Chapter 3.4 - The Narasimha-purana (study)

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 3. THE NARASIMHA-PURANA 288 219 The present Narasimha-purana, 383 which is also called Nrsimha-purana, is one of the oldest and most important of the extant Vaisnava Upapuranas. It begins with a salutation to Narasimha and states that once, in the month of Magha, some Veda-knowing sages came with their disciples to Prayaga from different 283 Edited by Uddhavacarya and published by Gopal Narayan & Co., Bombay. Second edition, Bombay 1911. This is a very careless edition based on three Manuscripts which have been referred to simply as , and, but of which no information or description has been given by the editor. In this edition, the chapter immediately following chap. 10 is called eleventh at the beginning but twelfth at the end. As a matter of fact, chapters 11 and 12 have been combined without any demarcation, though Manuscript says that chap. 12 begins from verse 54. Though I am fully conscious of the fact that no serious chronological deduction should be based on this worthless edition, the absence of any better, or even a second, edition of this Purana has compelled me to utilise it here. I have, however, consulted a number of Manuscripts of this work and have not used any evidence which is not supported at least by most of these Manuscripts For Manuscripts of this Purana see (1) R. L. Mitra, III, pp. 1-5, No. 1020. [This Manuscript, which consists of 63 chapters and was found at Navadvipa, is written in Bengali characters and dated Saka 1567. It begins om namo nrsimhaya/ tapta-hataka-kesagra-jvalat-pavaka-locana/ It begins as follows: Ga vajradhika-nakha-sparsa divya-simha namo'stu te// nakha-mukha-vilikhita-diti-tanayorah-paripatad-asrg-arunikrta-gatrah/ himakara-girir iva gairika-gatro naraharir aharahar avatu sa hy asman// himavad-vasinah sarve munayo veda-paragah/ trikalajna mahatmano naimisaranya-vasinah// It ends thus : &c &c netrair martanda-candais tribhir anala-sikha nyagvahadbhih pradiptah/ payad vo narasimhah kara-khara-nakharair bhinna-daityas ciradyah/ kim kim simhas tatah kim nara-sadrsa-vapur deva citram grhita naivam dhik konvajived drutam upanayatam so'pi satyam harisah/ capam capam nakhangam jhatiti daha daha karkasatvam nakhanam ity evam daitya-natham nija-nakha-kulisair jaghnivan yah sarosat//

220 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS parts of India (viz., Himalaya, Naimisaranya, Arbudaranya, Puskararanya, Mahendra mountain, Vindhya mountain, Dharmaranya, Dandakaranya, Srisaila, Kuruksetra, Kaumara-parvata, Pampa etc), had their bath in the holy Ganges, and saw Bharadvaja in his hermitage. When, iti srinarasimhapurane adye dharmartha-kama-moksa-pradayini para-brahmasvarupina idam ekam sunispannam dhyeyo narayanah sada naranyadevat param asti kimcit/ srinarasimhapuranam samaptam//63// The list of its contents, as given by Mitra, shows that it lacks the story of Dhruva as occurring in chap. 31, verses 1-97 of the printed edition; the story of Prahlada as given in chapters 40 (verses 60 b-61 b), 41-43 and 44 (verses 1-13) of the printed edition; the description of the characteristic evils of the Kali age as given in chap. 54, verses 8-61 of the printed edition; as well as chapters 64 (on the interlocution of Narada and Pundarika on the glory of Narayana) and 68 (on the glorification of the Narasimha-purana) of the printed edition. It also seems to lack the story of the Pandavas' killing of the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras on the bank of the Reva for carrying away Draupadi by force (as given in chap. 33. verses 15-85 and chap. 34, verse I of the printed ed.); and the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra 'om namo narayanaya' (as found in chap. 63. verses 10-119 a of the printed ed.). It inserts a chapter on the praise of holy places (tirtha-prasamsa) in Ayodhya immediately after the chapters on Rama-pradurbhava.] (2) Theodor Aufrecht, pp. 82-83, Nos, 138-139. [(i) No. 138, which consists of 62 chapters and is written in Devanagari script, begins as follows:narayanam namaskrtya etc. tapta-hataka-kesanta jvalat-pavaka-locana/ vajradhika-nakha-sparsa divya simha namo'stu te// patu vo narasimhasya nakha-langala-kotayah/ hiranya-kasipo vraksa asrkkaddamamarunah// homabaddhagninah sarve munayo veda-paragah/ trikalajna mahatmano naimisaranyavasinah// &c &c. but its end and final colophon are not given by Aufrecht, Aufrecht's description of its contents shows that it not only lacks, like Mitra's Manuscript, the stories of Dhruva and Prahlada and the description of the characteristics of the Kali age, but also the topics on Yoga (as found in chap. 61 of the printed ed.), and the enumeration of tirthas (as found in chapters 65-67 of the printed ed.). It also seems to lack the story of the killing of the demons Bahuroman

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 221 after mutual greetings, they were engaged in 'talks about Krsna' (krsnasritah kathah), there arrived a Suta named Lomaharsana, who was a disciple of Vyasa and was versed in the Puranas (puranajna). After Lomaharsana had been duly received by the sages, Bharadvaja thanked him for having narrated to them the Samhita named Varaha (i.e. the Varaha-purana) during the great sacrifice instituted by Saunaka and then wishing to hear from him the 'Paurana-samhita named Narasimha' put to him the following questions for detailed treatment: (1) Whence did this universe, with its moving and stationary objects, originate? Who preserves it? And where will it go after dissolution? (2) What is the extent of the earth? (3) What acts please Narasimha? (4) How does creation begin, and how does it end? and Sthulasiras by the Pandavas, and the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra. The story of Rama-pradurbhava is given in this Manuscript in five chapters as against six (viz., 47-52) of the printed ed. (See also Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713, described below, which also gives in five chapters the contents of chapters 47-52 of the printed ed.). It does not insert any chapter on the praise of holy places in Ayodhya. (ii) No. 139, which is written in Devanagari, is generally the same as the above Manuscript but contains chapters, 65-67 (on tirthas) of the printed ed.] (3) Julius Eggeling, VI, pp. 1211-14, Nos. 3375-79. [(i) Of these five Manuscripts, the first (Cat. No. 3375), which was copied in Devanagari script in 1798 A. D., consists of 67 chapters. It begins with the verses 'tapta-hataka-kesagra' and 'nakha-mukha-vidalita- (v.l. -vilikhita-)-dititanayorah-' (with slight variations in readings) and ends thus:nrsimhasya-mahadeva-pujite bhakta-vatsale/ loka-nathe prabhau tena trailokya-pujito bhavet/ / yo narasimha-vapur asthitah pura hitaya lokasya diteh sutam yudhi/ nakhaih sutiksnair vidadara vairinam divaukasam tam pranamami kesavam // iti srinrsimhapurane adye dharmartha-kama-moksa-pradayini nama sattirthavarnano namadhyayah// It lacks chapters 64 and 68 of the printed ed. As Eggeling does not give the contents of the chapters, it is not known

222 223 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS (5) What are the four Yugas? How are these to be reckoned, and what are their characteristics? (6) What will be the condition of people during the Kali age? (7) How is Narasimha to be worshipped, and what places, mountains and rivers are sacred to him? (8) How were the gods, Manus, Vidyadharas and others first created? (9) Which kings were sacrificers, and who attained the highest success? The Suta consented to narrate the 'Narasimha Purana.' Consequently, he saluted his teacher Vyasa, through whose favour he learnt definitely whether this Manuscript also lacks the stories of Dhruva and Prahlada, the story of the Pandavas' killing of the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras, the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra, and the description of the evils of the Kali age. It is also not known whether it inserts a chapter on holy places in Ayodhya. (ii) The next two Manuscripts (Cat. Nos. 3376-77), which also are written in Devanagari and of which the second one lacks the first Adhyaya, are practically the same as the preceding Manuscript Their concluding verses are (with some variations in readings) the same as those of the Manuscript noticed by Mitra, and their colophon is as follows:iti srinarasimhapurane adye dharmartha-kama-moksa-pradayini para-brahmasvarupini idam ekam sunispannam dhyeyo narayanah sada/na vasudevat param asti kimcit//iti narasimha-puranam samaptam// (iii) The fourth Manuscript (Cat. No. 3378) is written in Devanagari by different hands. It was copied in about 1500-1600 A.D., its last five folios being supplied in 1789 A.D. It begins with the verse 'nakha-mukha-vilikhitaditi-tanayorah-'. In the modern portion of this Manuscript the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra (as found in chap. 63, verses 10-119 a of the printed ed.) and the interlocution between Narada and Pundarika on the glory of Narayana (as occurring in chap. 64 of the printed ed.) are given. (iv) The fifth Manuscript (Cat. No. 3379-on Rama-pradurbhava) is written in Devanagari and divided into six sections named after the six Kandas (ending with the Lanka-kanda) of the Ramayana. It is practically the same as chapters 47-52 of the printed ed.] (4) Hrishikesa Shastri, IV, pp. 29-30 (Manuscript No. 36) and pp. 184-5 (Manuscript No. 298). The second Manuscript has been numbered. again as 304.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 223 the 'Puranas,' and then began to deal with the five Purana-topics (viz., primary creation, secondary creation, etc.) by way of answering all the [(i) Manuscript No. 36 consists of 63 chapters and is written in Bengali characters. It is not old'. It begins with the verses 'tapta-hataka-kesagra' and 'nakha-mukha-vilasita-diti-tanayorah-' and ends thus: prasanne deva devese sarva-papa-ksayo bhavet/ paksinah papa-baddhas te muktim yanti param gatim// nakhaih sutiksnair vvidadara vairinam divaukasam tam pranamami kesavam// vyasrgbhudbhinnabhasvatprthulalitalatacchadita kintvamargah/ patalam prapta-padah prakharatara-nakha-srotaso narasimhah// kara-khara-nakharaih bhinna-vrtyas ciram vah// kim kim siddhas tat kinvah sadrsa-vapumetava citram grhito nevadhikah so'pi jivedratamapanayatam sopi nityam harisah/ capam ajasraganair dasarjaghnivan yah sa rosate// iti srinarasimhapurane trisastitamo'dhyayah samaptam narasimha-puranam// Like Mitra's Manuscript and like the Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713 described below, this Manuscript lacks, besides chapters 41-43 and 68 of the printed ed., the following portions of the latter: Nar 15. 7 b-16; 16. 1-4 a; 31. 1-97; 32. 20 b-21; 33. 1-4 a and 15-85; 34. 1; 40. 6 ob-61 a; 44. 1-13; and so on. (ii) Manuscript No. 298 (or No. 304) is an old one written in Bengali script and consisting of 67 chapters. It begins with the verse 'tapta-hataka-kesagra" and ends with the chapter dealing with the 68 holy places sacred to Visnu (vaisnavastasasti chap. 65 of the printed ed.). It lacks chapters 41-43 and 66-68 of the printed ed. and also many others like the immediately preceding Manuscript and the Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713 described below.] (5) Haraprasad Shastri, V. pp. 711-13, Nos. 4075-81. [(i) No. 4076.-It is written in Bengali script and dated Saka 1617, It consists of 64 chapters, of which the 63 rd chapter is named 'Tirtha-yatraprasamsa' (=chap. 66 of the printed ed.). The Catalogue gives us no information regarding the contents of the different chapters. (ii) No. 4076 A.-It is written in Bengali characters and dated Saka 1586. No information regarding the number of its chapters or their contents is given by Shastri. (iii) Nos. 4077-81.-Of these five Manuscripts the first is written in Kashmiri and dated Samvat 1898, the second is written in Nagara of the 18 th century, and the remaining three are written in Bengali script. Of these remaining three Manuscripts, the first is dated Saka 1623 and the third is dated Saka 1639. The numbers of chapters of these five Manuscripts or their contents are not mentioned in the Catalogue.]

