Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c15.15

c15.15

Fourthly, by the treatment of defects and mistakes. These were inevitable in the handing down of tradition, but there was a real endeavour to ascertain and preserve the genealogies correctly, because, as shown in chapter II, there were men who made a special study of ancient genealogies, and certain terms used, such as vamśavittama and icchanti, indicate that tradition was carefully examined and the best adopted. It was afterwards, when the brahmans obtained the custody of the Puranas, that questionable influences came into play.