Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c15.21

c15.21

Against the statements of the Puranas and Mahābhārata about matters of traditional history, arguments from Vedic literature are adduced of two kinds—arguments from statements and allusions, and arguments ex silentio. Both these have been discussed already in pages 10–12. Only a few remarks need be added here. As regards statements in that literature, *contemporary* references to historical matters are trustworthy, and they do not clash with kṣatriya historical tradition in the Puranas as far as I am aware; but references to prior traditional history have no such authority, though they may be of use. Arguments regarding historical matters drawn from the silence of that literature are particularly worthless. Thus it is a mistake to assert that, because the Rigveda makes no mention of the Aila (or Lunar) race, there was no such race.¹ One might argue with more force that, because the banyan, the most characteristic tree of India, is not mentioned in the Rigveda,² there were none in India when the hymns were composed.