224 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS questions with the narration of various relevant stories. So, the present Narasimha-purana deals with the following topics: - Glorification of Narasimha (also called Visnu, Hari, Vasudeva, Krsna, etc.) by identifying him with Narayana, the eternal Brahma. (6) A. B. Keith, Catalogue, Vol. II, Part i, p. 916 (Nos. 6616-18). [(i) No. 6616.-It is written in Grantha characters of about 1866-67 A.D. and consists of 61 chapters. Its beginning is very defective, and it ends with the verse 'yo narasimham vapur asthitah pura'. Its colophon runs as follows: iti srinarasimhapurane ekasastitamo'dhyayah/srilaksmanarasimharpanam astu//harih om/kara-krtam aparadham ksantum arhanti santah/ - (ii) No. 6617-It is an incomplete Manuscript written in Bengali characters of about 1800 A. D. It begins with the same verses as those of Eggeling No. 3375. (iii) No. 6618.-It deals only with geography and is not divided into chapters. It corresponds to chapters 30 and 31 (verses 98-112) of the printed ed. and lacks the story of Dhruva as found in chap. 31, verses 1- 1-97 of the printed ed.] (7) Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 2713, 323 and 284 A. I [(i) Manuscript No. 2713, which was collected from Vaidyavati in the district of Hooghly, is written in Bengali characters and consists of 98 folios, of which fol. 1 is damaged and fol. 2 is mutilated at the left side. It contains 63 chapters and is dated Saka 1567. It is fairly correct. Like Mitra's Manuscript, it begins with the verses 'tapta-hataka-kesagra' and 'nakha-mukha-vilikhita-diti-tanayorah-', and ends thus: prasanne deva-devese sarva-papa-ksayo bhavet/ praksina-papa-bandhas te muktim yanti param punah// yo narasimham vapur asthitah pura hitaya lokasya diteh sutam yudhi/ nakhaih sutiksnair vidadara vairinam divaukasam tam pranamami kesavam// vyajrmbhad-bhinna-bhasvat-prthu-lalita-satacchaditarkendu-margah patala-prapta-pada-prakhara-nakha-prota-sesahi-bhogah/ netrair martanda-candais tribhir anala-sikham udvahadbhih pradiptah payad vo narasimhah kara-khara-nakharair bhinna-daityas ciradyah// kim kim simhas tatah kim nara-sadrsa-vapur deva citram grhito naivam dhik ko nu jivet drutam upanayatam sopi satyam harisah/ capam capam na khadgam jhatiti daha daha karkasatvam nakhanam ity evam daitya-natham nija-nakha-kulisair jaghnivan yah sarosat// iti srinarasimhapurane adye dharmartha-kama-moksa-pradayini parambrahmasvarupini idam ekam sunispannam dhyeyo narayanah sada na vasudevat param

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 225 Description of the origin of the cosmic egg (anda) from Brahma (i.c. Narayana) according to the Samkhya system; Visnu's presence as Brahma in this egg for creation. Division of time into nimesa, kastha, kala, muhurta, ahoratra (day and night), paksa (fortnight), masa (month), ayana, varsa (year), yuga and kalpa; and measurement of asti kimcit srinarasimhapuranam samaptam/ sri-rama-cakravartinah pustakam idam sri-gopala-sarmanah svaksaram idam// subham astu sakabdah 1567//. terikha 23 jyaisthah// astamyam sukla-pakse tu guru-vare samaptas cayam granthah// The corresponding chapters in this Manuscript and the printed ed, are the following: Manuscript Printed ed. Chaps. 1-29 Chaps. 1-29 respectively. Chaps, 30 and 31 (verses Chapter 30 W 98-113). Chapter 31 = Chapter 32. Chapter 32 = Chapter 33 (verses 1-14); chap. 34 (verses 2-55). Chaps. 33-37 Chaps. 35-39 respectively. Printed ed. Manuscript Chapter 49 = Chapter 54. verse 7; Chapter 50 chap. 55. = Chapter 56. Chapter 51 (except about 25 additional verses on selection of flowers and leaves for Visnuworship) Chapter 52 = Chapter 57 (verses 1-7). = Chapter 57 (verses 8-30). Chapter 58 (verses 1-16). = Chapter 58 (verses 17-38). Chapter 58(verses 39-115). Chapter 38 Chapter 40 (except verses Chapter 53 60 b-61 b); chap. 44 Chapter 54 (verses 14-43). Chaps. 39-44 Chaps. 45-50 respectiChap. 55 Chaps. 56-59 vely. = Chapter 45 Chaps. 51-52. Chapter 46 (on holy place in Ayodhya) Chapter 47 = Chapter 53 Chapter 48 Chapter 54 (verses 1-6). Chaps. 59-62 respectively. Chapter 60 Chapter 63 (verses 1-9 and = 119 b-122). Chaps. 61-63 Chaps. 65-67 respectively. The above table shows that this Manuscript lacks the following sections of the printed ed. :- 29 chap. 31, verses 1-97 chap. 33, verses 15-85; chap. 34. verse I chap. 40, verses 60 b-61 b chapters 41-43; chap. 44, verses 1-13 chap. 54, verses 8-61 -on the story of Dhruva; -on the story of the killing of the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras by the Pandavas; -on the story of Prahlada; -on the characteristic evils of the Kali age;

226 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS these divisions with respect to men, Pitts, Manus, Brahma etc. Brahma's origin from the lotus in Visnu's navel; origin of Rudra from Brahma's rage; Brahma's creation of Daksa and his wife, from whom Svayambhuva Manu was born. (-Chaps. 1-3). Origin of the ten chap. 63, verses 10-119 a chap. 64 chap. 68 -on the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra; -dealing with the interlocution between Narada and Pundarika on the glory of Narayana; -on the glorification of the Narasimha-purana On the other hand, the printed edition lacks chap. 46 (on holy places in Ayodhya) and about 25 verses (on the selection of leaves and flowers for Visnu-worship) of chap. 51 of the Manuscript This Manuscript deals with the story of Rama-pradurbhava in five chapters (viz., 41-45) as against six (viz., 47-52) of the printed ed., chap. 45 of the former consisting of chapters 51-52 of the latter. The agreement between this Manuscript and that described by Mitra is very close, and as both these Manuscripts were copied in Saka 1567, they are either based on the same original or derived from the same archetype. (ii) Manuscript No. 323, which was procured from Ula in the district of Nadia. is written in Bengali characters and consists of 131 folios, of which folios 37-40 (containing chapters 19-27, and verses 1.16 of chap, 28 of the printed ed.) are missing and fol. 131 is wrongly numbered 139. It contains 64 chapters and is dated Saka 1588. It begins and ends with the same verses (though with occasional variations in readings) as the preceding Manuscript, and its final colophon (viz., iti sri-narasimhapurane adye dharmartha-moksa-pradayini parambrahma-svarupini idam ekam sunispannam dhyeyo narayanah sada/na vasudevat param asti kimcit narasimhapuranam samaptam/subham astu sakabdah 1588/haraye namah govindaya namah) also agrees very closely with that of the latter. (It should be mentioned here that the colophon of its final chapter, which is almost the same as its final colophon, runs thus:-iti sri-narasimha-purane adye... na vasudevat param asti kimcit prathamo'dhyayah/). This Manuscript lacks the same sections of the printed ed. as the preceding Manuscript It also contains, like the preceding Manuscript, a chapter (viz., chap. 47 on holy places in Ayodhya) and about 50 lines (on the selection of leaves and flowers for Visnuworship) in chap. 52, which do not occur in the printed ed. Thus, this Manuscript seems to have been derived from the same archetype as the

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 227 sages Marici, Atri, Angiras etc. from Brahma's mind; Brahma's creation of Satarupa, who was given in marriage to Manu; creation by the sages except Narada who was given to nivrtti-dharma; creation by Rudra; creation by Daksa; descendants of Daksa's daughters. (-Chaps. 4-5). Description of the samsara-vrksa (tree of rebirths) which causes delusion of the mind; praise of jnana, Visnu-worship and meditation on Visnu-Brahma as the means of getting rid of all sufferings brought on by rebirths; method and praise of muttering the eight-syllabled preceding Manuscript The difference in the number of chapters in these two Manuscripts is due to the fact that the story of Rama-pradurbhava is given in the preceding Manuscript in five chapters as against six (viz., chapters 41-46) of the present one. (iii) Manuscript No. 284 A, which was procured from Nalahati in the district of Burdwan, consists of 121 folios and is written in Bengali script. It is dated Saka 1742 and contains 53 chapters, of which chapters 14-53 are not numbered. It begins with the verses 'narayanam namaskrtya', 'tapta-hataka-kesagra' and 'nakha-mukha-vilikhita-diti-tanayorah-', and ends thus: imam stavam yah pathate sa manavah prapnoti visnor amitatmakam hi tat// iti sri-narasimha-purane dharmartha-kama-moksa-pradayini param-brahmasvarupini vaisnavasta-sasti-namadhyayah|| asya sri-rajasimhasya prakrtyalingito harih / radha-mohana-rayasya prito bhavatu sarvada// yugma-sruty-asva-candrankita-saka-mite bhaskare taisa-yate natvalekhin murareh kajanu-yuga-samam pada-yugmam surarcyam/ sri-radha-mohanakhya-ksitipa-naraharer narasimham puranam gotrad evanvavaya-prabhava-krta-mahayatna-santana asu// In this Manuscript, chap. 53 consists of chapters 57 (verses 8-20) and 65 of the printed edition. In verses 1-16 of chap. 53 of this Manuscript (which correspond to verses 8-20 of chap. 57 of the printed ed.) king Sahasranika asks Markandeya to describe to him the duties of the four castes and orders of life (varnasramadharma). Consequently, Markandeya begins to report what Harita, being requested by some sages to speak on 'varnasrama-dharma', 'yoga-sastra' and 'visnu-tattva' (cf. bhagavan sarvva-dharmmajna sarvva-dharmma-pravarttaka/ varnanam asramananca dharmman prabruhi sasvatan/samasad yoga-sastantu yam dhyatva mucyate narah/visnu-tattvam muni-srestha tvam hi nah paramo guruh/), said to them on these topics. But in these verses Harita is found only to introduce his subject by briefly narrating the origin of the four castes and the place fit for their residence and to say nothing on Varnasrama-dharma etc. On the other hand, in verses 17 ff. of this chapter (which corresponds to chap. 65 of the printed ed.) Suta, being requested by Bharadvaja, names the 68 places

228 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS mantra 'om namo narayanaya' for the purpose. (-Chaps. 16-18). Enumeration of Aditya's 108 names (including Sambhu, Tvastr, Kapila, Mrtyu, Hari, Hamsa, Pratardana, Tarani, Mahendra, Varuna, Visnu, Agni etc.) as mentioned by Visvakarman (chap. 20). 'Short' genealogical lists of the kings of the Solar and the Lunar race, the former ending with Budha (v.l. Buddha' in some Manuscripts), son of Suddhodana, and the latter with Ksemaka, son of Naravahana and grandson of Udayana and Vasavadatta (chapters 22-23). Accounts of the past, present and future Manus and Manvantaras (chap. 24). History of the prominent kings of the Solar and the Lunar race (vamsanucarita), especially of those who worshipped Narasimha and performed sacrifices sacred to Visnu. Hence it is sure that in the original Manuscript from which our present one was copied, verses 1-16 of chap. 53 were followed by chapters on Varnasrama-dharma, Yoga and Visnu-tattva, i.e. by chapters 57 (verses 21-30-on the duties of Brahmins), 58-60 (on the duties of the Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras, as well as of the students, householders, forest-hermits and yatis), 61 (on Yoga), 62 (on the Vedic procedure of Visnu-worship) and 63 (verses 1-9 and 119 b-122 on the popular method of Visnu-worship) of the printed ed. It is most probably due to the inadvertence of the scribe that these intervening chapters and verses have been omitted in our present Manuscript As, like the other two Manuscripts, it lacks the following sections of the printed ed., viz., chap. 31, verses 1-97 chap. 33, verses 15-85 chap. 40, verses 60 b-61 b; chapters 41-43; chap. 44, verses 1-13 chap. 54, verses 8-61 -on the story of Dhruva, -on the story of the Pandavas' killing of the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras, -on the story of Prahlada, } -on the characteristic evils of the Kali age, we may assume that the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form (as found in chap. 63, verses 10-119 a of the printed ed.) and the interlocution between Narada and Pundarika on the glory of Narayana (as given in chap. 64 of the printed ed.) were wanting in the original Manuscript from which our present one was copied. (It should be mentioned here that the corresponding chapters of the Dacca University Manuscripts on the one hand and the printed ed. on the other, differ not only in readings but also occasionally in the numbers of verses. For instance, after verse 31 of chap. 5 the Dacca University Manuscripts have 24 metrical lines which are not found in the printed ed.).]

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 229 (chapters 25-29). Geography of the earth (chap. 30). Glorification of performance of duties towards parents and husband (chap. 14). Glorification of Brahmins and of service rendered to them (chap. 28). Results of giving various articles (chap. 30). Method of worship of Ganesa (chap. 26). Glorification of Narasimha-worship as well as of the different kinds of service rendered to Narasimha and his temple (viz., construction and sweeping of the temple and besmearing it with cow-dung; bathing the image with pure water, milk, curd, honey etc. or with mantra; offer of various articles; recitation of hymns of praise; presentation of flags marked with the figure of Garuda; songs, musical concerts, or theatrical performances etc. held for Narasimha's pleasure; removal of the flowers etc. with which Narasimha has been worshipped; and so on.-Chaps. 32-34). Sins arising out of crossing the flowers (8) R. L. Mitra, pp. 207-8, No. 452. [This Manuscript is written in Nagara and consists of only 41 chapters (so far as their number, given by Mitra in connection with the description of their contents, shows). The corresponding chapters of this Manuscript and the printed ed are the following:Manuscript Printed ed. Chaps. 1-29 Chaps. 1-29 respectively. Manuscript Printed ed. Chapter 33 = Chapter 35. Chapter 30 Chaps. 30; 31 (verses Chaps. 34-41=Chaps. 36-39; 40 (ex- 98-113). cept verses 6 ob-61 b); Chapter 31 Chapter 32. • Chapter 32 =Chaps. 33 (verses 1-14); 34 (verses 2-55). 44 (verses 14-43); 45-47. So this Manuscript, which ends after dealing with only a few of the ten incarnations of Visnu, is necessarily incomplete. It lacks the stories of Dhruva, Prahlada, and the Pandavas who killed the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras for carrying away Draupadi by force.] (9) P. P. S. Sastri, XV, pp. 7151-53, Nos. 10548-53. [Of these Manuscripts, the first (No. 10548) consists of 64 chapters and is written in Devanagari. It begins with the verse 'tapta-hataka-kesantarjvalat-' and ends with the verse 'yo narasimham vapur asthitah pura'. Its colophon is as follows: iti srimannarasimha-purane adye dharmartha-kama-moksa-pradayini para-brahmasvarupa-nirupane catuhsastitamo 'dhyayah. The contents of its chapters are not given in the Catalogue. different No information regarding the beginnings, ends and contents of the other Manuscripts is given by Sastri.]

