Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c10.18

c10.18

Another marked difference appears between kṣatriya tales on the one hand, and brahmanical tales and tales of an intermediate character on the other hand. In kṣatriya tales there is generally some historical consistency, but the two other classes are generally deficient in the historical sense, often revealing a total lack of it. This lack of the historical sense in ancient Indian literature is a commonplace (p. 2), but it does not hold entirely good as regards kṣatriya tradition. Before the invention of writing, genealogies, ballads and tales are practically the only literature of an historical kind that can exist. Genealogies are essentially chronological; and the old tales, especially those narrated in the course of the best versions of the genealogies, have also an historical character. Royal genealogies certainly do not lack the historical sense, and those kṣatriya tales and ballads are generally consistent in their historical conditions. Since the brahmans did treasure up and hand down the ancient hymns, there is nothing impossible in holding that the sūtas also displayed similar care in preserving traditions committed to their charge, as pointed out in chapter II, until the Purana was compiled, and there were men and brahmans who made old tales and genealogies their special concern.