The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c35.s6: Chapter XIII. The Purāṇas
The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c35.s6
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Contents
Chapter XIII. The Purāṇas
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1. Texts and Translations.
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For a full bibliography see Winternitz, Übersicht über die Purāṇa-Litteratur (Gesch. d. ind. Litt. I, pp. 450–483).
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Bhāgavata Purāṇa. Ed. with French trans. by E. Burnouf, continued by Hauvette-Besnault and Roussel. Paris, 1840–98.
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Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. Trans. F. E. Pargiter. Calcutta, 1904. [The geographical notes are most valuable.]
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Viṣhṇu Purāṇa. Trans. H. H. Wilson (vols. I–V = Works, ed. Fitzedward Hall, vols. VI–X. London, 1864–70). [A storehouse of information concerning the mythology and legendary history of the epics and Purāṇas.]
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Pargiter, F. E. The Purāṇa Text of the Dynasties of the Kali Age. Oxford, 1913. [A most useful collection of the different texts with various readings and an English translation. Mr Pargiter’s theories as to the literary history of the Purāṇas are not generally accepted.]
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2. General.
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Abbott, J. E. The Topographical List of the Bhagavata Purana. Ind. Ant., 1899.
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Bhandarkar, D. R. Lectures on the Ancient History of India. Calcutta, 1919.
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Bhandarkar, R. G. Early History of the Dekhan. 2nd edn. Bombay, 1895.
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Deb, H. K. Udayana Vatsaraja. Calcutta, 1919.
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Fleet, J. F. The Kali-yuga era. J.R.A.S., 1911.
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Jackson, A. M. T. Epic and Puranic Notes. Jour. Bombay Br. R.A.S., Centenary Memorial Volume, 1905.
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Kennedy, J. The Puranic Histories of the early Aryas. J.R.A.S., 1915.
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Lacôte, F. Essai sur Guṇāḍhya et la Bṛhatkathā. Paris, 1908.
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Pargiter, F. E. Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology. J.R.A.S., 1910.
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—— Earliest Indian traditional ‘History.’ J.R.A.S., 1914.
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—— The North Pañcāla Dynasty. J.R.A.S., 1918.
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1. ORIGINAL SOURCES, TEXTS, AND TRANSLATIONS.
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(*a*) ORIENTAL.
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For Vedic authorities see Bibl. to Chapters IV, 1 and V, 1.
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Avesta. Ed. K. F. Geldner. Stuttgart, 1886–96.
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—— Eng. trans. J. Darmesteter and L. H. Mills. Oxford, 1880–7. S.B.E. vols. IV, XXIII, XXXI. (Part I, the Vendîdâd, S.B.E. vol. IV, also in 2nd edn. Oxford, 1895.)
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—— French trans. C. de Harlez. 2nd edn. Paris, 1881.
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—— French trans. J. Darmesteter. Paris, 1892–3. Annales du Musée Guimet, vols. XXI, XXII, XXIV.
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—— German trans. F. Wolff. Strassburg, 1910. [Contains all except the Gāthās, for which consult Chr. Bartholomae, Die Gatha’s des Awesta, Strassburg, 1905.]
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Old Persian Inscriptions in general. Ed. and trans. F. H. Weissbach. Die Keilinschriften der Achämeniden. Leipzig, 1911.
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Bahistān Inscriptions. Ed. and trans. L. W. King and R. C. Thompson. The Sculptures and Inscription of Darius the Great on the Rock of Behistûn in Persia. London, 1907.
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—— A. Hoffmann-Kutschke. Die altpersischen Keilinschriften des Grosskönigs Dārajawausch des Ersten am Berge Bagistān. Stuttgart, 1908.
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Pahlavi Literature. Citations, with references to texts and translations, by A. V. W. Jackson, Notes and Allusions to Ancient India in Pahlavī literature and in Firdausī’s Shāh-nāmah. Festschrift Ernst Windisch, pp. 209–12. Leipzig, 1914.
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Firdausī. Shāh-nāmah. Ed. J. A. Vullers (and S. Landauer). Leyden, 1877–84.
