History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.25.1

v7.c90.25.1

Early Sanskrit authors like Bāṇa (first half of 7th century A. D.) and commentators like Śabara (not later than between 200–400 A. D.), Kumārila (7th century A. D.), Śaṅkarācārya (between 650–800 A. D.) and Viśvarūpa (800–850 A. D.) leave us in no doubt that in their times Purāṇas existed, the contents of which were just like those of the extant Purāṇas. Śabara in his bhāṣya¹³⁴¹ on Jaimini X. 4. 23, while discussing the question as to what is meant by 'devatā' in relation to sacrifices, states that one view was that they are Agni and others, that are described in the Itihāsa and Purāṇas as dwelling in heaven. Bāṇa in his Kādambarī and Harṣacarita frequently refers to the Mahābhārata and Purāṇas, but two passages from the Kādambarī and one from the Harṣacarita are very interesting. While describing the hermitage of the sage Jābāli Bāṇa employs a śleṣa 'there was Vāyupralāpita (proclaiming by god Vāyu; babbling due to the windy humour) in Purāṇa (but no babbling in the hermitage)¹³⁴². Similarly, in the description of the palace of Tārāpīḍa Bāṇa employs a śleṣa (*double entendre*) comparing it with Purāṇa (the two meanings being 'where the accumulated wealth of the world was arranged in appropriate groups', 'in which there is a description of the whole sphere of worlds each part of which was assigned a proper division').