The Purana Index v1.c3.s1.11

v1.c3.s1.11

This indirectly shows that ancient India was not devoid of historians and historical literature. Vamśavit and Vamśavittama are epithets which can be translated generally as ‘historians of the ordinary type’ and ‘historians of authority’. Even among them were a few specialists as is evidenced by the expression, Somavamśavit, an authority on the history of the lunar race. Those who went about preaching and teaching the Purāṇas not only on the occasion of sacrifices but also in other places were known as Sūtas. The term Sūta has three distinct meanings (1) a great rishi and ayonija, (2) a charioteer, (3) a citizen of the Anūpa country. This Anūpa country is said to be on the east of Magadha. In addition to this there was in later times the Sūta of the mixed caste (pratiloma), i.e., a person born of a Kshatriya father and Brahmaṇa mother, was a Sūta by caste. This occurs both in the Mānava Dharma Śāstra and the Mahābhārata.