The Purana Index v1.c3.s8.3

v1.c3.s8.3

From the point of view of the development of Indian religion and philosophy the Purāṇas are again infalliable sources. In some of them we find the Sāmkhya system predominating. They preach in detail how to observe karma, yoga and bhakti. In season and out of season they teach how to cultivate detachment and aim at the identification with the supreme spirit to get riddance of samsāra. Further a student of law and legal institutions will find ample scope to write a legal history of the Hindus. Many chapters in several Purāṇas seem to be a reproduction of the old Dharmasūtras and Dharmaśāstras. There are regulations relating to varṇa, āśrama, and administration of justice. There is equally valuable information with regard to arts and crafts. Even serious students of Hindu music are baffled by chapters especially in the Vāyu Purāṇa and the Brahmāṇḍa devoted to music. There is plenty of reference to painting, dancing and other arts: