Smarta theologians have cited many references to support this point. For example, they interpret verses in both the [[Shri Rudramశ్రీరుద్రం]], the most sacred mantra in [[Shaivism]], and the [[Vishnu Sahasranama]], one of the most sacred prayers in [[Vaishnavism]], to show this unity. [[Vishnuవిష్ణు Puranaపురాణము]] carries a story about howలో [[Mahaమహ Vishnuవిష్ణువు]] becomes [[Brahmaబ్రహ్మ]], Vishnuవిష్ణువు andమరియు Shivaశివుడి గా ఎలా రూపాంతరం చెందాడో తెలిపేందుకు ఒక కధ వుంది. Inఒక్క otherమాటలో wordsచెప్పాలంటే, theseఈ formsరూపాలు, andపేర్లు, namesఅన్నీ areఆ justనిర్గుణ differentబ్రహ్మణుని manifestationsయొక్క of Nirgunaవివిధ Brahmanరూపాలు — the Ultimate Reality.

It is most essential for Smarta Brahmins to specialize in the [[Karmaకర్మ Kandaకాండ]] of the [[Vedas]] and associated rituals diligently, and to teach the subsequent generations. This is the only reason that these families continue to be called Smartas.

[[ఆది శంకరాచార్యులు|ఆది శంకరులు]] propagated the tradition of ''[[Shanmata]]'' ([[Sanskritసంస్కృతము]], meaning Six Opinions). In this six major deities are worshipped. This is based on the belief in the essential sameness of all [[deities]], the [[Divine oneness|unity]] of [[Godhead]], and their conceptualization of the myriad [[deities of India]] as various manifestations of the one divine power, [[Brahman]]. Smartas accept and worship the six manifestations of [[God]], ([[Ganesha]], [[Shiva]], [[Shakti]], [[Vishnu]], [[Surya]] and [[Skanda]]) and the choice of the nature of God is up to the individual worshipper since different manifestations of God are held to be equivalent.

<ref>[http://hinduism.iskcon.com/tradition/1204.htm Heart of Hinduism: The Smarta Tradition<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Additionally, many of the Hindu teachers of the modern era such as [[Ramakrishna]], with the notable exception of [[A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]], the Vaishnava founder of the Hare Krishna movement, all had teachings that were in accord with this tradition. The Smarta view dominates the view of [[Hinduism]] in the West. Smartas believe that [[Brahman]] is essentially attribute-less ([[nirgunaనిర్గుణ]]), all attributes ([[gunasగుణాలు]]) equally belong to It, within empirical reality<ref name="Advaita Vedanta FAQ"/>.