History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c90.70

v7.c90.70

Early commentaries and digests of Dharmaśāstra very rarely refer to any of the well-known Upapurāṇas. The Mitākṣarā, though it names the Brāhma (on Yāj. I. 3 and 45), quotes passages from the Matsya (profusely), Viṣṇu (on Yāj. III. 6), Skanda (on Yāj. III. 290), Bhaviṣya (on Yāj. III. 6), Mārkaṇḍeya (on Yāj. I. 236, 254, III. 19, 287, 289) and Brahmāṇḍa (on Yāj. III. 30), hardly refers, so far as I know, to any Upapurāṇa. The Kṛtyakalpataru of Lakṣmīdhara (composed about 1110-1130 A. D.), twelve parts of which published in the G. O. S cover several thousand pages, profusely quotes many of the Mahāpurāṇas, and only six of the Upapurāṇas by name, viz. Ādi (only twice on śuddhi), Nandi (profusely only on dāna and niyatakālika), Āditya, Kālikā, Devī, Narasiṁha (all four profusely on several topics) Aparārka (first half of 12th century A. D.) who quotes profusely from Brahma, Brahmāṇḍa, Bhaviṣyat, Mārkaṇḍeya, Vāyu, Viṣṇu and Matsya quotes by name only the following Upapurāṇas and only sparingly viz. Ādi, Āditya, Kālikā, Devī, Nandi, Nṛsiṁha, Viṣṇudharmottara (seven times), Viṣṇurahāsya (once), and Śivadharmottara (once). The Dānasāgara¹³⁶² (written in 1169) states 'Upapurāṇas have been promulgated, which clearly set out the procedure of gifts' and it expressly mentions as Upapurāṇas dealing with gifts the Ādya (Ādi or Brahma?), Āditya, Kālikā, Nandi, Narasiṁha, Mārkaṇḍeya, Viṣṇudharmottara and Sāmba and remarks that the Viṣṇurahāsya and Śivarahasya are merely compilations (saṅgraharūpa). It is not necessary to refer to writers later than about 1170 A. D. in the matter of Upapurāṇas.