History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c99.1814
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c99.1814
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Purāṇas (*vide* under Alberuni, Bhāgavata, bhakti, brāhmaṇas, Buddha and Buddhism, images, itihāsa-purāṇa, mahāpurāṇa, Matsyapurāṇa, Pargiter, Pāriplava, pūrta, Saurapurāṇa, Śūdra, Upapurāṇa, Vāyupurāṇa, Viṣṇu, Viṣṇupurāṇa, Vyāsa) : 815-1002 ; are far more reliable than most of the Upapurāṇas 836-37 ; are used for divining the future 811 ; caution required before recognizing P. as reliable representatives for ascertaining the general state of Indian society and beliefs 538 ; classification of P as encyclopaedic, historical, sectarian etc 842 ; connect different gods with the conferring of health, wealth, knowledge, *mukti* 119 ; contain at least 25 thousand verses on Vratas 57 ; contain verses, *gāthās* and *anuvaṁśaślokas* sung by Paurāṇikas 854 ; contents of all P. noted by Agni, Matsya, Nāradīya and Skanda 834 ; contents and characteristic features of P. mentioned by Śaṅkarācārya 824-25 : contents of P. in the days of Āp. Dh. S 818 ; dates of P. and Upapurāṇas are at most tentative until critical editions are prepared 872, deemed to be composed by Vyāsa, son of Parāśara and Satyavatī at end of Dvāpara age 849 ; derivation of the word Purāṇa in Nirukta, Vāyu, Padma and Brahmāṇḍa and change in meaning 855-56 ; devote much space to legends about Paraśurāma 90n; Devībhāgavata and Bhāgavata P. say that Mahābhārata and P. were composed by Vyāsa for women and Śūdras 921-22 ; Dharmasūtra of Āp. twice quotes two verses from a Purāṇa and names a Bhaviṣyatpurāṇa 817 ;
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differences as to names of 18 P. and great differences as to their extent and contents 830 , divided into three groups, sāttvika, rājasa and tāmasa and their main objects 815, 839 , do contain ancient legends and traditions, but very much tampered with 838 ; early Sanskrit writers like Śabara, Bāṇa, Kumārila, Śaṅkarācārya and others show that in their times P. existed, the contents of which were just like those of the extant P. 821-26 : emphasize that for the proper understanding of the Veda knowledge of Itihāsa and P. essential 914 ; even early Purāṇas like Matsya were influenced by black magic rites 1114 : examples of identical chapters and verses in several purāṇas 803, 841, 929, 1522n, 1523n 2479; existence of some P containing accounts of creation, dissolution and Smṛti material before 500 B. C. indicated by Āp. Dh. S. 818 ; explain at great length creation and dissolution of the elements about which Upaniṣads drop brief hints 914 : extant P. contain far more topics than the five topics of creation etc. and some P. barely touch the five and exhaustively deal with entirely different topics 841 , extent of all P together said to be originally four lakhs of Ślokas acc to Matsya and Padma 829n, extent of P was acc to Bhaviṣya 12000 verses but later Skanda was inflated to one lakh verses and Bhaviṣya to 50,000 verses, 833;
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extol vratas, pilgrimages and bhakti as superior to Vedic sacrifices 43-45, 916, extravagant praise of themselves by P 915-916, 929, extravagant praise in P. of the remembrance of Viṣṇu's or Hari's name 971, first Purāṇa is said to be Brāhma in Viṣṇu and Brahma purāṇas, while Devī-bhāgavata says it is Matsya 829n, five characteristics of, acc. to several purāṇas, are sarga (creation), pratīsarga (creation after dissolution), Vaṁśa (dynasties of Gods, patriarchs and kings), manvantaras (vast cycles of time), Vaṁśānucarita (deeds and history of descendants of dynasties) 839, from about the 6th or 7th century A. D. the Purāṇas began to incorporate the special ceremonial of Śāktas and a few Purāṇas like Devīpurāṇa, Kālikā, Mārkaṇḍeya (Devīmāhātmya) provide for the employment of *Mahāras* in Devī worship 1095, guru's position in P 1033n, gradually P. procedure either came to supersede Vedic procedure or got mixed up with the latter in some matters such as Deva-pūjā, consecration of temples and images etc 922-924, Hazra's view that the text of the extant P which are the results of innumerable changes, modifications and interpolations made at different times and by different sects is scarcely reliable and can be used only with great caution is quite correct, 872, Gautama Dh S.