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—— Eng. trans. A. G. and E. Warner. London, 1905–15.
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(*b*) GREEK AND LATIN.
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Arrian. Anabasis. Ed. A. G. Roos. Leipzig, 1907.
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—— Indica. Arriani Scripta Minora, pp. 1–55, ed. R. Hercher. 2nd edn. Leipzig, 1885.
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—— Eng. trans. of both Anabasis and Indica, by E. J. Chinnock. London, 1893. See also Megasthenes, *infra*.
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Ctesias. Fragments of the Persica and of the Indica. Ed. C. Müller in Dindorf’s Herodotus. Paris, 1844.
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—— Fragments of the Persica. Ed. J. Gilmore. London, 1888.
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—— Eng. trans. of the Indica by J. W. M'Crindle, Ancient India as described by Ktêsias the Knidian. Calcutta, Bombay, and London, 1882.
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Hecataeus. Fragments. F.H.G. I, 1–31, ed. C. Müller. Paris, 1841.
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Herodotus. History. Ed. C. Hude. 2nd edn. Oxford, 1913–14.
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—— Eng. trans. G. Rawlinson. London, 1858–60.
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—— Eng. trans. G. C. Macaulay. London and New York, 1904.
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Isidore of Charax. Mansiones Parthicae. Geographi Graeci Minores, I, 244–56, ed. C. Müller. Paris, 1855. —— Ed. and trans. W. H. Schoff. Parthian Stations of Isidore of Charax. Philadelphia, 1914. Justinus. Historiae Philippicae. Ed. F. Ruehl. Leipzig, 1886. Megasthenes. Fragments of the Indica. Ed. E. A. Schwanbeck. Bonn, 1846. —— Eng. trans. J. W. M'Crindle, Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian. Calcutta, Bombay, and London, 1877. Pliny. Naturalis Historia. Ed. C. Mayhoff. Leipzig, 1892–1909. Strabo. Geographica. Ed. A. Meineke. Leipzig, 1866–7. —— Eng. trans. H. C. Hamilton and W. Falconer. London, 1854–7. Xenophon. Cyropaedia. Ed. and trans. W. Miller. London and New York, 1914.
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2. MODERN WORKS.
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(*The signs < > indicate that a work was not published at the time when the main body of the chapter was written.*)
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Bartholomae, Chr. Altiranisches Wörterbuch. Strassburg, 1905. [Indispensable for the interpretation of the ancient Irānian texts.] Brunnhofer, H. Urgeschichte der Arier in Vorder- und Centralasien. Historisch-geographische Untersuchungen über den ältesten Schauplatz des Rigveda und Avesta. Bd. I. Iran und Turan. Bd. II. Vom Pontus bis zum Indus. Bd. III. Vom Aral bis zur Gaṅgâ. Leipzig, 1893. (Also separately issued.) [Maintains somewhat exaggerated views.] —— Arische Urzeit. Forschungen auf dem Gebiete des ältesten Vorder- und Zentralasiens nebst Osteuropa. Bern, 1910. [See note on the preceding.] Dames, M. L. Article ‘Afghānistān,’ in Encyclopaedia of Islām, I, 146–73. Leyden and London, 1913. —— Article ‘Balōčistān,’ ibid. I, 625–40. Geiger, W. Geographie von Iran. Grund. d. ir. Phil. II, 371–94. Strassburg, 1896–1904. Goldsmid, Sir F. J. Eastern Persia: Journeys of the Persian Boundary Commission, 1870–71–72. London, 1876. [See especially vol. I, The Geography, etc.] Hillebrandt, A. Vedische Mythologie. Breslau, 1891–1902. Hopkins, E. W. Prāgāthikāni, I. J.A.O.S. XVII, 23–92. New Haven, 1896. How, W. W., and Wells, J. A Commentary on Herodotus. Oxford, 1912. Jackson, A. V. W. Notes and Allusions to Ancient India in Pahlavī literature and in Firdausī's Shāh-nāmah. Festschrift Ernst Windisch, pp. 209–12. Leipzig, 1914. Justi, F. Geschichte Irans von den ältesten Zeiten bis zum Ausgang der Sāsāniden. Grund. d. ir. Phil. II, 395–550. Strassburg, 1896–1904. Katz, E. Cyrus des Perserkönigs Abstammung, Kriege, und Tod. Klagenfurt, 1895. Kennedy, J. The Early Commerce of Babylon with India, 700–300 B.C. J.R.A.S., 1898, pp. 241–88. —— <The Gospels of the Infancy, etc. Ibid., 1917, pp. 209–43, 469–540 (esp. pp. 219–25).> —— <The Aryan Invasion of Northern India. Ibid., 1919, pp. 493–529 (esp. pp. 495–501, 518–19).> Kiessling, M. Zur Geschichte der ersten Regierungsjahre des Darius Hystaspis. (Dissertation.) Leipzig, 1900.
