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92 couplets and alludes to temples of gods (4), and to living in Benares Gi 1), and offering cakes at Gay4. y 16. Daksha isalso a comparatively modern work in seven chapters and gives a pleasing picture of the domestic life and the duties of men and women. The picture is somewhat marred, however, by disparaging . remarks about women’s greed, and still more by an allusion to the barbarous rite’ of the self-immolation of widows (IV, 20), 17. Sétdtapa in-its present shape is like Vy4sa one of the most recent of the 17 Dharma Sastras enumerated, and alludes to Rudra with his three eyes (I, 19) ; to the worship of Vishnu (I, 22) ; to the image of Brahma. with his four faces (II, 5); and also to the image of Yama mounted on a buffaloe and with a staff in his hand (II, 18). “Vishnu: claims worship “here under the names of Srivatsalanchhana, V4sudeva and JagannAtha ; his image of gold. is to-be covered with garments, and after worship.is to be given away: to Brahmans, (II, 22 to 25). . Sarasvati, who is now the CHAP. v.] _. RELIGION, &¢, 203 consort of Brahmd, also claims worship (II,. 28).; and we are told that the Harivansa'and the Mahabharata should be heard (II, 30 and 37) to wipe away'sins, Fur- ther on we hear of the image of Ganesa (II, 44), of the two Asvins (IV, 14), of Kuvera.(V, 3), of Prachetas (V, to), and of Indra (V, 17); all these golden images are to be made and worshipped only to be given away ‘to Brahmans ; and indeed the object of this work seems to. be to recommend profuse gifts to Brahmans. There is no. sin, no incurable disease; no domestic calamity. and no loss or injury to property, which cannot be washed away by such gifts, The cupidity of hereditary priests which Vasishtha had condemned in the strongest terms fifteen centuries before reached its climax at the close of the Pauranik Period with the growing pamet of priests and the decline of the nation.. It is noteworthy that among the multiplicity of pots mentioned in the Dharma SAstras, one- rarely finds mention of Krishna by name. The consort of Siva; too, in the names and forms best known i in these days; Sakti and ‘Durga and Kail, i is also almost unknown: to the Dharma Sastras. . PURANAS, "Amara Sinha, the ‘Iékicagiapher “of the court “of VikramAditya, describes a Puréna as Panichalakshana' or having five characteristic topics ; and scholiasts agree’ that these five topics are—l, Primary creation or cosmo-: gony ; II, Secondary creation. or destruction and reno~ 204 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK’ v. vation of worlds, including chronology ; ITI, Genealogy of gods and patriarchs ; IV, Reigns of Manu or periods called Manvantaras ; V, History of the Solar and Lunar ‘aces and their modern descendants. The Purdnas which now exist, and which were composed or recast after the . time of Amara, very imperfectly conform to this definition. '. The Puranas are divided into three classes, namely, _ those sacred to Vishnu, Siva and Brahm4 respectively. Their names and the number of stanzas which they are supposed to contain, aggregating to 4,00,000 are given below.— VAISHNAVA. Sativa. BRAHMA. Vishnu, 23,000. - Matsya, 14,000, Brahm4nda. 12,000. Naradtya, 25,000, Karma, 17,000. Brahma Vaivarta, 18,000. Bhagavata, 18,000. | Linga, 11,000. Markandeya, 9,000. Garéda, 19,000.. " ‘Vayu, 24,000. Bhavishya, 14,500. Padma, 55,000, Skanda, 81,100. VAmana, 10,000. Varaha, 24,000: _ | Agni, 15,400. Brahma, 10,000. _ It is impossible to make room in the present work for the barest outline of the contents of these volumi- nous books, the work of generations of priests labour- ing for centuries together to'recast ancient mythology, history and traditions, and also to spread modern cults and sectatian beliefs in flowing modern Sanscrit verse. We will only. mention in a few words the salient features of each work.* ” * "The reader will feta fuller account of the contents of the Puranas in’ Wilson’s ‘Preface to his Vishnu Parfas, Pages xxvii. to texxvi, from" which our account is mainly taken, bs \ cHapP, V.] | RELIGION, &o% 295 ’ Brahina' Purina —The early aoe give a des- ae of the creation and’ an’ account of the solar and " lunar dynasties ta the time ‘of Krishna, “A~brief des: cription of :the universe succeeds, after which we have an account of Orissa with its holy'temples‘and sacred groves dedicated to-the Sun,-to Siva. and to JagannAtha! To this succeeds a.life ‘of Krishna which is ‘word for word the same as in the Vishnu Purana, and the work ends with an account of the Yoga. os w2. Padma’ Puréna:—This most - ‘yoluminous: ‘of all the Puranas (excepting Skanda only) is: divided into five books, namely,—(1) Srishti_ or Creation, (2) Bhami’ or Earth, (3) Svarga or Heaven, (4) Patdla or the Lower Regions, and (5) Uttara Khanda ‘or Supplementary Chapter. : The Srishti Khanda narrates the ‘cosmogony and the genealogy of patriarchal families and also regal - dynasties, and then comes to an ‘account of ‘the holiress of lake Pushkara in’ Ajmir as a- place of pilgrimage. The Bhami Khanda déals in 127 chapters with legends mostly relating to Tirthas, which include persons enti: tled to honour and also holy places of pilgrimage. This is followed by a description of the earth. - The Svarga Khanda places Vaiktuntha, the sphere of Vishnu, above all the heavens, It contains tso rules of conduct’ for the ‘several castes and the different stages of life, ‘and, also various legends, mostly modern; The Patala’ Khanda takes us to.the snake-world. There Sesha (serpent) narrates the.story’of Rama, and. this is follow- 206 PAURANIK PERIOD. [s00K Vv. + eqege ed. by -an: account, of.. Krishna’s juvenilities and the merits of worshipping Vishnu. . The Uttara Khanda, which is probably later than ‘the other portions of the Purana, is ‘intensely Vaishnava in its tone; the nature of Bhakti or faith in Vishnu, the use of the. Vaishnava marks on the body, the legends of Vishnu’s incarna- tions, and: the construction of images of Vishnu are all explained . by Siva to his consort. Parvati, and they both finish by adoring Vishnu! We are also told that of the “Hindu Trinity, Vishnu alone is entitled to respect! There can be no doubt much of this sectarian contro- versy has been added after the Moslem conquest of India: There is mention, even in the earlier books of this Purana, of Mlechchhas flourishing in India, while to the last portions of the work Dr.) Wilson gives the 15th ve 16th dentury A.D.,.as the probable date. Vishnu Purdna divided into six books. The first speaks ofthe creation of Vishnu and Lakshmi, and many legends, including those of Dhruva and Prahlada. The second ‘book describes the earth with its seven islarids and seven seas, and also describes Bharatavarsha andthe nether regions,the planetary system, the sun, the moon, &c. The :third book speaks of-the Veda and its division into four Vedas by: Krishna Dvaiyayana Vy4sa in the Dvapara Yuga.. It-also riames the 18 PurAnas; details the duties of the four castes and the four ‘orders of life,:-and dwells :on. domestic’ and -social ceremonies and ‘sraddhas.... The. last .chapter: condemns: the. Bud: CHAP, V.] . RELIGION, &c.- 207 dhists and ‘Jainas,’ The fourth book gives us a history of the Solar and Lunar dynasties, and: concludes with lists of the kings of Magadha which we have quoted in Book IV, ‘Chapter Ill. The fifth book is. specially devoted to an account of Krishna, his boyish tricks, his sports with. Gopis,-.and_ his vayious deeds in life. The sixth and last book again inculcates devotion to Vishnu as sufficient to earn salvation for all castes and persons; and ends with chapters on Yoga and final anaes: tion. i v4. Vdyu Purdna, ethers called t the Siva/or Saiva Purana is divided into four books. “Fhefiret’' speaks of creation and the first evolutions of beings. The second continues the subject of creation and describes the vari- ous kalpas, gives us genealogies of the patriarchs, a des- cription of the universe and the incidents. of the Man- vantaras, mixed up with legends and praises of Siva. The third book describes the different classes of crea- tures, and furnishes ‘us with accounts of the Solar and Lunar dynasties and other kings. The fourth and ‘last book speaks of the efficacy’ of the Yoga and the glory of -Siva with whom the Yogin is to be finally united. .- - wv. 5. : Bhégavata Purdna, better known as Srimat Bhaga- wata, is considered the-holiest-of the Puranas, at least: in: the -estimation of the. Vaishnava. sects. ‘The wotk-be- gins as usual with cosmogony. VAsudeva is thesupreme and attive creator, the creation, the world is Maya: or iilusion.. We: are -also ‘told: that. all castes, and-even 298 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V. Mlechchhas, may learn to have faith in Vasudeva~ a purely Vaishnava doctrine. In the third book we have an account of the ‘creation of Brahma, of the Vardha incarnation of Vishnu, -and of his ‘incarnation as' Kapila, the author of SAnkhya philosophy! The traditions’ of Dhruva, Vena, Prithu, and Bh4rata are given in. the fourth and fifth books ; a variety of Jegends intended: to inculcate the worship of Vishnu fill the sixth; the legend cf Prahl4da is given in the seventh ; while numérous other legends are narrated in the eighth. The ‘ninth book natrates the Solar and Lunar dynasties; while the tenth book, which is the characteristic part of the work, is entirely appropriated to the life of Krishna. The eleventh book describes the destruction of the Wadavas‘and the death of ‘Krishna ; and the twelfth and last book gives lists of later kings like what we have in the Vishnu Purana. 6. -Nérada Purdua—This work contains a variety of prayers to Vishnu, and: legends inculcating devotion to Hari.