History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.225

v7.c90.225

*Matsyapurāṇa* (Ānandāśrama ed.) It has 291 chapters and 14062 verses. It is one of the ancient Purānas and has perhaps the largest number of smrti chapters among Purānas. Many verses of the Manusmrti and the Mahābhārata occur in it Some verses of Yāj. also occur in Matsya e g Yāj. I 295 is Matsya 93. 2, Yāj II 279. 295-6 and 303 are the same as Matsya 227 200, 202-203 and 204 It appears that the Matsya holds the balance between Śiva and Visnu. It glorifies not only Visnu in the Matsya avatāra but devotes 1570 verses to the slaughter of Tārakāsura and 623 to the destruction of Tripura, both by Śiva. The Vāmanapurāna (12 48) speaks of it as the principal among Purānas