Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c6.74

c6.74

In the following chapters I endeavour to deal fully with ancient Indian historical tradition, basing my statements always on definite statements in Sanskrit books and citing those authorities; and no statements are made without such support.¹ The chief authorities are the Purāṇas and the Mahābhārata, and less reliably the Rāmāyaṇa; and as the first are continually mentioned, the word is Anglicized as Purana. Among the Puranas is reckoned the Harivaṃśa which is really a Purana. The Puranas are cited by name,² and the Mahābhārata in the Calcutta edition.³ References are cited as copiously as possible, so that all passages may be combined and receive due consideration, because, when tradition is dealt with, the quantity and character of the statements about any particular matter are important in the way of evidence. The same matter or person has often to be noticed in different aspects or connexions, and cross-references have been given as far as practicable, yet it is impossible in the early pages to particularize later pages. A copious index is added, which will aid comparison, so that all the information on any particular subject may be collected, and the book serve as a compendium of ancient historical tradition.