History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.170.4

v7.c90.170.4

18-20 quoted later in this section, where it is asserted that the reward of repeating thrice the thousand names of Viṣṇu is yielded by repeating one name of Kṛṣṇa once. The strongest argument against the authenticity and early date of the present Narasimhapurāṇa has not been properly and adequately emphasized or appreciated by Prof. Hazra The Matsya (53. 60-63) gives meagre details about the four Upapurāṇas expressly named by it, but about the Narasiṃha it makes one definite statement that it contained 18000 verses (53 60) The present Narasiṃha contains only about 3400 verses¹⁴¹⁴ Therefore, the old Narasiṃhapurāṇa exists no more and in its place a new one has been substituted, probably containing some of the topics and chapters contained in the old one. We do not know the extent of the Narasimha mentioned by Alberuni For ought we know he might have referred to the old extensive purāṇa or the new stripling substituted in its place. Even some of the mss copied in comparatively recent times drop several chapters of the printed purāṇa; on p. 249 Prof Hazra holds that chapters 34 verses 43-55, and chapters 61, 65 (on 68 holy places for Vaisnavas), 66, 67 are genuine parts, though dropped in some mss. Prof. Hazra’s judgments on various matters are most liable to be challenged; but considerations of space prevent any detailed treatment. On p. 252 he holds that in chap.