Studies in the Epics and Puranas c10.17

c10.17

contains twenty-four thousand Ślokas; it has been declared by Vāyu in connection with the Śvetakalpa; and it has two parts. The Pūrva Bhāga contains in detail the Sarga, Vamśa, Manvantara as also the story of Gayāsura, and Māsamāhātmya, Dānadharma, Rāja-dharma, Vratas, etc. The Uttarabhāga deals with Revā (Narmadā) Māhātmya and Śiva-Māhātmya." The Revāmāhātmya supplies the following particulars:11 "The Vāyu has twenty-four thousand Ślokas; it contains Śivamāhātmya in the first part and Revā-māhātmya in the second." The Matsya simply states that in it are proclaimed various religious practices by Vāyu in connection with the Śvetakalpa, it has twenty-four thousand Ślokas, and contains Rudra-māhātmya.12 Before proceeding to apply these characteristics to the two works under consideration, it is worth while comparing all these statements among themselves. The only points about which all these accounts are unanimous are that the Vāyu Purāṇa has twenty-four thousand stanzas, has two parts and was