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The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c12.s6: The Eighteen Purāṇas

The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c12.s6

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The Eighteen Purāṇas

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Each one the eighteen *Purāṇas* is an *Encyclopaedia Indica*. Economics, politics, law, social philosophy and morals constitute therefore a great part of this literature. A very substantial portion of these texts may be taken to have come into shape by the time of the Guptas.

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The *Matsya Purāṇa* brings the dynastic history to the fall of the Āndhras about 236 A.C.¹⁴ In the *Vāyu*, *Brahmāṇḍa*, *Viṣṇu* and *Bhāgavat Purāṇas* the narrative is carried down to the exploits of the Guptas previous to the *digvijaya* (world-conquest) of Samudragupta, say, 335 A.C. As the original authority for the *Matsya* and the *Vāyu* is known to be the *Bhaviṣya Purāṇa*, this last is considered to be the foundation of the entire Purāṇic tradition. The *Bhaviṣya* must have been in existence by 250 A.C. according to Pargiter.

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¹⁴ F. E. Pargiter: *The Purāṇa Text of the Dynasties of the Kali* *Age* (Oxford 1913), pp. vii, xlii, xliii, xvii; *Ancient Indian Historical Tradition* (London 1922) pp. 49-55.

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The *Bhaviṣya Purāṇa* is, it is said, the oldest only in so far as the dynastic lists are concerned. But many of the other *Purāṇas* “must be considerably older.”

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The *Purāṇas* in the form of definite texts existed in the days of Kauṭalya, i.e., the fourth century B.C. as authoritative works.¹⁵

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¹⁵ Pargiter: *Ancient Indian Historical Tradition* (London 1922) p. 55.

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Some of the *Purāṇas*, traces of which are not to be found today must have been known to Gautama (*c.* 550 B.C.) and Āpastamba (*c.* 450 B.C.), authors or compilers of *Dharmasūtras*.¹⁶

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¹⁶ Winternitz: *Geschichte der Indischen Literatur* Vol. I. (Leipzig 1909) pp. 441, 445, 451-480.

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The more important *Purāṇas* came into their present shape by the beginning of the sixth century A.C. They may have been brought together for the first time a few centuries earlier. And, of course, the traditions contained in the *Purāṇas* could be older by many centuries.

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The order in which the eighteen *Purāṇas* are almost uniformly mentioned is given below: 1. *Brahma*, 2. *Padma*, 3. *Viṣṇu*, 4. *Vāyu*, 5. *Bhāgavat*, 6. *Nārada*, 7. *Mārkaṇḍeya*, 8. *Agni*, 9. *Bhaviṣya*, 10. *Brahma-* *vaivarta*, 11. *Liṅga*, 12. *Varāha*, 13. *Skanda*, 14. *Vāmana*, 15. *Kūrma*, 16. *Matsya* 17. *Garuḍa*, 18. *Brahmāṇḍa*.

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The most important single event of Hindu culture under the Gupta Empire or in the age of Kālidāsa is the recasting, reinterpretation and final redaction of most of the great *Purāṇas*. These are the same texts which for over fifteen hundred years have remained virtually the Bibles of the people for social ethics and civic sense. It is to be understood that like the *Dharmaśāstras*, the *Purāṇas* also have been worked upon from generation to generation. It is impossible to establish a single date for an entire *Purāṇa*. Every chapter, sometimes every section will have to be dated on its own internal and external evidences.

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