230 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS etc. with which Visnu has been worshipped (chap. 28). The methods of performing laksa-homa and koti-homa for the good of the village or the town or the country in which these are performed (chapters 34-35). Method of consecration of images of Visnu (chap. 56). The Vedic and the popular (sarva-hita) method of Narasimha-(or Visnu-) worship (chapters 62-63).384 Description of the evils of the Kali age (chap. 54). 285 Duties of the four castes and orders of life (varnasramadharma-chapters 57-60). 286 Description and praise of which is to (10) Chintaharan Chakravarti, p. 72, No, 1432. [It contains chapters 1-60 and is complete.] (11) M. A. Stein, Catalogue, p. 202. yoga [One of the two Manuscripts is complete and is written in modern Kasmiri script, while the other deals with Laksmi-nrsimha-sahasra-nama.] (12) Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, pp. 337 and 338. (13) Hiralal, Catalogue of Sanskrit and Prakrit Manuscripts in the Central Provinces and Berar, pp. 224 and 248. (14) Lewis Rice, Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in Mysore and Coorg, P. 72. (15) A. C. Burnell, A Classified Index, p. 188, (16) Haraprasad Shastri, Catalogue of Palm-leaf and Selected Paper Manuscripts in the Durbar Library, Nepal, p. 29. [This Manuscript is written in Maithila script.]. (17) H. I. Poleman, p. 51, No. 1084. (18) M. Rangacharya, Madras Cat,, IV. ii, pp. 1612-14, Nos. 2345-47 (complete in 62 chapters). 284 The mediums of worship are the following:-fire, heart (hrdaya), sun, altar and image. (Narasimha-purana 62. 5-6. Some Manuscripts read 'apsv agnau' for 'ato'gnau"). 285 Regarding the conduct of people of the Kali age this Purana says that there will be an intermixture of castes, women will become unruly and licentious, Brahmavadins will drink wine, the members of the higher three castes will disregard the rules of dharma, serve the Sudras, enjoy widows and Sudra women, and take food from the Sudras, people will decry Hari and will not care to remember his name, Sudras will become pseudo-ascetics (pravrajya-linginah) and preach religious doctrines, these Sudras as well as many flowers among the twice-born will turn Pasandas, Brahmins will be eager for receiving gifts, and the Bhiksus will teach their students with a view to earning their livelihood. 286 In enumerating the duties of the members of the four castes and orders of life this Purana says that a Ksatriya king should try to attain victory through fair means, that the Sudras should serve the twice-born, follow agriculture for earning their livelihood, and hear the Puranas from Brahmins, that a twice-born

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 231 be practised by one who belongs to the fourth order of life (chap. 61). Enumeration and praise of rivers 387 and holy places 288 sacred to Visnu (chapters 65-66). Praise of certain qualities of the mind (chap. 67). Mention and praise of a few Vratas (viz., Eka-bhakta, Nakta, Sauranakta, Agastyargha-dana, etc.- chap. 67). Praise of the Narasimhapurana (chap. 68). In connection with these topics the following stories have been introduced in this Purana: The story of the birth of Vasistha and Agastya from Mitra and Varuna when the latter saw Urvasi in a lake called Paundarika in a forest in Kuruksetra (chap. 6); the story of Markandeya who, being destined to die at the age of twelve, worshipped Visnu, according to Bhrgu's advice, with the twelve-syllabled mantra (om namo bhagavate vasudevaya) at Bhadravata on the bank of the river Tunga-bhadra, with the result that even Death had no influence on him, and when Death and his assistants went to Yama to report how, in their attempt to bring Markandeya to the abode of Yama, they had been beaten back by the Visnu-dutas, Yama reproached them for their conduct towards the Visnu-dutas, and praised Visnu (also called Vasudeva and Krsna) as the chastiser even of himself (chapters 7-12); the story of Yama, who, though repeatedly tempted by his passionate sister Yami to incest, did not agree to her proposal and was thus able to attain divinity (chap. 13); the story of a Brahmacarin named Deva-sarman who turned a wandering mendicant after his father's death, began to live at Nandigrama in Madhyadesa after visiting numerous holy places, became proud of his occult power by being able to reduce to ashes, by an angry glance, a crow and a crane which were carrying should not put on red or blue clothes, and that a teacher should not teach his students during the Mahanavami, Bharani-dvadasi, Aksaya-trtaya and Maghi Saptami. 287 Viz., Vitasta, Kaveri, Payosni, Vipasa, Sivanadi, Gomati, Sarasvati, Carmanvati, Godavari, Tungabhadra etc. 288 Viz., Kokamukha, Pandya-sahya, Salagrama, Gandhamadana, Kubjagara, Gandhadvara, Sakala, Sayaka, Puskara, Kaserata, Mahavana, Halangara, Dasapura, Cakra-tirtha, Devadaru-vana, Kumara-tirtha, Adhya, Sukara, Mahismati, Gaya etc.

232 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS away his rag, chanced to meet Savitri, the devoted, and consequently omniscient, wife of a pious and learned Brahmin named Kasyapa, and was reproached by her for his pride as well as for his neglect of duties to his mother and forefathers (chap. 14); the story of a learned Brahmin, who, after his wife's death, visited numerous holy places, turned a yati at the advice of Narasimha (who warned him that one, who does not belong to any order of life, is not favoured by him), and attained salvation after death (chap. 15); the stories of the birth of the Asvins and the Maruts, said to have been summarised from those told respectively by Vayu and by Sakti-putra 289 (i. c. Parasara) in the Vaisnavakhya Purana' (chapters 19-21); the story of Iksvaku, who, considering renunciation to be the best way of Visnu-worship, went to the hermitage of Galava and others after eulogising and worshipping Ganesa according to Vasistha's instructions, practised severe penance there, and muttered the twelve-syllabled mantra 'om namo bhagavate vasudevaya', with the result that Brahma revealed himself before king Iksvaku, told him how, being directed by a voice from the air, he himself could experience Visnu by worshipping this god as well as by performing his own duties, and gave instructions to Iksvaku, who accordingly returned to his capital, did his duties as a householder, worshipped the images of Ananta and Madhava given to him by Brahma, and attained the region of Visnu (chapters 25-26); story of Santanu who, though worshipping Narasimha according to the method learnt from Narada, once passed over Narasimhanirmalya (i. e. the followers etc. with which Narasimha was worshipped) and was thus disabled from mounting his divine chariot but who regained his power by clearing the remnants of food of Brahmins for twelve years in Kuruksetra (chap. 28); the story of Indra's son who used to steal flowers from the garden of a florist named Ravi and was disabled from mounting his chariot in consequence of passing over the 289 The printed ed. reads 'sakti-putrena' (see Narasimha-purana 19.5), but the Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 2713 (fol. 27 a) and 284 A (fol. 34 b) as well as a few others read 'saktri-putrena'. In the Dacca University Manuscript No. 323, the folios (37-40), containing chapters 19-27 and verses 1-16 of chap. 28 of the printed ed., are lost. The readings ("sakta-putrena' and 'salpa-putrena') given by the Sanskrit College (Calcutta) Manuscripts are corrupt.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 233 Visnu-nirmalya, placed by the florist near the garden according to Narasimha's instructions, but who got rid of his disability and went to his heavenly residence after clearing the remnants of food of Brahmins for twelve years in Kuruksetra (chap. 28); the story of Dhruva's attainment of high position among the stars and planets through Narasimha's favour attained by means of Visnu-worship as well as by muttering the twelve-syllabled mantra 'om namo bhagavate vasudevaya' (chap. 31); the story of the demons Sthulasiras and Bahuroman, who disguised themselves as ascetics on the bank of the Reva with a view to carrying away Draupadi, and of whom the former was killed by Bhima, and the latter, when chased by Arjuna, took the form of a four-armed and yellow-robed being with a conch-shell, disc etc. in his hands and narrated to Arjuna how in his previous birth as a Brahmin of ill repute he swept the floor of a Visnu-temple and lighted a lamp there for enjoying the wife of a Brahmin, how being beaten to death by the city-guards he attained heaven and remained there for a long time, how he was reborn as king Jayadhvaja of the Lunar race and rendered service to the Visnu-temple, and how after death he enjoyed various pleasures in the regions of Indra and Rudra and was cursed by Narada to become a demon on his way to the Brahma-loka (chap. 33); the stories of the ten incarnations of Visnu (viz., Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, 200 Balabhadra, 291 Krsna, 292 and Kalki³°³) including the story of Prahlada (chapters 36-54); the story of Sukra's 290 In connection with the Rama-story it is said that being ordered by Sugriva the monkeys searched for Sita in different places, viz., Kasmira, the eastern countries, Kamarupa, Kosala, Sapta-konkanakas, etc. (Narasimha-purana 50. 20-21), and that Rama, before his decisive fight with Ravana, muttered the Adityahrdaya mantra which was imparted to him by Agastya (Narasimha-purana 52. 96-97). 291 Balabhadra, who is said to be none but Narasimha's white energy (sita sakti), is said to have killed Rukmina, king of Kalinga, by uprooting his teeth. 292 Krsna, who is the dark energy (krsna sakti) of Narasimha, is said to have killed Naraka and many other Daityas (such as Hayagriva) of Pragjyotisa. 293 According to the Narasimha-purana, Kalki would be born as the son of Visnuyasas in the great village (mahagrama) called Sambhala and exterminate the Mlecchas with a sword by mounting a horse. 30

234 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS regaining his sus which was pierced by Vamana (chap. 55); the story of Indra, who muttered the eight-syllabled mantra and got rid of his female form that was brought on him by the curse of the sage Trnabindu for killing in his hermitage the demoness Dirghajangha who, under the guise of an extremely beautiful woman, acted as a spy to Kuvera whose wife Citrasena was stolen by Indra (chap. 63); the story of a Brahmin named Pundarika, who became a wandering mendicant without entering the second stage of life, settled at Saligrama and became an attendant (parsada) of Narayana by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra (om namo narayanaya), and meditating on the deity according to the instructions of Narada who introduced himself as a servant (dasa) of Vasudeva (chap. 64). 294 From the contents of the present Narasimha-purana summarised above it is clear that this Purana is meant exclusively for the glorification of Narasimha who is identified with Narayana (or Visnu) as one of the forms (murti) of the latter and is thus called not only Narayana but also Visnu, Vasudeva, Hari, Madhava, Ananta, Krsna, 295 Damodara etc. So, Narasimha, though a form of Narayana or Visnu, is himself the principal god also. It is this supreme deity called Narayana (or Visnu or Narasimha) who takes the forms of Brahma and Rudra for the sake of creation and destruction respectively; and for the work of preservation he takes the forms of (the inferior) Visnu, Narasimha etc. 396 In creation he takes to maya. Though in this Purana Visnu (or Narayana) is described as four-armed, yellow-robed, having a complexion like that of the cloud, and holding a conch-shell, a disc, a mace and a lotus in his hands, he is called nirvikalpa, nisprapanca, advaita, sarvatmaka, atma-caitanya-rupa, jyotih-svarupa, avyakta-svarupa, ananda-rupa, cidatmaka etc.2 and is identified with Brahma of Vedanta and Purusa of Samkhya.**⁹ 294 Narasimha-purana 1, 30 ; 1. 64-65. 295 Narasimha-purana 1. 10; 7. 37. 298 297 296 Narasimha-purana 1. 30; 2. 1; 1, 61-62 and 64-65; 39. 17 b-18 b. 297 Narasimha-purana 3. 28-mayam adhisthaya srjaty, anantah. 298 Narasimha-purana 17. 17-18, 24-25 and 27; 1. 61 b-62 a; 1. 31 a; 53. 11; and so on. 299 Narasimha-purana 1. 31 a and 36-39; 3. 13; 17. 35ª.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 235 It has already been said that the present Narasimha-purana is one of the oldest of the extant Vaisnava Upapuranas. It was translated into Telugu about 1300 A.D.300 and is profusely drawn upon by the commentators and Nibandha-writers both early and late. For instance, Gadadhara quotes verses from chap. 58 in his Kalasara; Nilakntha from chapters 34 and 58 in his Acara-mayukha; Gopalabhatta from chapters 8, 9, 18, 28, 32, 33, 34, 57 (as occurring in some Manuscripts), 58 and 66 in his Haribhaktivilasa; Anantabhatta from chapters 34 and 35 in his Vidhana-parijata, I; Narasimha Vajapeyin from chapters 7, 8. 28, 33, 34, 57 (as occurring in some Manuscripts), 58 and 63 in his Nityacara-pradipa; Raghunandana from chap. 62 in his Durga-puja-tattva and from chapters 8, 18, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 57 (as occurring in some Manuscripts), 58, 62, 63, 66 and 67 in his Smrti-tattva; Govindananda from chapters 30, 34, 57 (as occurring in some Manuscripts), 58, 62 and 67 in his Varsa-kaumudi, from chap. 58 in his Suddhi-kaumudi and Sraddhakaumudi, and from chap. 30 in his Dana-kaumudi; Srinathacaryacudamani from chap. 58 in his Krtya-tattvarnava; Rudradhara Upadhyaya from chapters 30 and 67 in his Varsa-krtya; Vidyakara Vajapeyin from chapters 8, 15, 32, 58 and 63 in his Nityacara-paddhati; Sulapani from chap. 58 in his Dipa-kalika; Vacaspati-misra from chap. 65 in his Tirtha-cintamani; Vidyapati Upadhyaya from chapters 30, 32 and 58 in his Ganga-vakyavali; Candesvara Thakkura from chapters 30, 34, 58 and 67 in his Krtya-ratnakara, and from chapters 55 (as occurring in some Manuscripts) and 58 in his Grhastha-ratnakara; Madhavacarya from chapters 58 and 60 in his commentary on the Parasarasmrti; Sridatta Upadhyaya from chapters 28, 32, 34, 55 (as occurring in some Manuscripts) and 58 in his Acaradarsa (alias Krtyacara), and from chap. 67 in his Samaya-pradipa; Madanapala from chapters 34, 57 (as occurring in some Manuscripts) and 58 in his Madana-parijata; Hemadri from chapters 26, 30, 58 and 67 in his Caturvarga-cintamani; Halayudha from chapters 58 and 62 in his Brahmana-sarvasva; Vallalasena from chapters 30, 34. and 58 in his Danasagara; Devana-bhatta from chapters 30, 34, 57 (as occurring in some Manuscripts) and 58 in his Smrti-candrika; Apararka from chapters 58, 60, 62 and 63 in his comFarquhar, Outline of the Religious Literature of India, p. 249.

