WHETHER SMRUTIS CONSTITUTE VALID PRAMANA?

Both Sruti and smrutis constitute valid pramANas.We have to keep in view that smrutis have only Sruti as the base.

One cannot properly understand the intended and intrinsic meaning of Vedas. As Vedas are complex and innumerable, the Rishis through their great tapas composed the Smrutis which define what is dharma for a particular Yuga.

Whatever one feels like doing according to his mental make-up does not constitute dharma. That is why in Bhagavad GItA , Bhagavan advises all to follow dharma as ordained in the Scriptures :


tasmacchAstram pramAnam te karYAkArya vyavasthitau!
jnAtvA SAstra vidhinoktam karma kartum ihArhasi !!
-----Bhagavad gItA ! 16.24
One who does not follow SAstras gains not Sukham or Siddhi or parama gati.
yah Sastra vidhim utsrijya vartate KAma kAratah !
na sa siddhim avApnoti na sukham na parAm gatim !!
---Bhagavad gItA 16.23


Learned sees through the eye of SAstras
" ----kavibhih SAstra cakshushA ---"
---- SrImad BhAgavatam x-84-36
Sruti smruti mamaivAjnA yad tad ullanghya vartate !
AjnAcchedhe mama drOhi mat bhaktOpi na vaishNava !!
--- VishNu
vedamUlAh smrutayah !
---- Sankha
durbodhA vaidikASSabdAh prakIrNatvacca ye khilAh !
tatraita eva drushtArthAh smruti tantrai pratishthitAh !!
---- MarIci
Srutim paSyanti munayah smaranti ca tathA smrutim !
tasmAt pramANamubhayam pramANaih pramitam bhuvi !!
---- Manu
Accoring to Angiras, those who are learned in pramANas should duly take care of them. Otherwise, authentic pramANas would get destroyed by baseless pramANas.
pramANAni pramANajnaih paripAlyAni yatnatah !
sIdanti pramANAni pramANairavyavasthitaih !!
--------Angiras