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refers to study of P by learned brāhmaṇas 818, Hindu rites in medieval and modern times were deemed to give rewards promised in Veda, Smṛti and Purāṇas 913, history of Adhisīmakṛṣṇa, his contemporaries and their descendants described in a prophetic vein in P 850, importance of Introductory remarks of Dānasāgara on P, 867-871; influence of P. on Dharmaśāstra digests on succession and inheritance etc. 810, influence of P. on Dharmaśāstra 913-1002, institute comparison between yajñas and pilgrimages 933, introduced striking changes in ideals, religious rites and practices 928-929, Itihāsa-Purāṇa lumped together in Upaniṣads as the 5th Veda 840, Itihāsa distinguished from Purāṇa 840, Kirfel wrong in holding that the five topics (sarga etc.) alone were the constituent parts of very ancient Purāṇas 841; Kirfel and Pargiter have not clearly noticed the fact that P divide future kings into two groups, one of Aila, Aikṣvāka and Māgadha lines up to the last scions of these and the other of later Kings in the Pradyota, Śuṅga, Āndhra and others 850, Kumārılabhaṭṭa on the contents of P. 823-24, lay emphasis on bhaktı, on ahıṁsā, on pūrtadharma 947-50; lıst of 18 Purāṇas completed long before 1000 A. D 831; lıst of 18 prıncıpal Purāṇas together wıth the number of ślokas ın each acc. to dıfferent works 831-832; M. as a compound word (ıtıhāsapurāṇam) or as two words (ıtıhāsaḥ purāṇam) in Tai. Ā, Chan Up. and Br. Up. 815, list of works, papers and translatıons of p 883; m.
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by the extant Mahābhārata ın numerous places 821, m by Kautılya and Manusmrtı 819-20, m. by Kautılya and Yāj Smṛtı as one of the fourteen branches of knowledge and for japa 820; Mahābhārata quotes hundreds of verses called Anuvaṁśa and gāthās, many of which deal with Paurāṇıka matters and have a Paurānıka ring 853-54, Mahāpurāna (word) applied to the 18 P. ın Vısnu and Bhāgavata 830n; mantra ‘om namo Nārāyaṇāya’ confers all objects, frees from sins and leads to moksa, acc. to Narasimha and Vāmana 922, 971; Matsyapurāna sets out other characteristics of P. 839; Mıt prescrıbes a *smārta* mantra ın śrāddha whıch occurs ın Garuda and Skanda P. and some digests prescrıbe Vedıc and Paurānıka mantras even for brāhmaṇas in relıgıous rıtes 920, modern works and papers dealing with several questions relatıng to Purānas set out 843-845, Nāradīya Purāna describes the relatıon between Veda, Smrtı and Purānas and provides that he who calls P. as arthavādas goes to hell 927, myths and legends of Purānas on creatıon of unıverse, about eclıpses etc must ın modern tımes held as mere myths 1709-10, no Mahāpurāna composed after the 9th century A. D. but additional matter was unscrupulously added ın several Purānas, the worst example beıng that of Bhavıṣya (part III) whıch contains stories of Adam and Eve, Taimur, Akbar, Caıtanya, Nadırshah 855, not restricted to relıgıous matters or to fıve characterıstıcs but some of them deal exhaustıvely wıth rājanītı, 1000-1001; number of P.
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ıs tradıtıonally eıghteen called Mahāpurānas and enumerated in many Purānas, though some Purānas say origınally there was only one, 829-830, on doctrıne of Karma 1576-77, on rebırth for sıns 1590; one ımportant topıc ıs ‘avatāras’ 922ff, only pursue an attıtude to Veda and sacrifıces that is found ın such Upanisads as Mundaka and Katha 817, order ın whıch P. are enumerated ıs not unıform, most puttıng Brahma as fırst, whıle Vāyu and Devībhāgavata put Matsya as fırst and Skanda puts Brahmānda as fırst 833, Padmapurāṇa says that some vratas are superior to a hundred Vedic sacrifices 934, placed before all people (including śūdras) easy ways whereby they could secure spiritual life and bliss in the Hereafter 930; played a substantial role in bringing about the decline and disappearance of Buddhism from India in various ways 913-914, points of distinction between Upapurāṇas and the 18 Mahāpurāṇas 836-37, printed P. and mss. thereof, give four different periods of time viz.
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1015, 1050, 1115 and 1500 from the birth of Parīkṣit to the crowning of Nanda, which Pargiter discards 845-46, proclaim often that saṃsāra is full of misery and is impermanent 1555, put emphasis on profuse expense in srāddhas and inveigh against stinginess 931, quote anuvamśa ślokas or gāthās about such ancient kings as Kārtavīrya, Sumitra and Kṣemaka, last scions of Aila and Aikṣvāka dynasties, but none about later dynasties of Śuṅgas or Āndhras 851, reading of or listening to recitation of P believed to remove sins 915-16, reasons why many conclusions drawn from the current printed editions and mss. of Purāṇas must be held to be merely tentative 837-38, reasons why extant Purāṇas do not narrate traditions about Gupta dynasty and those that succeeded it 856; references to pages of the four vol. of H. of Dh. on dāna, śrāddha, tīrtha and vrata 998-999; said to be the heart of . dharma, while Veda and Smṛti are eyes 924; sectarian bigotry of some Purāṇas exemplified 976-977; seven P. contain historical material viz. ancient dynasties up to Bhārata war and from Bhārata war to the downfall of Āndhras and the rise of Guptas, such as Vāyu, Viṣṇu, Brahmāṇḍa, Bhāgavata 842, several among the extant P. were composed or completed in the period from the 5th to the 9th century A D., 854-55; several P contain a much smaller number of ślokas than are assigned to them by authorities as in the case of Viṣṇupurāṇa and Kūrma 832-33; several P.