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Kiessling, M. Article ‘Gandaritis,’ in Pauly-Wissowa-Kroll, Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, VII, 695–701. Stuttgart, 1910.
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Lassen, Chr. Indische Alterthumskunde. Leipzig, 1858–74. (Vols. I and II are 2nd edn.)
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M‘Crindle, J. W. Ancient India as described in Classical Literature. Westminster, 1901.
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—— The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great, as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin. New edn. Westminster, 1896.
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—— See also Ctesias and Megasthenes, in part 1, *supra*.
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Macdonell, A. A. History of Sanskrit Literature. London and New York, 1900. (The London, 1913, impression is merely a reprint.)
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—— and Keith, A. B. Vedic Index of Names and Subjects. London, 1912.
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Marquart, J. Ērānšahr nach der Geographie des Ps. Moses Xorenac‘i. Berlin, 1901. Abhandlungen der kgl. Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Phil.-Hist. Classe, Neue Folge, vol. III, no. 2.
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—— Untersuchungen zur Geschichte von Eran. Heft 1. Göttingen, 1897 (=Philologus, LIV, 489–527; LV, 213–44). Heft 2. Leipzig, 1905 (=Philologus, Supplementband X, 1–258).
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Meyer, E. Geschichte des Altertums. Vol. I, 2nd half. Die ältesten geschichtlichen Völker und Kulturen bis zum sechzehnten Jahrhundert. 3rd edn. Stuttgart and Berlin, 1913. Vol. III. Das Perserreich und die Griechen. Stuttgart, 1901.
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—— Article ‘Persia (History: Ancient),’ in Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edn. XXI, 202–24.
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Modi, J. J. The Country of Mekran—its Past History. In East and West, vol. III, part 1, pp. 494–505. Bombay, 1904.
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Moulton, J. H. Early Zoroastrianism. (The Hibbert Lectures, second series.) London, 1913. [Excellent on the religious side.]
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Nöldeke, Th. Aufsätze zur persischen Geschichte. Leipzig, 1887.
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Prášek, J. V. Geschichte der Meder und Perser bis zur makedonischen Eroberung. Gotha, 1906–10.
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Prellberg, K. A. C. Persien: eine historische Landschaft. (Dissertation.) Leipzig, 1891.
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<Rapson, E. J. Ancient India from the earliest times to the first century A.D. Cambridge, 1914.> [This work contains a chapter on the Persians and the Macedonians (ch. VI).]
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Rawlinson, G. The Five Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World. Vol. IV. The Fifth Monarchy (Persia). London, 1867.
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Rennell, J. The Geographical System of Herodotus. 2nd edn., revised. London, 1830. [See especially vol. I, pp. 303–426, ‘The Twenty Satrapies of Darius Hystaspes.’]
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Rhys Davids, T. W. Buddhist India. New York and London, 1903.
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Sarre, F. and Herzfeld, E. Iranische Felsreliefs; Aufnahmen und Untersuchungen von Denkmälern aus alt- und mittelpersischer Zeit. Text und Atlas. Berlin, 1910.
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Schoff, W. H. The name of the Erythraean Sea. J.A.O.S. XXXIII, 349–62. New Haven, 1913.
