History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.10

v7.c91.10

But the claims of the extant Purāṇas go far beyond the above viz. as strengtheners of the Veda. The Kūrma¹⁴⁵³ states: '(put) on one side all the Purāṇas together with Itihāsa (Mahābhārata) and on another the highest Veda; it is this (Purāṇas) that surpasses (the other viz Veda)'. The Mahābhārata also makes a similar claim. The Purāṇas appear to claim priority (and even equality) with the Veda. In note 1349 passages from the Matsya and other Purāṇas have been cited, stating that Brahmā first thought of the Purāṇas before all other śāstras and then the Vedas sprang forth from his lips. Several Purāṇas are spoken of as equal to the Veda (Vedasammita) as in¹⁴⁵⁴ Vāyu I. 11, 4. 12, Brahma 1. 29, 245. 4 and 21, Viṣṇu I. 1. 13, VI. 8. 12, Padma VI. 282. 116. Further, several Purāṇas claim to have been delivered by some God such as Brahmā (Brahmapurāṇa I. 30) or by the Wind-god (Vāyu I. 196)¹⁴⁵⁵ or by the avatāras of Viṣṇu as in the case of Matsya-purāṇa (I. 26) or Varāha (2. 1-3). The japa of Vedic texts was deemed to destroy all sins as shown in H. of Dh. vol. IV. pp. 45-50. The Purāṇas also say that reading the Purāṇas or listening to a recitation of them would destroy all sins.¹⁴⁵⁶ Vide Vāyu 103. 58, Brahma 175. 89–90, Matsya 290 20, 291. 29 and 31, Viṣṇu VI. 8. 3, 12. Some of the Purāṇas indulge in extravagant praise of themselves, e. g. the Varāha-purāṇa (217. 12–13, 217. 15–16) states that reading ten chapters of that Purāṇa confers the merit secured by the performance of Agniṣṭoma and Atirātra sacrifices. Vide Brahma 254. 34–35, Agni 384. 13–30, Devī-Bhāgavata XII. 13. 11–17 in a similar strain Moreover, the Purāṇas dwell upon the superior value and efficacy, as compared with the Vedic sacrifices, of some of the institutions on which they lay emphasis, such as pilgrimages,¹⁴⁵⁷ *vratas*, *bhakti*. The Padma states (I. 38. 2 and 18) that by merely going to Gayā or by taking a bath in the Phalgu river one secures the reward that the performance of Aśvamedha confers. The Skanda proclaims¹⁴⁵⁸ 'I have no use for sacrificial rites that are declared by the Veda, that have no life in them, that are within the domain of ignorance and that entail injury (to animals). If (a sacrifice) is performed with such inanimate things as fuel-sticks, flowers and kuśa grass, the result must be similar (inanimate), since the effect is like the cause'. Vide Śāntiparva 337 for a story on the discussion between sages and gods about offering in sacrifices merely products of grains or goat-flesh. Offerings of flesh in sacrifices to gods were made in the Ṛgvedic period. But even in the Ṛgveda there are a few verses that indicate that offerings of ghee and fuel-sticks were declared to be able to win the favour of gods as much as animal sacrifices might do. 'Whoever¹⁴⁵⁹ offers to (or worships) Agni with a fuel-stick or with an oblation of ghee or with (the study of) the Veda or who performs a good sacrifice with prostrations, for him alone run fleet horses and his is most brilliant fame, and no evil whether brought about by gods or by men might reach him from any side'. Another mantra¹⁴⁶⁰ says 'O Agni! we bring to you an offering accompanied by a ṛkmantra fashioned (or produced) by our heart. May those mantras be oxen, bulls and cows from you'.