236 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS mentary on the Yajnavalkya-smrti; and Laksmidhara from chapters 17, 26, 30, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 65, 66 and 67 in his Krtya-kalpataru, Vols. I-III, V, VI, VIII and XIV. In his Smrti-tattva, II, pp. 84 and 284 Raghunandana quotes Narasimha-purana 66. 45 and Narasimha-purana 30. 29-30 a not direct from the Narasimha-purana but from the Tirtha-kanda-kalpataru' and Dana-ratnakara' respectively. Though Vallalasena is very particular about the authenticity of the Puranas which he draws upon in his Danasagara, 301 he describes the present Narasimha-purana as a work 301 Interesting information about the Puranas is supplied by Vallalasena when, in his Danasagara, he refers to the contents of a few Puranic works by way of explaining why he rejected them partly or wholly. Regarding the Adipurana he says that though it was well-known for its treatment of gifts divided according to the division of the year, it was slightly touched upon in the Danasagara, because its contents were already fully utilised in the Acara-sagara; the Bhagavata, the Brahmanda and the Naradiya-purana did not contain any chapter on gifts and were consequently set aside; the Linga-purana, whose volume was expanded by the chapters on big donations (mahadana) contained in the Matsya-purana and which was thus no better than a digest on gifts, was not drawn upon, because the substance of its contents was already obtained from other Puranas; the Bhavisya-purana was utilised upto the chapters dealing with the saptami (-kalpa), while those on the astami and navami (-kalpa) were rejected on account of their imbibing Tantric influence; the Visnu-rahasya and the Siva-rahasya, which were famous among the people, were mere compilations and were consequently not utilised; and though the Bhavisyottara was famous for its customary laws (or was popularly followed) and did not contradict good customs, it was avoided in the Danasagara for want of sufficient evidence to prove its authenticity. Next, Vallalasena names a set of Puranas rejected by him as spurious, viz., Tarksya (i.e. Garuda), Brahma, Agneya, Vaisnava consisting of 23000 slokas, and Linga of 600 slokas; and in connexion with their contents he says that these works, dealing with initiation, .consecration. ways of salvation for the Tantriks, testing of gems, fictitious genealogies, lexicography, grammar etc, and containing irrelevant and contradictory statements, were used as means of deception by Mina-ketanas (followers of Minanatha?) and others, who are hypocrites, heretics and pseudo-ascetics. By his remark that due to its wide circulation the Skanda-purana existed in more parts than one, and that three of its parts dealt with the accounts (katha) of Paundra, Reva and Avanti, Vallalasena seems to include those three parts among the spurious Puranas.-See Danasagara, pp. 6-7 (verses 55-68).

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 302 287 dealing prominently with donations 80 and utilises it without the least shade of doubt as regards its authenticity, antiquity and non-Tantric character. These show that by the first half of the eleventh century A. D. the Narasimha-purana attained so much prominence that its authenticity as an ancient 'Purana' was not at all questioned. Hence this Purana must have been written not later than 850 A.D. The mention of a Varahakhya Samhita' or 'Varaha'303 in the Narasimha-purana must not be taken to point to the extant Varaha-purana and thus be used as an evidence in favour of the late date of the present Narasimha. In Narasimha-purana I. 14-15 Bharadvaja says, "O Suta, the Samhita named Varaha has already been heard from you by these (sages) and ourselves during the great sacrifice of Saunaka; at present these sages and myself want to hear from you the Paurana-samhita named Narasimha, and in Narasimha-purana 31. 1 ob-11 a Suta says in connection with geography, "The region of Visnu is situated at a distance double in comparison with that of the region of Brahma; its glory has been described in the Varaha by those who think over the (different) regions". 306 From these it is clear that the Narasimha-purana speaks of a 302 See Danasagara, p. 3 (verses 12 bff.)kurmapuranadipuranayoh/ uktany upapuranani vyakta-dana-vidhini ca// adyam puranam sambam ca kalikahvayam eva ca/ nandam aditya-samjnam ca narasimham tathaiva ca//etc. 303 In Narasimha-purana 13. 111 a the printed ed. reads 'varahe', but most of the Manuscripts read 'varahe' in the corresponding line. See foot-note 305 below. 304 305 bharadvaja uvaca- saunakasya mahasatre varahakhya tu samhita/ tvattah sruta pura suta ctair asmabhir eva ca// sampratam narasimhakhyam tvattah paurana-samhitam/ srotum icchamy aham suta srotukama ime sthitah // Narasimha-purana 1.14 15. brahma-lokad visnu-loko dvigune ca vyavasthitah/ varahe tasya mahatmyam kathitam loka-cintakaih // Nar, 31. 110 b-111 a, Most of the Manuscripts read 'varahe' for 'varahe'. (See, for instance, Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 2713, 323 and 284 A and Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts Nos. 36 and 304).

238 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS Varaha-purana which was narrated by Suta to the sages Bharadvaja and others during the great sacrifice of Saunaka and which dealt, among other topics, with the praise of the region of Visnu. But in the present Varaha-purana there is no mention of Saunaka's great sacrifice as the occasion for the narration of the Purana or of Bharadvaja as one of the interlocutors, nor does this Purana deal with the praise of the Visnuloka. So, the Varaha-purana, mentioned in the Narasimha-purana, must have been different from the extant Varaha, which was thus unknown to the present Narasimha-purana The original chapters of the Varaha-purana being written about 800 A.D., the date of the present Narasimha-purana must be placed earlier. extant The verses common to the Narasimha-purana and the present Varaha in their chapters on primary and secondary creation 308 need not be taken to prove the indebtedness of one of these two Puranas to the other. These common verses must have been taken by these two Puranas from the earlier Varaha-purana which is now lost. In chapters 26, 33 (verses 1-14), 34, 35, 56, 62 and 63 (verses 1-9 and 119-122) the Narasimha-purana gives the method of Ganesa-worship, the Vedic and popular methods of Visnu-worship, the method of consecrating the images of Visnu, and the procedure to be followed in the performance of laksa-homa and koti-homa. But neither in these chapters nor anywhere else in the whole Purana there is the slightest trace of Tantric influence. This Purana does not mention the Tantriks or the Tantras even for the sake of denouncement. So, it is evident that this Purana was composed at a time when the Tantras did not begin to influence the people very seriously. Now, from an examination of the Mahapuranas we have seen that Tantric influence began to be imbibed by the Puranic works from about 800 A.D.30% Hence the Narasimha-purana must be dated not later than 700 A.D. 306 Narasimha-purana Varaha-purana Narasimha-purana 1. 17, 19-20ª, 23 a =1.12-15ª, 3. Iob 1.32-33 = 2.3-4. 3. 11-28 b 1. 35-36 a =2. 5-6. 4. 1-6 3. 1-ga =2. 13-20. Varaha-purana =2, 21 a. 2, 23-41 a. =2. 42-47. 307 See R. C. Hazra, Studies, p. 260. 5. 5 a, 6 b-8 a =2. 49-50.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 239 308 Though in chap. 36 of the Narasimha-purana Markandeya promises to narrate the stories on the following (eleven) incarnations of Visnu, viz., Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Krsna, Buddha and Kalki, he gives, in chapters 37-54, the stories on all these except the Buddha and adds at the end, "I have spoken on the ten incarnations of (Visnu) the destroyer of (all) earthly sins. The devotee of Nrsimha, who always listens to these, attains Visnu" (Narasimha-purana 54. 6). So, the only line 'kalau prapte yatha buddho bhaven narayanah prabhuh' (Narasimha-purana 36. 9 a), which mentions the Buddha incarnation, is undoubtedly spurious. This line does not occur in most of the Manuscripts of the Narasimha-purana Thus the Narasimha-purana knows the group of the 'ten' incarnations of Visnu but is quite ignorant of the Buddha incarnation. An examination of the different lists of incarnations of Visnu shows that the Buddha came to be regarded as an incarnation of Visnu not very much earlier than 500 A.D.30% Hence the date of the Narasimha-purana is to be placed not later than about 500 A.D. 310 According to the Narasimha-purana Krsna embodies only a part of Visnu's Sakti. It is for this inferior position of Krsna that Yama says in Narasimha-purana 9. 3, "I submit to the slayer of (the demon) Madhu; even Krsna is not able to restrain me of his own accord". Hence the Narasimha-purana is to be dated earlier than the present Bhagavata, in which Krsna is given a higher position and is even called the Bhagavat himself. 311 As the present Bhagavata is to be dated in the sixth 308 In the present ed, the verse (No. 7) on the Rama incarnation is placed before the line (No. 9 a) on Parasurama, but in most of the Manuscripts this order has been reversed. 309. See R. C. Hazra, Studies, pp. 41-42. 310 See Narasimha-purana 53. 30 b-31 a (avatirya mahitale/sita-krsne ca macchakti kamsadin ghatayisyatah//), 33 a (presayamasa te sakti sita-krsne svake nrpa), and 66 a (ittham hi sakti sita-krsna-rupe harer anantasya mahabaladhye). 311 Cf. Bhagavata-purana I. 3. 28 a-ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam.

240 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS century A.D.,312 the Narasimha-purana is to be placed not later than 500 A.D. Thus we get the lower limit of the date of this Purana. Again, in Narasimha-purana, chapters 47-52, a summary of the contents of the Ramayana is given in connection with the Rama incarnation of Visnu; Narasimha-purana 29. 3 mentions some of the notable incidents of the Mahabharata, viz., Arjuna's receipt of the Pasupata weapon from Samkara and the assistance given by him to Agni in consuming the Khandava forest, the Pandavas' residence incognito with Draupadi in Virata's capital, and so on; and in Narasimha-purana 29.6 Janamejaya is said to have heard the entire Mahabharata from Vaisampayana, a student of Vyasa, in order to get rid of the sin arising out of killing a Brahmin (brahma-hatya)'. Thus the Narasimha-purana knows both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In Narasimha-purana 19. 5-6 Suta says to Bharadvaja, "O high-minded one, the origin of the Maruts has already been described elaborately by the son of Sakti (i.e. by Parasara) in the Purana named Vaisnava, and the creation of the twin gods Asvins has been narrated in minute details by Vayu. I shall speak to you briefly on this creation. Listen to me."313 Thus, the Narasimha-purana mentions two Puranas, of which the second is decidedly the present Vayu-purana, which contains 312 As there are a few parallelisms in idea as well as language between the works of Samkaracarya and the present Bhagavata-purana, some scholars are inclined to date the Bhagavata after that great Vedantist scholar. (See Bharatiya Vidya, II, pp. 129-139, and Indian Historical Quarterly (Calcutta), XXVII, 1951, pp. 138 ff.). But these scholars overlook the facts that the present Bhagavata, like the other Puranic works, has been revised and emended on more occasions than one, and that Samkaracarya, Magha and others' influence must be due to these revisions and emendations. On the other hand, there are evidences to prove the pre-Samkara origin of the earlier portions of the present Bhagavata. (See R. C. Hazra, Studies, PP. 55-57). 313 suta uvacamarutam vistarenokta vaisnavakhye mahamate/ purane sakti-putrena purotpattis ca vayuna|| asvinor devayos caiva srstir ukta suvistarat/ samksepat tava vaksyami srstim etam frnusva me // Narasimha-purana 19. 5-6.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 241 the story of the birth of the Asvins in chap. 84 and is declared by Vayu,314 but the information regarding the Vaisnavakhya Purana' in which Sakti's son (Parasara) was the narrator of the story of the birth of the Maruts, does not tally fully with the present Visnu-purana which, though narrated by Parasara, does not contain this story. But this absence of the story of the birth of the Maruts in the present text of the Visnu-purana must not be taken very seriously, because it can be explained away by saying that the particular Manuscript or recension of the present Visnu-purana which was used by the Narasimha-purana contained the above-mentioned story, and also because there are verses common to the Narasimha and the Visnu-purana315 Hence the Narasimha-purana must be dated later than the present Vayu-purana and Visnu -purana That the Narasimha-purana was composed later than the Visnu-purana is shown by another piece of evidence. In the Visnu-purana two hairs of Visnu, one black and the other white, are said to have been incarnated as Krsna and Balarama respectively. Thus Krsna and Balarama are incarnations of exceedingly small portions of Visnu. But in the Narasimha-purana it is two Saktis of Visnu, one black and the other white, which appear in the forms of Krsna and (Bala-) Rama respectively for the destruction of Kamsa and others. 317 So, the position of Krsna and Balarama as incarnations of Visnu is better in the Narasimha-purana 316 314 This identity seems to be supported by the verses common to and the Narasimha-purana, viz., Vayu-purana 6. 60-65-cf. Narasimha-purana 3. 23-28 a, the Vayu " 9. 75 ff. 315 For instance, Narasimha-purana cf. " 5. 3 ff. Visnu-purana 3. 23-28 a 5. 3 ff. 25. 40 b-41 a -cf. I. 5. 18-24. I. 8. 1 b-2; 7. 3 ff. I. 6. 39. 316 See Visnu-purana V. 1. 59-60- evam samstuyamanas tu bhagavan paramesvarah/ ujjaharatmanah kesau sita-krsnau mahamune// uvaca ca suran etau mat-kesau vasudha-tale/ avatirya bhuvo bhara-klesa-hanim karisyatah// 317 Narasimha-purana 53. 30 b-31 a, 33-34 a and 66. For the texts of these verses see foot-note 310 above. 31

242 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS than in the Visnu. Now, the present Vayu-purana, with the exception of those of its chapters which were added later, being earlier than the present Visnu-purana, and the Visnu-purana being to be dated about 300 A.D., the date of the Narasimha-purana should be palced not earlier than about 400 A.D. This upper limit of the date of the present Narasimha-purana is supported by its mention of week-days (viz., Arka-divasa and Guruvara) in chap. 67 (verses 8 and 10 respectively), because the earliest epigraphic mention of a week-day is found in the Eran inscription of 484 A.D. 318 Thus, the date of the present Narasimha-purana is to be placed between 400 and 500 A.D. It is highly probable that this Purana was written in the latter half of this century. The introductory verses of the Narasimha-purana do not throw any light on the date of this Purana. As all the Manuscripts do not agree in this respect, some of these introductory verses may be later additions. Moreover, the date of these verses is uncertain. The verse 'tapta-hatakakesanta' is the same as Visnudharmottara I. 196. 18 b-19 a; and the verse 'kim kim simhas tatah kim,' being ascribed to Vyasa in the Kavindra-vacanasamuccaya (p. 13) and Sridharadasa's Sadukti-karnamrta (p. 53), seems to have been taken from the Narasimha-purana That a Narasimha-purana was written at a fairly early date is shown not only by its mention in Alberuni's work 319 as well as in all the lists of Upapuranas except that contained in the Ekamra-purana, 321 but also by 320 318 Fleet, Gupta Inscriptions, pp. 88-89. 319 In his account of India Alberuni gives two lists of eighteen 'Puranas'; and of these two lists the first, which was dictated to him, consists of the following 'Puranas' :- Adi-purana, Matsya-purana, Kurma-purana, Varaha-purana, Narasimha-purana, Vamana-purana, Vayu-purana, Nanda-purana, Skanda-purana, Aditya-purana, Soma-purana, Samba-purana, Brahmanda-purana, Markandeya-purana, Tarksya-purana, Visnu-purana, Brahma-purana, Bhavisya-purana-See Sachau, Alberuni's India, Vol. I. p. 130. 1320 For these lists and the approximate date of formation of the group of 'eighteen Upapuranas', see Chapter I. 321 In its list of 'Puranas' the Ekamra-purana (chap. 1) mentions the 'Narasimha' in place of the 'Naradiya'. The Vangavasi Press (Calcutta) ed. of the Brhaddharma-purana (I. 25.20) wrongly mentions the 'Nrsimha' as a Mahapurana in place of the Mahabhagavata.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 243 the Matsya-purana (53. 59) which says that the Upapuranas, viz., Narasimha, Nandi-purana, Samba and Aditya, were 'well-established in society' (loke sampratisthitah), thus testifying to a much earlier date of these Upapuranas. But it is very difficult to say whether our present Narasimha-purana is the same as that mentioned in these lists and in the Matsya-purana The commentators and Nibandha-writers are, however, quite sure of the identity of the two. Of these, Narasimha Vajapeyin even explains the shorter form of the present Narasimha-purana saying, "As the number (of slokas) of the famous Narasimha is not found to be 18000, it seems that a portion has been lost in course of time."322 The above date of the present Narasimha-purana must not be taken to be that of the entire Purana as found in the printed edition, because in the printed edition there are chapters and verses which are decidedly later interpolations. In order to be able to find out these spurious portions a list of such chapters and verses as are not found in all the Manuscripts of the Narasimha-purana is given below with those Manuscripts in which they occur and also of those in not found. Chaps, and verses of Manuscripts, in which they are the printed ed. not found. the mention of which they are Manuscripts, in which they occur. Manuscript noticed by R. L. Manuscripts and used 1. Chapter 31, verses 1-97. (1) Mitra. (On the story of (2) Aufrecht's Manuscripts Dhruva). (3) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304). 328 (4) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (5) Keith's Manuscript (Cat. No. 6618). (6) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). in the printed ed. 322 Nityacara-pradipa, I, p. 18-prasiddha-narasimhasya astadasa-sahasra_ samkhya yady api nopalabhyate kimcit kala-kramat luptam iti pratibhati. 323 It has already been said that the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304 of the Narasimha-purana was originally numbered 298.

244 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS Chaps, and verses of the printed ed. Manuscripts, in which they are not found. Manuscripts, in which they occur. 2. Chapter 33, verses 15-85; chap. 34, verse 1. (On the story of the Pandavas killing of the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras). (7) R. L. Mitra's Bikaner Manuscript (8) Manuscript used in the printed ed. ET Most probably also in (1) Eggeling's Manuscripts, and (2) Keith's Manuscripts (Cat. Nos. 6616-17). (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. (2) Aufrecht's Manuscripts (3) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304). (4) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (5) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). (6) Mitra's Bikaner Manuscript (7) Manuscript p used in the printed ed. Most probably also in (1) Eggeling's Manuscripts, and (2) Keith's Manuscripts Manuscripts and used in the printed ed. 3. Chapter 34, verses 43-55 a. (On laksa-homa and koti-homa). 4. Chapter 36, verse ga. (On the Buddha incarnation). Manuscripts and printed ed. used in the All other Manuscripts (1) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts Mss,, and also (Nos. 36 and 304). (2) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (3) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). (Most probably also in the Manuscripts of Mitra, Aufrecht, Eggeling and Keith; otherwise the number of incar- (?) used in the printed ed.

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS Chaps. and verses of the printed ed. 5. Chapter 40, verses 60 b 61 b; chapters 41-43; chap. 44, verses 1-13. Manuscripts, in which they are Manuscripts, in which they not found. nations becomes II and not IO as mentioned in Narasimha-purana 54. 6-dasavatarah kathitas tavaiva harer maya etc.). (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. (2) Aufrecht's Manuscripts (3) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304). (4) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (On the story of (5) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. Prahlada). 2713, 323, 284 A). (6) Mitra's Bikaner Manuscript (7) Manuscript used in the printed ed. Most probably also in 245 Manuscripts and used ka in the printed ed. (1) Eggeling's Manuscripts, and (2) Keith's Manuscripts Manuscripts ka, kha and ga 6. Chapter 54, ver- (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. 8-61. (On the evils of the Kali age). (2) Aufrecht's Manuscripts (3) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304). (4) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (5) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). (6) Mitra's Bikaner Manuscript Most probably also in (1) Eggeling's Manuscripts, and used in the printed ed. (2) Keith's Manuscripts 7. Chapter 61. (1) Aufrecht's Manuscripts (1) Manuscript noticed by (On yoge). Mitra. (2) Manuscripts and used in (2) Calcutta Sanskrit College a the printed ed. Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304).

STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS 246 Chaps, and verses of the printed ed. Manuscripts, in which they are not found. Manuscripts, in which they OCCHT. (3) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (4) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). (5) Manuscript used in the printed ed. Most probably also in (1) Eggeling's Manuscripts, and (2) Keith's Manuscripts 8. Chapter 63, ver- (1) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (1) Eggeling's Manuscript ses 10-119 a. (On the story of getting Indra's rid of his female form by muttter ing the eight-syllabled mantra). 9. Chapter 64. (On the interlocution between Narada and Pun- darika on the glory (Nos. 36 and 304). (2) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (3) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713 and 323) (In the Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A chap. 57, verses 21- 30, and chapters 58-64 of the printed ed. do not occur at all). (4) Manuscript used in the printed ed. Most probably also in (1) the Manuscript noticed by Mitra, (2) Aufrecht's Manuscripts, (3) Eggeling's Manuscripts, and (4) Keith's Manuscripts (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. (2) Eggeling's Manuscripts (3) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304). (4) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (Cat. No. 3378.-In its comparatively modern portion). and (2) Manuscripts used in the printed ed. (1) Aufrecht's Manuscripts (2) Eggeling's Manuscript (Cat. No.3378.In its modern portion).

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS Chaps. and verses of Manuscripts, in which they are the printed ed. not found. of Narayana). Manuscripts, in which they occur. 247 (5) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. (3) Manuscripts, and 2713 and 323). (In Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A chap. 57, verses 21- 30 and chapters 58-64 of the printed ed. do not occur at all). Also in Keith's Manuscripts? ga used in the printed ed. (1) Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 138. (1) Manuscript noticed and used in the 10. Chapter 65. (On the 68 holy places of the Vais- (2) Manuscripts printed ed. navas). Mitra. (2) Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 139. 11. Chapter 66. (On the praise of holy places). (1) Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 138. (2) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304. (3) Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A. (3) Eggeling's Manuscripts (4) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36 and 304). (5) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (6) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). (7) Manuscript used in the printed ed. Most probably also in Keith's Manuscripts (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. (2) Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 139. (3) Eggeling's Manuscripts (4) Manuscripts and used in the (4) Calcutta Sanskrit College printed ed. Manuscript No. 36. (5) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts

STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS 248 Chaps, and verses of the printed ed. Manuscripts, in which they are not found. Manuscripts, in which they occur. (6) Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 2713, 323. (7) Manuscript used in 12. Chapter 67. (On the mental tirthas, and the praise of the Narasimha-purana). (1) Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 138. (2) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304. (3) Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A. the printed ed. Also in Keith's Manuscripts? (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. (2) Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 139. (3) Eggeling's Manuscripts and used in (4) Calcutta Sanskrit College (4) Manuscripts the printed ed. Manuscript No. 36. (5) Dacca University 13. Chapter 68. (1) Manuscript noticed by Mitra. (On the praise of (2) Eggeling's Manuscripts (Cat. the Narasimha-purana). Nos. 3375-77). (3) Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts (Nos. 36, 304). (4) Asiatic Society (Calcutta) Manuscripts (5) Dacca University Manuscripts (Nos. 2713, 323, 284 A). (6) Manuscript s used in the printed ed. Also in Keith's Manuscripts? Manuscripts Nos. 2713, 323. (6) Manuscript p used in the printed ed. (1) Aufrecht's Manuscripts (2) Manuscripts and used in the printed ed. The above table shows that the following chapters, which are not contained in the older and better Manuscripts, are undoubtedly spurious, viz., chap. 31, verses 1-97 chap. 33, verses 15-85 - on the story of Dhruva, - on the story of the Pandavas' killing the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras,