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—— See also Isidore of Charax, in part 1, *supra*.
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Shepherd, W. R. Atlas of Ancient History. New York, 1913.
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—— Historical Atlas. New York, 1911.
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Smith, V. A. The Early History of India from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest. 3rd edn., revised and enlarged. Oxford, 1914.
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Smith, V. A. <The Oxford History of India from the earliest times to the end of 1911. Oxford, 1919.> Spiegel, F. Die arische Periode und ihre Zustände. Leipzig, 1887. — Erânische Alterthumskunde. Leipzig, 1871–8. <Spooner, D. B. The Zoroastrian period of Indian history. J.R.A.S., 1915, pp. 63–89, 405–55. (Based on discoveries made during the excavations on the site of Pāṭaliputra and reported by the author in Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India, Eastern Circle, for 1913–14, pp. 45 ff.)> [These interesting articles have called forth considerable adverse criticism in regard to some of the theories advanced. (1) V. A. Smith, J.R.A.S., 1915, pp. 800–2, while fully agreeing with the likelihood of Persian influence in early India, regards certain of the theories set forth in the articles as ‘some-what daring speculations.’ (2) A. B. Keith, ibid. 1916, pp. 138–43, in a discussion covering fourteen points, strongly opposes the notion of a Zoroastrian period of Indian history. (3) F. W. Thomas, ibid. 1916, pp. 362–6, accepts certain aspects of Dr Spooner’s interpretation of Asura Maya and of Mount Meru, but is far from being satisfied with much of the evidence adduced in the articles. (4) ‘Nimrod’ (so signed), in The Modern Review, xix, 373–6, 490–8, 597–600 (Calcutta, 1916), criticises the articles adversely throughout.] <Spooner, [Mrs] Elizabeth C. The Fravashi of Gautama. J.R.A.S., 1916, pp. 497–504.> [Sees Zoroastrian influence on Buddhist art.] Stein, M. A. Memoir on maps illustrating the Ancient Geography of Kaśmīr. Calcutta, 1899. (Reprinted from J.A.S.B. vol. lxviii, part 1, extra no. 2, 1899.) — Afghânistân in Avestic Geography. In The Academy, xxvii, 348–9. London, 1885. Reprinted in Ind. Ant. xv, 21–3. Bombay, 1886. <Sykes, Lieut.-Col. P. M. A History of Persia. London, 1915.> Thomas, F. W. Sakastana. J.R.A.S., 1906, pp. 181–216, 460–4. Tomaschek, [W.] Article ‘Derbikes,’ in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, v, 237–8. Stuttgart, 1905. Weissbach, F. H. Zur neubabylonischen und achämenidischen Chronologie. Z.D.M.G. lxii, 629–47. Leipzig, 1908. — Zu Herodots persischer Steuerliste. Philologus, lxxi, 479–90. Leipzig, 1912. Wilson, H. H. Ariana Antiqua; a descriptive account of the antiquities and coins of Afghanistan. London, 1841. Winckler, H. Vorläufige Nachrichten über die Ausgrabungen in Boghaz-köi im Sommer 1907. Mittheilungen der Deutschen Orientgesellschaft, no. 35, Dec. 1907.
Note to Chapter XIV. Ancient Persian Coins in India
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On Persian coins generally see B. V. Head, The Coinage of Lydia and Persia (London, 1877), and E. Babelon, Les Perses Achéménides (Paris, 1893), pp. i–xx. The intimate connexion between the countermarks on Persian *sigloi* and those upon early Indian coins was suggested by E. J. Rapson, J.R.A.S., 1895, pp. 865 ff. Subsequent observations have tended to disprove this view, since it appears that most of the countermarked *sigloi* were not found in India; see G. F. Hill, J.H.S., 1919, pp. 125 ff. On the comparative value of gold and silver in ancient India see A. Cunningham, Coins of Ancient India (London, 1891), p. 5. In some parts of Asia in the thirteenth century the ratio was as low as 1 : 5; see Marco Polo, Book ii, Chapters l and liii.