History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.250

v7.c90.250

*Vāyupurāṇa* (Ānandāśrama ed.). This has 112 chapters and 10991 verses. It appears to have been divided like the Brahmāṇḍa into four pādas, Prakriyā (chap. 1-6), Anuṣaṅga (chap. 7-64), Upodghāta (65-99) and Upasaṁhāra (100-112). In the first chap., the first verse is the famous one 'Nārāyaṇam namaskṛtya' and the 2nd eulogises Vyāsa (both these are not found in several mss). The third verse refers to *bhakti* for Śiva. Chap 104 is not found in many mss and the chapters at the end on Gayāmāhātmya are deemed to be later additions by some scholars. There is Śaiva bias in several chapters such as chap 20. 31-35 (with a prose passage containing Vedic texts), 24. 91-165 (called Śarvastotra), chap. 55 (Śivastuti put in the mouth of Viṣṇu), chap. 101. 215-330. Probably to counterbalance this the chapters on Gayā were added and also the praise of Viṣṇu in chap. 98 where Dattātreya, Vyāsa, Kalkin are said to be avatāras of Viṣṇu, but Buddha is not mentioned. Chapter 99 is the longest one in the Purāṇa, contains 464 verses and is full of legendary material and historical references. There are several verses in the Purāṇa that appear also in the Mahābhārata, Manu and Matsya. For its relation to Brahmāṇḍa vide pp. 852, 896 above. This Purāṇa, like the Matsya, contains much Dharmaśāstra material. It is one of the oldest and most authoritative Purāṇas, though it contains some later additions.