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS chap. 36, verse 9 a chap. 40, verses 60 b-61 b; chapters 41-43; chap. 44, verses 1-13 chap. 54, verses 8-61 chap. 63, verses 10-119 a chap. 64 chap. 68 249 -on the Buddha incarnation, on the story of Prahlada, -on the evils of the Kali age, -on the story of Indra's getting rid of his female form by muttering the eight-syllabled mantra, -on the interlocution between Narada and Pundarika on the praise of Narayana, -on the praise of the Narasimha-purana; whereas the following chapters, viz., chap. 34 (verses 43-55 a) chap. 61 chap. 65 chap. 66 chap. 67 Q -on laksa-homa and koti-homa, on yoga, on the 68 holy places of the Vaisnavas, -on praise of holy places, and -on the mental tirthas, and the praise of the Narasimha-purana, though eliminated in some Manuscripts, are genuine. that none can have the 98-113 of chap. 31 are As a matter of fact, printed ed. form one The spurious character of the chapters and verses of the former group is also shown by their position, by the nature of their insertion, as well as by other evidences. For instance, the story of Dhruva in chap. 31, verses 1-97 is inserted so abruptly slightest doubt regarding the fact that verses direct continuations of the verses in chap. 30. chap. 30 and verses 98-113 of chap. 31 of the single chapter in a large number of Manuscripts (such as those of the Calcutta Sanskrit College, Calcutta Asiatic society, and Dacca University).334 Similarly, the story of the Pandavas' killing of the demons Bahuroman and Sthulasiras in chap. 33 (verses 15-85) and chap. 34 (verse 1) separates verses 1-14 of chap. 33 and verses 2 ff. of chap. 34 of the 324 As we have not been able to consult the other Manuscripts of the Narasimha-purana, we refer only to those of these three institutions. 32

250 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS printed ed, which deal with the results of offering different articles to Visnu and of rendering various kinds of service to this deity and which thus rightly form a single chapter in the above-mentioned Manuscripts Regarding the suprious character of verse ga of chap. 36 much has already been said in connection with the determination of the date of this Purana. As to the chapters and verses on the story of Prahlada, they are placed between verses 1-60 a of chap. 40 and verses 14 ff. of chap. 44 of the printed edition which form one single chapter in the above-mentioned Manuscripts as well as in the Manuscript used in the printed edition. In these Manuscripts, those verses, which are separated, with modifications, by the chapters on the story of Prahlada in the printed edition, read, with slight variations, as follows: gacchadhvam adhuna devah svasthanam vigata-jvarah/ aham adya gamisyami indrasyendratva-siddhaye// hiranya-kasipor naso bhavatam api vrddhaye/ yusmakam vijayayaiva ajayaya sura-dvisam// markandeya uvaca/ ity ukta visnuna deva natva visnum yayur nrpa/ bhagavan api deveso narasimham athakarot// bahu-yojana-vistirnam bahu-yojanam ayatam/ atiraudram mahakayam danavanam bhayamkaram// mahanetram mahavaktram mahadamstram mahanakham/ mahabahum mahapadam kalagni-sadrsopamam// krtvettham narasimham tu yayau visnus trivikramah/ stuyamano muni-ganair hiranya-kasipoh purah// nrsimhas tatra gatva ca mahanadam nanada ca/ tan-nada-sravanad daitya narasimham avestayan// tan hatva sakalams tatra sva-paurusa-parakramat/ babhanja ca sabham divyam hiranya-kasipor nrpa// etc. etc. How these verses have been changed in the printed edition in order to accommodate the chapters on the story of Prahlada will be obvious from a comparison of these verses with Narasimha-purana 40. 6 off. and 44. 14 ff. The word 'yayau' in the line 'krtvettham narasimham tu yayau visnus trivikramah', which has been retained in the printed edition, does not agree with what has been said to Visnu in the story of Prahlada. As

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 251 regards the spuriousness of chap. 68 it can be said that the Narasimhap. really ends with chap. 67, which deals not only with the mental tirthas but also with the praise of the Purana, and of which lines 24 b-25 a say, "Having heard (the Purana topics) in company with the snatakas (i.e. the sages who took their holy bath in the Ganges), Bharadvaja remained there after showing proper respect to Suta, but the (other) sages went away". Further, though in several places of the Narasimha-purana unswerving (acala, avyabhicarini) bhakti is mentioned and praised as the means of attaining the blissful state of existence, 325 it is only in some of those chapters which we have taken as spurious that there are mention and praise of dasya-bhakti. 326 It is also noteworthy that none of these spurious chapters is referred to by any of the remaining chapters, although there are numerous cross references in the latter. 3.27 325 See Narasimha-purana 7. 33; 9. 6; 10. 49 and 51; 11. 56 and 60; 32, 10; and so on. 326 Cf. prahlado 'thabravid dhiman deva jaumantaresv api/ dasas tavaham bhuyasam garutman iva bhaktiman// Narasimha-purana 43. 78 b-79 a; daso'ham vasudevasya deva-devasya sarmginah/ ity ukto naradenasau bhakti-paryakulatmana// Narasimha-purana 64. 46; janmantara-sahasresu yasya syad buddhir idrsi/ daso'ham vasudevasya deva-devasya sarnginah/ prayati visnu-salokyam puruso natra samsayah// Narasimha-purana 64. 94-95 a. Also cf. Narasimha-purana 64. 116-117. In Narasimha-purana 33. 31 the demon Bahuroman says how in one of his previous births as a Brahmin named Raivata, he was killed by the city-guards in a Visnu-temple and was taken to heaven in a car which was 'prabhu-dasa-samanvita". 327 Narasimha-purana 6. 2 refers to Narasimha-purana 5. 2; Narasimha-purana 19. 4 refers to Narasimha-purana 5. 46-47; Narasimha-purana 20. I refers to Narasimha-purana 19. 23; Narasimha-purana 24. 1 (prathamam tavat svayambhuvam manvantaram tat-svarupam kathitam) refers to Narasimha-purana 3. 8-9 and Narasimha-purana 5. 20 ff.; Narasimha-purana 24. 17 c (purvoktas chayayam utpanno manuh......) refers to Narasimha-purana 19. 13 and 15; Narasimha-purana 29. 9 b (tasya caritam uparistad bhavisyati) refers to Narasimha-purana 32 ff.; Narasimha-purana 32. 1 refers to Narasimha-purana 29. 9; Narasimha-purana 32. 1-2 and 8 refer to chapters 36 ff. on incarnations of Visnu; Narasimha-purana 35.2 refers to Narasimha-purana 34. 47 (on koti-homa); Narasimha-purana 36.1 refers to Narasimha-purana 32. 1-2 and 8; Narasimha-purana 55. I refers to Narasimha-purana 45. 35-36; Narasimha-purana 62. 2 refers to Narasimha-purana 58. 92 b-93 a. The words 'ka vavastha kalau yuge' in Narasimha-purana 1. 20 a refers to Narasimha-purana 54. 1-6 and not to the section on 'kali-yuga-laksana' occurring in Narasimha-purana 54. 8-61.

252 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS The above table further shows that there were distinct stages in the process of addition and elimination of chapters and verses. For instance, Manuscript (used in the printed ed.) interpolates chapters 36 (verse 9 a), 54 (verses 8-61) and 64, but eliminates nothing; Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A interpolates nothing but eliminates chapters 66 and 67; and Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 139 interpolates chapters 64 and 68 and eliminates chap. 61. Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 138 not only combines all the interpolations and eliminations of the Dacca University Manuscript (No. 284 A) and Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 139 but also eliminates one chapter more, viz., chap. 65. Manuscripts and (used in the printed ed.) go a step further not only by combining all the interpolations and eliminations of Manuscript and Aufrecht's Manuscript No. 138 but also by interpolating chapters 31 (verses 1-97), 33 (verses 15-85), 40 (verses 60 b- 61 b), 41-43, 44 (verses 1-13) and 63 (verses 10-119 a). Even among the chapters other than those which have been differentiated above as spurious, there are some which are most probably comparatively late additions. Such chapters are especially Narasimha-purana 6 (on the story of the birth of Vasistha and Agastya as sons of Mitra and Varuna) and Narasimha-purana 7-18 (on the story of Markandeya, the story of Yama and Yami, etc. narrated by Vyasa to Suka). In Narasimha-purana 5. 48 ff. the names of those thirteen daughters of Daksa who were given in marriage to Kasyapa, are the following:-Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arista, Svarasa, Svasa, Surabhi, Vinata, Tamra, Krodha-vasa, Ira, Kadru and Muni; but in Narasimha-purana 6. 4-8 the list of the names of the 'thirteen daughters' married to Kasyapa omits Arista and Tamta but adds Kala, Muhurta, Simhika and Sarama, thus increasing the number to fifteen. Even in the Manuscripts preserved in the Calcutta Sanskrit College, Asiatic Society (Calcutta), and Dacca University the names of these 'thirteen daughters' are different from those given in chap. 5. It is to be 328 328 These names, as given in the Calcutta Sanskrit College and the Dacca University Manuscripts of the Narasimha-purana, are as follows: Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala (Kali' according to Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A), Muhurta, Simhika, Muni, Vrata (Tamra' according to Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713), Krodha, Surabhi, Vinata, Surasa (Calcutta. Sans. Coll. Manuscript No. 304-Svarasa; Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713-'Sarasa' after marginal correction), Khasa (according to Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 36 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713), Kadru (or Kadru), Sarama,

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 253 noted that in Narasimha-purana 5. 43 Muhurta is said to have been given in marriage to Dharma. This disagreement between chap. 5 (which deals with pratisarga and cannot, therefore, be spurious) and chap. 6 seems to indicate the spurious character of the latter. In order to introduce this chapter the interpolator adds verse 2 (mitra-varuna-putratvam vasisthasya katham bhavet, etc.) of chap. 5. It is, however, not improbable that only verses 6-8 a (containing the names of the '13 daughters') are spurious, and not the entire chap. 6. As to the chapters 7-18 (on the story of Markandeya, etc.), their introductory verse is as follows: markandeyena munina katham mrtyuh parajitah/ etad akhyahi me suta tvayaitat sucitam pura// Though in chapters 1-6 of the printed ed. there is no verse containing the mention of Markandeya or of the way of his subduing Death, the expression 'tvayaitat sucitam pura' refers to the following verses (which occurred among those 12 verses which have been lost after verse 31 of chap. 5 of the printed ed. but are found in chap. 5 of the Calcutta Sanskrit College, Calcutta Asiatic Society, and Dacca University Manuscripts) : bhrgoh khyatyam samutpanna laksmir visnu-parigrahah/ tatha dhata-vidhatarau khyatyam jatau sutau bhrgoh// ayatir niyatis caiva meroh kanye susobhane/, dhatur vidhatus ca te bharye tayor jatau sutav ubhau//, pranas caiva mrkandus ca markandeyo mrkandutah/ yena mrtyur jito vipra pura narayanasrayat//, Hence the absence of the verse containing the mention of Markandeya in chapters 1-6 of the printed ed. is no cause for taking chapters 7-18 as spurious. These chapters are considered as interpolated, because Narasimha-purana 19. 4 refers to Narasimha-purana 5. 46-47 ignoring the intervening chapters 7-18 and because Markandeya, who is called the great-grandson of Bhrgu in the lost verses mentioned above, is mentioned as Bhrgu's grandson in chapters 7-12.39 Of these twelve intervening chapters (7-18), chapters 7-12 (dealing with the story of Markandeya) differ from chapters 13-18 in certain matters. In the former six chapters (7-12) the use of the twelve-syllabled mantra 'om namo bhagavate vasudevaya' 329 See Narasimha-purana 7. 10-12, 25, 27 etc.; 8. 3 and 10; 9. 13; 12. 65.

254 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS is prescribed more than once; the name 'Krsna' for Visnu (also called Narayana) is given on many occasions; and the names Devakinandana," 'Vasudeva' etc. also are found. Once Yama "sugatim abhilasami vasudevad aham api bhagavate sthitantaratma/ madhu-vadha-vasago 'smi na svatantrah prabhavati samyamane mamapi krsnah//" says, Hence these chapters, though not recognising Krsna as the Bhagavat himself, have a Bhagavata tinge. On the other hand, chapters 13- 18 have a Pancaratra stamp, because in these chapters Narayana and the eight-syllabled mantra 'om namo narayanaya' are praised, and there is no mention of the name 'Krsna'. That chap. 13 is a later addition is also shown by the absence of praise of Visnu or Vaisnavism in this chapter (dealing with Yama-yami-samvada) except in the line 'cittam me nirmalam bhadre visnau rudre ca samsthitam' (spoken by Yama to Yami) which gives, unlike the other chapters, the same place to Visnu and Rudra. As the interlocutors Suka and Vyasa of chapters 13-18 are first introduced in chap. 7, these chapters are most probably later than chapters 7-12. • From what has been said above regarding the addition and elimination of chapters and verses in the present Narasimha-purana, it is clear that this Purana has been revised on more occasions than one. A comparison between the texts of the same extracts as quoted by different Smrti-writers and occurring in the printed ed., also lends strong support in this direction. 330 The verses and even large extracts, 33° For instance, a comparison between Narasimha-purana 34. 6-12 and these very verses as quoted by Narasimha Vajapeyin in his Nityacara-pradipa, 1, pp. 558-560, shows how single lines of the quoted passage have been expanded into verses in the printed ed. For example, the line 'toyena bhaktya samsnapya visnu-loke mahiyate' (in Nityacara-pradipa, I, p. 558)=the verse 'snapya toyena payasa narasimham naradhipa/ sarva-papa-vinirmukto visnu-loke mahiyate//' (Narasimha-purana 34. 6); the line 'snapya dadhna sakrd visnum visnu-lokam avapnuyat' (in Nityacara-pradipa, I, p. 558)= the verse 'snapya dadhna sakrd yas tu nirmalah priya-darsanah visnu-lokam avapnoti pujyamanah surottamaih//' (Narasimha-purana 34. 7); and so on, Again, a comparison between the texts of the verses quoted from the Narasimha-purana in Madana-parijata, pp. 301-2, Smrti-tattva, I, p. 411 and

