The History of Indian Literature c9.415.3

c9.415.3

We thus perceive that the Buddhistic Sútras, in all of which these names are prevalent, represent precisely the same stage as the Epic literature.[‡] The non-mention of Kṛishṇa³⁵⁸ proves nothing to the contrary, the worship of Kṛishṇa as a divinity being of altogether uncertain date:³⁵⁹ besides, it is still a question whether we have not really to understand him by the Asura Kṛishṇa who is repeatedly referred to in these Sútras (see p. 148). —Although—to notice other points besides the Pantheon—the lunar asterisms in the Sútras begin with *Kṛittiká*, that is to say, still retain their old order, we cannot adduce this as proof that a comparatively high antiquity ought to be assigned to these writings, for the new order of the asterisms probably only dates from the fourth or fifth century A.D.; all that results from this is, that the particular passages are earlier than this last-mentioned date. As an indication, on the contrary, of a date not specially ancient, we must certainly regard the mention of the planets, as also the occurrence of the word *dínára* (from *denarius*), which Burnouf (p. 424, n.) has twice met with in the *older* Sútras (see Lassen, *I. AK.*, ii. 348).