History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c43.149

v3.c43.149

Another important gift is that of manuscripts of the epics, dharmaśāstras and purāṇas. Aparārka (pp. 389–403) and Hemādri (Dāna, pp. 526–540) quote from the Bhaviṣyottara,²⁰⁵⁶ Matsya and other purāṇas long extracts about the merit secured by making such gifts, the Matsya in particular also stating the number of verses in each of the 18 purāṇas. The Agnipurāṇa also in speaking of the gifts of MSS. of purāṇas states the number of verses in each (chap. 272). The Bhaviṣyapurāṇa states that books may be placed in a maṭha for the use of all people and that he who arranges for the reading of books in the temples of Śiva, Viṣṇu or the Sun reaps the merit of the gifts of cows, land and gold. E. I. vol. 18 p. 340 records a gift to a temple in which provision is made for the reading of the Mahābhārata from a part of the income (in Kerala in the 11th century A. D.). The Agnipurāṇa 211. 61 eulogises also the gifts of the works called Siddhāntas.