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 255 quoted by Hemadri from the 'Narasimha-purana' on different kinds of Vratas 31 and donations but not found in the present Narasimha-purana, show that the text of this Purana as used by Hemadri was more extensive. Narasimha Vajapeyin explains the smaller bulk of the present Narasimha-purana saying, "As the number (of slokas) of the famous Narasimha is not found to be 18000, it seems that a portion has been lost in course of time."332 The mention of Tulasi in chapters 31 (verse 87) and 34 (verses 19 and 23) and in the additional verses contained in the Manuscripts (preserved in the Calcutta Sanskrit College, Calcutta Asiatic Society, Dacca University, etc.) in their chapters corresponding to chap. 57 of the printed ed., should not be taken to go against the above date of the Narasimha-purana This mention is certainly due to later revisions of the Purana; because, of the above-mentioned chapters containing the mention of Tulasi, chap. 31 (verses 1-97) has been found to be spurious; and Narasimha-purana 34. 19 does not occur in the Manuscript used in the printed ed. Moreover, in chap. 33, which deals with the results of various kinds of service rendered to Visnu and of offering different articles to this deity, there is mention of 'bilva-patra' but not of Tulasi; nor is Tulasi mentioned in chapters 56 (on the method of consecration of the images of Visnu), 62 (on the Vedic method of Visnu-worship) and 63 (on the popular method of Visnu-worship). It is probably due to the repeated revisions of the present Narasimha-purana that there are disagreements between a number of statements even in those chapters which cannot be taken as spurious. For instance, in Narasimha-purana 3. 8 Svayambhuva Manu is said to have been the son of Daksa and his wife born respectively from Brahma's right and left thumbs, but in Narasimha-purana 5. 22 Svayambhuva Manu is said to have given his daughter Prasuti in marriage to Daksa; in Narasimha-purana 3. 3-5 Rudra is said to have been born of Brahma's rage (rosa), but in Narasimha-purana 5. 4-5 it is said that when Brahma was thinking of some worthy Nityacara-pradipa, I, p. 617 shows that the texts of the Narasimha-purana used by Raghunandana and Narasimha Vajapeyin agree more with that of the printed ed. than with the text used by Madanapala. 331 Viz., Narasimha-caturdasi-vrata, Hari-vrata, Patra-vrata, etc. 332 Nityacara-pradipa, I, p. 18.

256 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS son at the beginning of the Brahma Kalpa, the blue-red (nila-lohita) Rudra is said to have appeared on Brahma's lap as a child with a body half male and half female; in Narasimha-purana 4. 2-4 Brahma is said to have created from his mind ten sons (viz., Marici, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, Pracetas, Bhrgu, Narada and Vasistha), of whom Narada took to abstention (nivrtti-dharma), but in Narasimha-purana 5. 17-19 Brahma is said to have created nine sons (Marici and others, except Narada) who were known as 'nine Brahmas'; and so on. '333 Though the Narasimha-purana proposes to give 'in brief' (samksepat) the genealogies of kings which were 'elaborately dealt with in the Puranas," 1338 the defects, found in these genealogies, seem to be due as much to the carelessness of the people of later ages in maintaining the correctness of these dynastic lists in their respective Manuscripts as to their attempt at abridgment. For instance, in chapters 22 and 27, the printed edition as well as the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A mentions Aja as the son of Dirghabahu, but the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 36 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713, though following the printed ed. in chap. 27, give the pedigree of Aja as 'dirghabahor dilipah dilipad raghuh raghor ajah' in chap. 22; in chapters 22 and 27, the printed ed. as well as the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A makes Mandhatr the son of Asamhatasva (v. 1. Asamkhyatasva in chap. 22 of the printed ed.), but in chap. 27. they give a popular verse in which Mandhatr is called Yauvanasva (i.c. son of Yuvanasva); the latter pedigree of Mandhatr is supported by the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 36 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713 which mention Mandhatr as the son of Yuvanasva in chap. 24 (yuvanasvan mandhata); after Narasimha-purana 27. 1 the Manuscripts used in the printed ed. have lost an extract 334 which is found in a large number of Manuscripts (such as the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts Nos. 36 and 304 333 Narasimha-purana 22. 2. Also see Narasimha-purana 23. 1. 334 The text of this extract, as reconstructed from the Cal. Sans, Coll, and Dacca University Manuscripts, runs as follows: 'tat-putro venas tasya prthus tasya prthasvah/ prthasvad asamhatasvah/ te catvaro rajano bhuri-tejasah kramad rajyam krtva dharmato harim ananta-sayanam aradhya bhaktya kratubhis cestva svarlokam gatah/"

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 257 and Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 2713 and 284 A); and so on. There are, of course, a few cases in which the disagreements are either to be removed by referring to other better Manuscripts or to be ascribed to the revisions to which the extant Narasimha-purana was subjected. For instance, different pedigrees of Soma are given in chapters 23 and 28 of the printed edition as well as the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 36 and the Dacca University Manuscripts; in chap. 22 Saudasa's son is called Satrumdama in the printed edition as well as in the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts Nos. 36 and 304 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A, and Satrundana in the Dacca Uiiversity Manuscript No. 2713, but in chap. 27 he is called Satrasava in the printed edition and the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304, Satresvara in the Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A, and Satyasrava in the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 36 and Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713; and so on. Purana who has For instance, in The disagreements in the names and pedigrees of some of the kings in chapters 22-23 (on the genealogies of the kings of the Solar and Lunar dynasties) on the one hand and chapters 27-29 (on vamsanucarita, i. e. the accounts of the kings of these dynasties) on the other, are not real but are 'due to the editor of this not used a sufficient number of Manuscripts for his edition. chap. 22 the name of Prthasva's son is given as Asamkhyatasva in the printed ed. and Asamhatasva in the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304, but in the Dacca University Manuscripts as well as in the Calcutta Sankrit College Manuscript No. 36 he is named as Samhatasva, while in chap. 27 he is called Asamhatasva in the printed ed. as well as in the Calcutta Sanskrit College and Dacca University Manuscripts; in chap. 22 Mandhatr's son is called Purukutsa in the printed ed. as well as in the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts and the Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 284 A and 2713, but in chap. 27 Mandhatr's son is named Purukusya in the printed ed., Kurupuccha in the Dacca University Manuscript No. 284 A, and Purukutsa in the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts and the Dacca University Manuscript No. 2713; in chap. 22 Dirghabahu's father is named Anarana in the printed ed. and Anaranya in the Calcutta Sanskrit College and Dacca University Manuscripts as well as in the Manuscript used in the printed ed., but in chap. 27 he is called Anarana 33

258 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS in all these sources; in chap. 22 Padma's son is Anuparna in the printed ed. and Rtuparna in the Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 304 and in the Dacca Vniversity Manuscripts, but in chap. 27 he is called Rtuparna in all these sources; 335 and so on. Though the Matsya-purana, 336 the Skanda-purana337 and the Reva-mahatmya 338 attach the 'Narasimha-purana' to the Padma-purana as a sub-division (upabheda) of the latter, the present Narasimha-purana always calls itself a 'Purana' and never an 'Upapurana', nor does it attach itself to any Mahapurana for the sake of authority. As a matter of fact, in chap. 1, verses 33-34 it speaks of the five characteristics of 'Purana', viz., sarga, pratisarga, vamsa, manvantara and vansanucarita and proposes to deal with all these topics, and in chap. 67 verses 17-18 it says that it has dealt with the five topics, viz., sarga, pratisarga etc; but it betrays no knowledge of the Upapuranas. So, it is evident that though according to the later tradition the Narasimha-purana is classed as an Upapurana, it is really an independent 'Purana' like the Vayu, Visnu etc. It has already been said that the present Narasimha-purana knows the extant Vayu and Visnu and the earlier Varaha-purana Its mention of the word 'Purana' in the plural number on several occasions to mean 335 Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscript No. 36 names Padma's son as Rtaparna in both the chapters (22 and 27). 336 upabhedan pravaksyami loke ye sampratisthitah/ padme purane tatroktam narasimhopavarnanam/ taccastadasa-sahasram narasimham ihocyate // Matsya-purana 53. 59. This verse is quoted by Hemadri (in his Caturvarga-cintamani, I, p. 533, and II. i, p. 21), Candesvara (in his Krtya-ratnakara, p. 31), Narasimha Vajapeyin (in his Nityacara-pradipa, I, p. 18), Jiva Gosvamin (in his commentary, called Krama-samdarbha, on Bhagavata-purana XII. 7. 17-22), and Mitra Misra (in his Viramitrodaya, Paribhasa-prakasa, p. 14). Candesvara and Mitra Misra do not quote the first line. 337 VII (Prabhasa-khanda). i. 2. 79 b-80 (these lines are the same as Matsya-purana 53. 59 quoted above); V. iii (Reva-khanda). 1. 48 a. · 338 See Theodor Aufrecht, p. 65. The Reva-mahatmya claims to be a part of the Vayu-purana 339 See Narasimha-purana 1. 15; 1. 24; 1. 29; 67. 17; 67. 21, 22 and 25. See also the chapter-colophons. In the Manuscripts also, the Narasimha-p, is called a 'Purana".

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 259 distinct Puranic works, shows that more Puranas than one came into existence before its composition.340 It is not known whether the Markandeya-purana or the Visnudharmottara is referred to in chap. 10 (verses 54-55) which seems to be a later addition. A careful examination of the original and the spurious chapters of the present Narasimha-purana shows that this Purana was originally a work of the Pancaratra sect with remarkable Bhagavata inclination. The Pancaratras themselves added a few more chapters and extracts at a later date. It was then considerably changed by the Bhagavatas with further additions and alterations. verse. The entire Narasimha-purana, as we have it now, is not composed in There are a few chapters and extracts which are written in simple prose. These are the following: -Narasimha-purana 19. 7-23 (on the birth of the Asvins); chap. 21 (on the origin of the Maruts); 22. 4-15 (on the names of the kings of the Solar race); 23. 2-13 (on the names of the kings of the Lunar race); 24. 1-36 (on the Manvantaras); 27. 1-12 (on the accounts of the kings of the Solar race); 28. 1-16 (on the accounts of the kings of the Lunar race); 29. 1-12 (on the accounts of the kings of the Lunar race); 30. 2-16 (except 5, which is a verse); 52. 25-31. A portion of chap. 9 is written in Puspitagra (also called Aupacchandasika). The language of the Narasimha-purana contains numerous solecisms. For instance, it has 'abhuvan' for 'abhavan' (Narasimha-purana 1. 62), 'vyajayata' for 'vyajanayat' (Narasimha-purana 5. 21), 'jajne' for 'janayamasa' (Narasimha-purana 5. 29, 31 and 35), 'snayanti' for 'snanti' (Narasimha-purana 6. 26), 'vedavidaih' for 'vedavidbhih' (6. 46) 'susangitavidaih' for '-vidbhih' (34. 36), 'matrpitarau' for 'mata-pitarau' (7. 14), 'viksayamasa' for 'viksamasa' (14. 23), 'vartatim' for 'vartamanam' (19. 15), 'manujam' for 'manujanam' (18. 12), 'pravartatim' for 'pravartamanam' (19. 17), and so on. Like the other Puranic works, the Narasimha-purana also tries to give itself a garb of great sanctity and high antiquity by tracing its descent from Brahma. In chap. 67, verses 19-22 it gives the following 340 See Narasimha-purana 1. 24 (vyasa-prasadaj janami puranani tapodhanah); 22, 2 (rajnam vamsah puranesu vistarena prakirtitah); 56. 10 b-11 a; 58. 108.

