Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c7.2

c7.2

THE Vāyu and Padma Puranas tell us how ancient genealogies, tales and ballads were preserved, namely, by the sūtas, and they describe the sūta’s duty. Their statements are different versions of the same original. The Vāyu (1, 31-2) says¹—‘The sūta’s special duty as perceived by good men of old was to preserve the genealogies of gods, rishis and most glorious kings, and the traditions of great men, which are displayed by those who declare sacred lore in the Itihāsas and Puranas.’ The Padma (v, 1, 27-8) says similarly,² but in a later and inferior version—‘This is the sūta’s duty from primaeval time as perceived by good men, to compose the genealogies of gods, rishis and most glorious kings and the eulogies of great men, who are seen as declarers of sacred lore in the Itihāsas and Puranas.’ In the Vāyu’s statement śruta obviously means ‘tradition’ and not ‘celebrated’, as the corresponding word stuti in the Padma version shows, and the meaning ‘celebrated’ yields poor sense. The sūtas would have, as bards have generally, preserved ballads and songs as well as genealogies. Śruta here does not mean ‘sacred tradition’, but simply ‘tradition’, for it is often used so in the Puranas, as will be shown. Stuti in the Padma would generally mean a ‘ballad in praise of’, and eulogies of and ballads about great men of the past would naturally be one subject of tradition.³ Eulogistic ballads are found, as those in praise of Arjuna Kārtavīrya,¹ Alarka,² Devāvṛdha ³ and others. Further the word *brahma* in both versions does not necessarily mean Vedic or brahmanic lore, but means Puranic lore, both because of the subjects mentioned and because the Puranas assert themselves to be *brahma* ⁴ and place themselves on an equality with the Veda, as will be shown at the end of this chapter. The Vāyu’s statement is the older and appears to be the more trustworthy version, yet both come to practically the same effect for the present purpose.