authorities; and the greater number of the works is not procurable. With regard to the eighteen Puráñas, there is a peculiarity in their specification, which is proof of an interference with the integrity of the text, in some of them, at least; for each of them specifies the names of the whole eighteen. Now, the list could not have been complete whilst the work that gives it was unfinished; and in one only, therefore, the last of the series, have we a right to look for it. As, however, there are more last words than one, it is evident that the names must have been inserted in all except one, after the whole were completed. Which of the eighteen is the exception, and truly the last, there is no clue to discover; and the specification is, probably, an interpolation, in most, if not in all. The names that are specified are commonly the same, and are as follows: 1. Bráhma, 2. Pádma, 3. Vaishnava, 4. Śaiva, 5. Bhagavata, 6. Náradíya, 7. Márkańdeya, 8. Ágneya, 9. Bhavishya, 10. Brahma Vaivarta, 11. Lainga, 12. Váráha, 13. Skánda, 14. Vámana, 15. Kaurma, 16. Mátsya, 17. Gáruda, 18. Brahmáńda.1 This is from the twelfth book of the Bhagavata, and is the same as occurs in the Vishnu. In other authori 2 1 The names are put attributively; the noun substantive, Purána, being understood. Thus, Vaishnavam Puráňam means the Purána of Vishnu; Śaivam Puráňam, the Purána of Śiva; Bráhmam Puráńam, the Puráňa of Brahmá. It is equally correct, and more common, to use the two substantives in apposition, as Vishnu Purána, Śiva Puráňa, &c. In the original Sanskrit the nouns are compounded, as Vishnu-purána, &c.: but it has not been customary to combine them, in their European shape. 2 Book III., Chapter VI. ties there are a few variations. The list of the Kúrma Purána omits the Agni Puráňa, and substitutes the Váyu.* The Agni leaves. out the Śiva, and inserts the Váyu. The Varáha omits the Garuda and Brahmáńda, and inserts the Váyu and Narasimha: in this last, it is singular. The Márkandeya agrees with the Vishnu and Bhagavata, in omitting the Váyu. The Matsya, like the Agni, leaves out the Śiva. Some of the Puráñas, as the Agni, Matsya,† Bhágavata, and Padma, also particularize the number of stanzas which each of the eighteen contains. In one or two instances they disagree; but, in general, they concur. The aggregate is stated at 400,000 slokas, or 1,600,000 lines. These are fabled to be but an abridgment; the whole amount being a krore or ten millions * Professor Wilson's MS. has är de; but four MSS. that I have consulted have मार्कण्डेयमथाग्नेयं. And the latter reading is to be preferred. The Kúrma professes, at the end of its list of the Puránas, to have enumerated eighteen; and, unless it names both the Vayu and the Agni, it enumerates but seventeen. The particulars from the Matsya will be found in the sequel. The computation of the Bhagavata, XII., 13, 4-8, is as follows: Brahma, 10,000 stanzas; Padma, 55,000; Vishnu, 23,000; Śiva, 24,000; Bhagavata, 18,000; Nárada, 25,000; Márkańdeya, 9,000; Agni, 15,400; Bhavishya, 14,500; Brahma-vaivarta, 18,000; Linga, 11,000; Varáha, 24,000; Skanda, 81,100; Vámana, 10,000; Kúrma, 17,000; Matsya, 14,000; Garuda, 19,000; Brahmáńda, 12,000. The total is 400,000. The Bhagavata here calls the Agni and the Garuda by the names of Váhna and Sauparna. The Devi-bhagavata substitutes, in place of the Siva, the Vayu, and assigns to it 10,600 stanzas. Further, it gives to the Agni, 16,000; to the Skanda, 81,000; and to the Brahmánda, 12,100. The Revá-máhátmya also has, instead of Siva, Vayu, but reckons it at 24,000 couplets; and it likewise allows 16,000 to the Agni. To the Skanda it gives 84,000; and to the Brahmánda, 12,200. For further details, see Burnouf's edition of the Bhagavata-purána, Vol. I., Preface, , PP. LXXXVI- LXXXIX, foot - note. of stanzas, or even a thousand millions.