260 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS tradition of inheritance:- Brahma himself spoke out this Purana to the sages Marici and others; the next recipient was Markandeya, who then narrated it to a king of the Naga family; 341 Vyasa then received it through Narasimha's favour. Narasimha-purana 57 (verses 8 to the end) and 58-61, which deal with the duties of the four castes and orders of life, are found printed word for word under the title Harita-samhita in the Unavimsati Sambita. 342 These chapters also appear as Laghu-harita-smrti in Jivananda Vidyasagara's Dharmasastra-samgraha (Vol. I, pp. 172 ff.). Now, the question arises as to whether it was the Harita-samhita (or Laghu-haritasmrti) which was incorporated in the present Narasimha-purana, or the above-mentioned chapters of the Narasimha-purana were given the character of an independent Smrti work under the title Harita-sambita' (or 'Laghu-harita-smrti'). An examination of the Harita-samhita shows that it was the above-mentioned chapters of the present Narasimha-purana which were taken off and given the form of an independent work under the title 'Harita-samhita' or 'Laghu-harita-smrti' which was derived from the name of the original speaker Harita. The Harita-samhita begins as follows: ye varnasrama-dharmasthas te bhaktah kesavam prati/ iti purvam tvaya proktam bhur bhuvah svar dvijottamah// varnanam asramanam ca dharman no bruhi sattama/ yena samtusyate devo narasimhah sanatanah// markandeya uvaca/ atraham kathayisyami pura-vrttam anuttamam/ rsibhih saha samvadam haritasya mahatmanah// Of these verses, which are the same as Narasimha-purana 57. 8-10, the first shows that something has already been said, of which these verses form a continuation; and in fact the first verse points to Narasimha-purana 57. 2-7 57.2-7 341 For the reading 'rajno naga-kulasya ha' of the printed ed., the Cal, Sans Coll, Manuscript No. 36 reads 'rajno vai nakulasya ca' and the Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 323 and 2713 have 'rajno vai nakulasya ha' and 'rajno vai nahusasya ha' respectively. 342 Edited (with a Bengali translation) by Pancanana Tarkaratna and published by the Vangavasi Press, Calcutta. Second edition, 1316 Bengali Samvat

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 261 wherein Markandeya, being asked by king Sahasranika, enumerates the characteristics of the devotees of Visnu thus: visnu-bhakta mahotsaha visnvarcana-vidhau sada/ samyata dharma-sampannah sarvarthan sadhayanti te// paropakara-nirata guru-susrusane ratah/ varnasramacara-yutah sarvesam supriyamvadah// etc. etc. Though from a perusal of the Harita-samhita we understand that Markandeya reports to a king named Sahasranika what Harita said to the sages on the duties of the four castes and orders of life, nothing is said in the Harita-samhita either about the identity of these two persons or about the occasion, time or place in which they met each other. Even the name of the king is given as late as in chap. 7 (verse 20). But it is the Narasimha-purana which tells us who king Sahasranika was and how he met the sage Maarkandeya. We have already said that the Narasimha-purana is a work meant for the glorification of the worship of Narasimha. This character is betrayed by the Haritasamhita also.343 Moreover, none of the quotations made in their works by Visvarupa, Apararka, Bhavadeva, Jimutavahana, Devanabhatta and Aniruddha-bhatta from Harita, Vrddha-harita, Laghuharita, Brhaddharita and Svalpa-harita is to be met with in our socalled Harita-samhita. On the other hand, some of the quotations made by Apararka from the 'Nrsimha-purana' are traceable in the Haritasamhita. For example, the verses quoted from the 'Nrsimha-purana' in Apararka's commentary on the Yajnavalkya-smrti, P. 79 p. 125 p. 153 p. 189 P. 965 Harita-samhita 3. 12; 4. 18-20; 4. 60-61; 4. 71, 72 a and 73 a; 6. 11 b-22. These show that the chapters, now known as Harita-samhita or 343 See its introductory verse quoted above; see also Harita-samhita 2, 9; 4. 75-76 a; 7. 19.

262 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS Laghu-harita-smrti, originally belonged to the Narasimha-purana These chapters seem to be based on different Smrti works such as the Para- sara-smrti and the Harita-dharmasastra (as known to Devanabhatta); because Parasara-smrti 1.50 (vaisvadeve tu samprapte etc.) greatly resembles Narasimha-purana 58. 100-101 a (akrte vaisvadeve tu etc.), and the verse 'anena vidhina yo hi asraman upasevate etc.', quoted from the 'Haritadharma-sastra' in Smrti-candrika, I, p. 174, slightly resembles Narasimha-purana 58. 37 (evam yo vidhim asthaya etc.). the contents Here we should like to say a few words on the of the Narasimha-purana as known to some of the Nibandha-writers. In his Smrti-tattva, I, p. 351 Raghunandana quotes from the 'Narasimha-purana' twenty-four metrical lines on general maxims (naya), such as 'One should give salutary advice to his friend in proper time, even though he may not be asked for it,' 'One, who believes the servants of the king or the bastards, do not live long', 'One should not allow the remaining part of the enemies, debt and fire to continue, because these increase again,' 'One should not begin any work which may create repentance in the end,' and so on. He also quotes in Smrti-tattva, I, p. 827 a verse on proper time for marriage. In his Smrti-tattva, II, p. 66 Raghunandana quotes from the same source a verse in which 'Tulasi' and 'Krsna-tulasi have been mentioned as pleasing to Hari. In his Vidhana-parijata, I, p. 451 Anantabhatta quotes from the 'Narasmha' seventeen metrical lines on dressing a child with clothes for the first time. In his Caturvarga-cintamani, II, ii. pp. 41-49 Hemadri quotes a large extract of 173 metrical lines on a vow called Narasimhacaturdasi which was given in the 'Narasimha-purana' in connection with the Narasimha-pradurbhava. In this extract Nrsimha, being asked by Prahlada as to how he became devoted to Nrsimha and was blessed with good, says that in his previous birth Prahlada was a Brahmin named Vasudava and was addicted to a prostitute and that this Vasudeva performed no other good deed than a Vrata of Nrsimha. Prahlada again asked Nrsimha to narrate in details the whole story. Consequently Nrsimha said that in the city of Avanti there was a famous Brahmin named Susarman who mastered all the Vedas and performed all his duties. This Susarman had a chaste and devoted wife named

THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS 263 Susila, who gave birth to five worthy sons, of whom Vasudeva was the youngest. Unlike the other brothers, Vasudeva was addicted to prostitutes, became a drunkard, and stole gold for financing his evil deeds. Once he quarrelled with a prostitute and kept awake throughout the whole night without taking food. The prostitute also did so. Thus, Vasudeva unconsciously performed the Vrata of Nrsimha, was born as Prahlada, and became devoted to Nrrsimha. The prostitute became an Apsaras. Next, being asked by Prahlada to describe the Vrata in details, Nrsimha did so. Hemadri also quotes verses on Hari-vrata, Patra-vrata, and offer of different articles such as kamandalu, fruits, foot-wears, umbrella, clothes etc. to the Pitrs in sraddha ceremonies. Sulapani quotes verses on sraddha in his Vrata-kalaviveka, Sraddha-viveka and Tithi-viveka. In his Caitanya-caritamrta, III, pp. 67 and 289 Krsnadasa Kaviraja quotes from the 'Nrsimha-purana' three verses, in one of which it is said that even a Mleccha (i. e. a Muhammadan), who, being attacked by a boar, cries out 'Harama' 'Harama' ('Boar', 'Boar'), attains final emancipation. 344 It is needless to say that none of these verses is found in the present Narasimha-purana In his Haribhaktivilasa, pp. 923-7 and 929-931 Gopalabhatta quotes, from the 'Brhannarasimha-purana', 126 metrical lines on Narasimha-caturdasi-vrata. As all these verses are found ascribed to the Narasimha-purana' in Hemadri's Caturvarga-cintamani, II. ii. pp. 41-49, it seems that either Gopalabhatta was wrong in his ascription of these verses or the Brhannarasimha-purana' derived some of its extracts and verses from the Narasimha-purana In the Ekamra-purana (chap.1) the 'Brhannarasimha-purana' has been clearly distinguished from the 'Narasimha', the former being included among the Upapuranas and the latter among the principal Puranas. [(A). Many Manuscripts of the Narasimha-purana (including those of the Calcutta Sanskrit College and the Dacca University) have the following verses after verse 31 of chap. 5 of the printed edition: - 344 prityam pulastya-bharyayam dattolis tat-suto'bhavat/ tasya vai visravah putras tat-putra ravanadayah// damstri-damstra-hato mleccho harameti punah punah/ uktvapi muktim apnoti kim punah sraddhaya grnan//

264 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS raksasa bahavah prokta lamkapura-nivasinah/ yesam vadhaya lokeso visnuh ksirodadhau pura/ brahmadyaih prarthito devair avataram ihakarot// karddamas cambarisas ca sahisnus ca suta-trayam/ ksama tu susuve bharya pulahasya prajapateh// kratos tu sannatir bharya balakhilyan asuyata/ sastis tani sahasrani rsinam urdhva-retasam// angustha-parva-matranam jvalad-bhaskara-tejasam// pracetaso'tha satyayam satyasandhas trayah sutah/ jatas tat-putra-pautras ca sataso'tha sahasrasah// urjayam ca vasisthasya saptajayanta vai sutah/ rajogatrordhvabahus ca sabalas canaghas tatha/ sutapah sukra ity ete sarve saptarsayo 'bhavan// bhrgoh khyatyam samutpanna laksmir visnu-parigrahah/ tatha dhatr-vidhatarau khyatyam jatau sutau bhrgoh// ayatir niyatis caiva meroh kanye susobhane/ dhatur vidhatus ca te bharye tayor jatau sutav ubhau// pranas caiva mrkandus ca markandeyo mrkandutah/ yena mrtyur jito vipra pura narayanasrayat// tato vedasira jajne pranasyapi suto'bhavat/ dyutiman iti vikhyatah sanjayas tat-suto'bhavat// tato vamso mahabhaga bhargavo vistaram gatah// See, for instance, chap. 5 of Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts Nos. 36 (fol. 7 a-b) and 304 (folios 6 b-7 a) and Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 284 A (folios 8 b-9 b), 323 (folios 9 b-10 a), and 2713 (fol. 7 a-b). There are some variations in readings in these Manuscripts, which need not be noted here. (B) After verse 7 of chap. 57 of the printed edition, many Manuscripts including those of the Calcutta Sanskrit College and the Daccal University) have the following verses: puspair aranya-sambhutaih patrair va giri-sambhavaih/ aparyusita-nischidraih proksitair jantu-varjitaih// atmaramodbhavair vapi puspaih sampujayeddharim/ puspa-jati-visesais tu bhavet punyam visesatah//

34 THE MAJOR VAISNAVA UPAPURANAS tapah-sila-gunopeta-patre vedasya parage/ dasa dattva suvarnani yat phalam labhate narah/ tat phalam labhate mattyo harau kumuda-danatah// drona-puspe tathaikasmin madhavaya nivedite/ dasa dattva suvarnani yat phalam tad avapnuyat// evam puspa-visessena phalam tad adhikam nrpa/ jneyam puspantarenaiva yatha syat tannibodha me // drona-puspa-sahasrebhyah khadiram vai visisyate/ khadirebhyah sahasrebhyah sami-puspam visisyate// sami-puspa-sahasrebhyo bilva-puspam visisyate/ bilva-puspa-sahasrebhiyo vaka-puspam visisyate// vaka-puspa-sahasraddhi nandyavartam visisyate/ nandyavarta-sahasrebhyah karaviram visisyate// karavira-sahasrebhyah svetam tat puspam uttamam/ karavira-sveta-puspat plalasam puspam uttamam// palasa-puspa-sahasraddhi kusa-paspam visisyate/ kusa-puspa-sahasraddhi vanamala visisyate// vanamala-sahasraddhi campakam puspam isyate/ campakanam puspa-satad asokam puspam uttamam// asokanam sahasraddhi samanti-puspam uttamam/ samanti-puspa-sahasraddhi kubjakam puspam uttamam// kubja-puspa-sahastanam malati-puspam uttamam/ malati-puspa-sahasraddhi sandhyaraktam taduttamam// sandhyarakta-sahasraddhi trisandhyasvetam uttamam/ trisandhyasveta-sahasrat kunda-puspam visisyate// kunda-puspa-sahasraddhi satapatram visisyate/ satapatra-sahasraddhi mallika-puspam uttamam// mallika-puspa-sahasraj jati-puspam visisyate/ sarvasam puspa-jatinam jati-puspam ihottamam// jati-puspa-sahasrena yo malam nityaso dadet/ visnave vidhivad bhaktya tasya punya-phalam srnu// kalpa-koti-sahasrani kalpa-koti-satani ca/ vased visnupure sriman visnu-tulya-parakramah// sesanam puspa-jatinam yat phalam vidhinoditam/ tat-phalasyanusarena visnu-loke mahiyate// 265

266 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS patrany api supuspani hareh pritikarani ca/ pravaksyami nrpa-srestha srnusva gadato mama// apamarga-patram prathamam tasmad bhrngarakam param/ tasmat tu khadiram srestham tatas ca sami-patrakam// durva-patram tatah srestham tato'pi kusa-patrakam/ tasmad amalakam srestham tato bilvasya patrakam// bilva-patrad api hares tulasi-patram uttamam// etesam tu yathalabdhaih patrair va yo'rcayeddharim/ sarva-papa-vinirmukto visnu-loke mahiyate// evam hi rajan narasimha-murteh priyani puspani taveritani/ etais ca nityam harim arcya bhaktya naro visuddho harim eva yati// See, for instance, chap. 51 of Calcutta Sanskrit College Manuscripts Nos. 36 (folios 77 a-78 a) and 304 (folios 82 b-83 b) and Dacca University Manuscripts Nos. 284 A (folios 118 a-119 a), 323 (folios 114 a-115 a) and 2713 (folios 86 b-87 b). There are many variations in readings in these Manuscripts, but these need not be noted here. Many of these verses are the same as Bhavisya-purana I. 163. 57 ff. From the position of these verses in the Narasimha-purana it seems that the Narasimha-purana is the borrower. As Gopalabhatta, Narasimha Vajapeyin, Raghunandana, Govindananda, Madanapala and Devanabhatta quote many of these verses in their respective works, it is sure that these verses have been occurring in the Narasimha-purana from a time earlier than Devanabhatta.]