Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c23.13

c23.13

Consequently the framing of the Vasiṣṭha genealogy became perplexing and difficult; still a vamśa was constructed. The Vāyu, Brahmāṇḍa and Liṅga⁹ give a common version with minor variations. The Kūrma gives a short and different version, which hardly merits notice. The Matsya has a full list of the rishis and gotras without any pedigree except the piece from ‘Vasiṣṭha’ to Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa).¹⁰ Collating the first three texts, the version appended seems most probable,¹¹ omitting the first nine lines which refer to the mythical Vasiṣṭha. The genealogy consists of three distinct sections, lines 1–11, 12–16 and 17–18, which seemingly start from one and the same Vasiṣṭha but really give separate disconnected pedigrees as will appear. It is not accurate, but may supplement information derived from elsewhere; and the only safe course is to distinguish the several Vasiṣṭhas in connexion with the kings with whom they were associated, and if possible to fix the distinction by names or by appellations that are applied to them and that may be personal names or may reasonably be utilized as such.