History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.127

v7.c90.127

enumerate the names of the 28 Vyāsas of the 28 Dvāpara ages of the Vaivasvata Manvantara (which is the current one). How Vyāsa put together the Purāṇas is described in several Purāṇas 'He who was an adept in the meaning of Purāṇa composed a Purāṇa-saṁhitā from (the material supplied by) tales, episodes, gāthās (stanzas) and correct ascertainment or descriptions of Kalpas'.¹³⁹² This shows that, while the Vedic texts were preserved with unparalleled care by the brāhmaṇas, the very ancient Itihāsa-purāṇa, though called the 5th Veda, was not kept intact with care similar to that bestowed on the four Vedas and that this fifth Veda was allowed to be inflated by fresh additions from time to time.