Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c7.145

c7.145

Next, as regards their character, the Puranas place themselves on an equality with the Veda, for many of them assert that they are Veda-sammita, or Vedaiḥ sammita,³ ‘of equal measure with the Veda’; and even a single story is so estimated.⁴ The title Veda is sometimes given to them,⁵ and so the Vāyu (1, 18) calls itself Purāṇa-Veda. Śruti is applied to their tradition as shown above, and the word ṛc⁶ and also apparently sūkta⁷ to their verses. The brahmans extolled the Veda in the highest degree, yet the Puranas exalt themselves even more highly.⁸ Consequently they distinguished themselves from smṛti.⁹ The hymns of the Rigveda were ‘seen’ by rishis, but all the Puranas except two (the Nāradīya and Vāmana) declare that they were originally delivered by some god,¹⁰ thus claiming a divine authorship, higher than that of rishis; and the Padma even asserts that it is Viṣṇu himself.¹¹