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such as Matsya, Vāyu, Viṣṇu and Bhaviṣya contain much Dharmaśāstra material 815, several P. describe the eight aṅgas of Yoga 1455, several P. like Agni, Matsya and Viṣṇudharmottara are encyclopoedias and illustrate India's life, character, achievements and shortcomings 925, several P. such as Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa give a different version of the transmission of P. 861-62, some like Bhāgavata, Kūrma, Mārkaṇḍeya, Viṣṇu espouse the Gītā doctrine of niṣkāma-karmayoga 967, some Purāṇas like Garuḍa describe nyāsas 1120; some P. like Devībhāgavata, Kālikā, Viṣṇudharmottara describe at length mudrās, 1127-28; some P. deal at length with śāntis 734-35; some P. deal with units of time 476; some P. emphasize that God is one, that no difference should be made between Śiva and Viṣṇu 1189-90, some P. like Viṣṇu and Bhāgavata are full of eulogies of the theory and practice of Bhakti and illustrative stories 971-73, some P. make Rudra declare the supremacy of Viṣṇu, denounce Śaiva siddhāntas and that Śiva promulgated non-vedic views at the request of Viṣṇu, while Agni, Bhāgavata, Matsya and Vāyu, appear to say that Viṣṇu himself deluded people 974-75; some P. held that Saptarṣi constellation was in Maghā nakṣatra when Yudhiṣṭhira was king and that they stay in one nakṣatra for a century 520n; some P transfer with slight variations Upaniṣad passages in their texts 921; some P.
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name minor works called Upa-purāṇas, but Matsya and Kūrma expressly state that they arose from the 18 Purāṇas and were composed as summaries after studying the Purāṇas 815, 835; sometimes P describe themselves as Itihāsa and the Mahābhārata is called Purāṇa rarely 840; sometimes Purāṇas put forward very modern ideas such as saying that social service and removal of distress is highest dharma 949; P. are sources of Dharma and Vidyās acc to Yāj. but there is no evidence as to the number Yāj. knew 835n, stages in the evolution of P are four or five 853-855, stories that occur in the Veda and Upaniṣads such as of Hariścandra, Purūravas and Urvaśī are elaborated in Purāṇas 914-15, strike the keynote that great rewards can be had by little effort as by dānas, vratas, pilgrimages 45, 928, 930; Tai Ār speaks of itihāsas and purāṇas in the plural and so knew at least three Purāṇas 817, 853; task before P. was twofold, viz to undermine the power and prestige of Buddhism, and other non-Vedic systems and to wean away large sections of the masses from the attractive features of Buddhism and therefore promise the same rewards as Buddhism held forth by a restatement of Hindu religion, philosophy and practices 913, 929-30; ten topics of, according to Bhāgavata 839;
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topics of tīrtha, dāna, śrāddha and vrata cover about one lakh of verses in the extant P 841, total number of ślokas in 18 Purāṇas according to most Purāṇas is 400600, 832, transformation in ideas, ideals and practices of Indian people due to P. in the first centuries of Christian era 815, treat Vedas as authoritative and prescribe the use of Vedic mantras in many rites, 918-919, two separate Purāṇa versions called Āgneya, Brāhma, Liṅga and Viṣṇu known to Ballālasena in latter half of 12th cen. A. D 870, Vāyupurāṇa named as first among 18 P by Matsya, Agni, Nāradīya, while several of the other P. substitute Śiva for Vāyu but Vāyu is one of the 18 Mahāpurānas and not Śivapurāna 830, Vāyupurāna and Śiva P. both included among 18 P. by Ballālasena 870; Vedārthasaṅgraha of Rāmānujacārya states that all Purāṇas should be so interpreted as not to be in conflict with Viṣṇupurāna 957n, Vedic mantras occurring in Purānas were not to be read or listened to by śūdras 925, Viṣṇupurāna alone of all extant P closely agrees with the definition given by Amarakośa but it also contains several other topics 841, wax eloquent as to great efficacy of vratas, śrāddha, pilgrimages, fasts, gifts, repetition of the name of God, *bhakti* 52, 930, 933-34, P.
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were affected by the theory of the power of mantras 1105, word Purāna occurs over a dozen times in Ṛg and means 'ancient, old' 855, Yāj Smṛti holds Purāna as one of the sources of Vidyā and Dharma 854, Purāṇas give information on Architecture, sculpture and painting, 1653-54.