Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c12.35

c12.35

The genealogies profess to give the dynastic lists at length and in correct succession, and say so expressly, *vistareṇānupūrvya ca*, as regards the Yādava⁶ and Paurava⁷ lines. But in giving the Aikṣvāku genealogy of Ayodhyā the Puranas do not profess to be complete, and say that only the chief and best-known kings are mentioned.¹ These statements are noteworthy, because the three genealogies profess to cover exactly the same chronological period, all starting from Manu and all ending with the Bhārata battle. Yet, while the Aikṣvāku lists name some 93 kings, the Yādava lists give only about 53 kings, and the Paurava lists only some 45 kings in succession, and prefixing to each of these two the common anterior names Manu, Ilā, Purūravas, Āyu, Nahuṣa and Yayāti, these two lists make their totals 59 and 51 respectively. Moreover, the latter two lists profess to be given at length, while the first does not profess to be exhaustive. The Liṅga throws some light on the meaning of the word vistareṇa, in that, after setting out the list of Yādava names as fully as the Vāyu, it adds that it gives the list succinctly, saṅkṣepeṇa (i, 68, 1), which is explained by the fact that its account is more concise. Hence apparently vistareṇa does not imply that the list is exhaustive, but that it is the full traditional account. In fact it will be found that gaps occur sometimes in the genealogies, and in one place it is frankly admitted that there is a gap.²