Studies in the Epics and Puranas c12.8

c12.8

Before coming to the consideration of the various problems connected with the historicity of Kṛṣṇa, it is necessary to deal with the evidence, its chronology and critical evaluation. The evidence can be classified into (i) literary and (ii) epigraphic and sculptural. Literary evidence divides itself into Brahmanic, Buddhistic, Jaina and Greek references. Brahmanical evidence can be chronologically placed as follows: Ṛgveda, Upaniṣads, Pāṇini, Patañjali, the Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas. This covers a very long