History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.164.1

v7.c90.164.1

The next Upapurāṇa is Viṣṇudharma dealt with by Prof. Hazra in 'Studies' vol I pp. 118-155. There is no printed edition. Prof Hazra (p 119) refers to six mss. but he has chiefly used only one ms viz. Bengal Asiatic Society's ms. No. 1670. This Purāṇa has 105 chapters and over 4000 verses. Prof. Hazra admits (p. 119) that it has very little of the principal characteristics of a Purāṇa and deals exclusively with the religious rites and duties of Vaiṣṇavas. Alberuni names Viṣṇudharma but the verses that he quotes therefrom are found in the Viṣṇudharmottara as Buhler pointed out long ago (I. A. vol. XIX. pp. 381-410 and vide table given by Prof. Hazra on p. 208 comparing the two). Prof. Hazra holds (p. 116) relying on two verses quoted below from Viṣṇudharmottara1408a that the Viṣṇudharmottara is only the latter part of Viṣṇudharma and that, as he holds that the former was composed between 400-500 A D, the date of the Viṣṇudharma falls between 200 and 300 A D (p 143). The other arguments that he advances are practically worthless In the present author's opinion those verses can be interpreted in two other but different ways, viz.