* If all the fragmentary portions claiming, in various parts of India, to belong to the Puráñas were admitted, their extent would much exceed the lesser, though it would not reach the larger, enumeration. The former is, however, as I have elsewhere stated,' a quantity that an individual European scholar could scarcely expect to peruse with due care and attention, unless his whole time were devoted exclusively, for many years, to the task. Yet, without some such labour being achieved, it was clear, from the crudity and inexactness of all that had been hitherto published on the subject, with one exception, that sound views on the subject of Hindu mythology and tradition were not to be expected. Circumstances, which I have already explained in the paper in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, referred to above, enabled me to avail myself of 2 Journ. Royal As. Soc., Vol. V., p. 61. † 2 I allude to the valuable work of Colonel Vans Kennedy, Researches into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology. However much I may differ from that learned and industrious writer's conclusions, I must do him the justice to admit that he is the only author who has discussed the subject of the mythology of the Hindus on right principles, by drawing his materials from authentic sources. * So says the Matsya-puráňa, LII., ad init.: पुराणं सर्वशास्त्राणां प्रथमं ब्रह्मणा स्मृतम् । † See Professor Wilson's collective works, Vol. III. competent assistance, by which I made a minute abstract of most of the Puráñas. In course of time I hope to place a tolerably copious and connected analysis of the whole eighteen before Oriental scholars, and, in the meanwhile, offer a brief notice of their several contents. In general, the enumeration of the Puráňas is a simple nomenclature, with the addition, in some cases, of the number of verses; but to these the Matsya Puráňa* joins the mention of one or two circumstances peculiar to each, which, although scanty, are of value, as offering means of identifying the copies of the Puráńas now found with those to which the Matsya refers, or of discovering a difference between the present and the past. I shall, therefore, prefix the passage descriptive of each Puráňa, from the Matsya. It is necessary to remark, however, that, in the comparison instituted between that description and the Purána as it exists, I necessarily refer to the copy or copies which I employed for the purpose of examination and analysis, and which were procured, with some trouble and cost, in Benares and Calcutta. In some instances my manuscripts have been collated with others from different parts of India; and the result has shown that, with regard at least to the Brahma, Vishnu, Váyu, Matsya, Padma, Bhagavata, and Kúrma Puráńas, the same works, in all essential respects, are generally current under the same appellations. Whether this is invariably the case, may be doubted; and further inquiry may possibly show that I have been obliged to con tent myself with mutilated or unauthentic works.1 It is with this reservation, therefore, that I must be understood to speak of the concurrence or disagreement of any Purána with the notice of it which the Matsya Purána has preserved. 1. Brahma Purána. "That, the whole of which was formerly repeated by Brahmá to Maríchi, is called the Bráhma Purána, and contains ten thousand stanzas."2 In all the lists of the Puráñas, the Brahma is placed at the head of the series, and is, thence, sometimes also entitled the Ádi or 'first' Puráňa. It is also designated as the Saura; as it is, in great part, appropriated to the worship of Súrya, 'the sun'. There are, however, works bearing these names which belong to the class of Upapuráñas, and which are not to be confounded with the Brahma. It is usually said, as above, to contain ten thousand slokas; but the number actually occurring is between seven and eight thousand. There is a supplementary or concluding section, called the Brahmottara Puráňa, and which is different from a portion of the Skanda called the Brahmottara Khańda, which contains about three thousand stanzas more. But 1 Upon examining the translations of different passages from the Puránas, given by Colonel Vans Kennedy in the work mentioned in a former note, and comparing them with the text of the manuscripts I have consulted, I find such an agreement as to warrant the belief, that there is no essential difference between the copies in his possession and in mine. The varieties which occur in the MSS. of the East India Company's Library will be noticed in the text. 2 ब्रह्मणाभिहितं पूर्व यावन्मात्रं मरीचये । |