Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c8.136

c8.136

But whether the existing Bhaviṣya is the ancient Bhaviṣyat or not is not a question of any consequence in the matter under consideration. It says very little about cosmogony and the ages, and that little is clearly the presentation of later ideas. It is practically worthless as regards all ancient beliefs. To expect to find in it the doctrine that Āpastamba quoted from the Bhaviṣyat is futile, because that became obsolete. If we wish to discover that doctrine in the Puranas, we must look at those which have best preserved the ancient ideas about the Pitṛs, and there we do find it. The fullest account is in the Vāyu² and Brahmāṇḍa,³ which are practically identical. The Harivaṃśa⁴ agrees closely therewith, so far as its shorter version goes; and a similar but brief account is given in the Matsya⁵ and Padma,⁶ which are almost alike. Similar accounts are found elsewhere.⁷