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222 of Orissa, and Kshetra of Purushottama or Jagannatha. The same vicinage is the site of temples, once of great magnificence and extent, dedicated to Siva, as Bhuvaneswara, which forms an excuse for attaching an account of a Vaishnava Tirtha to an eminently Saiva Purana. There can be little doubt, however, that the Utkala Khanda is unwarrantably included amongst the progeny of the parent work. Besides these, there is a Brahmottara Khanda, a Reva Khanda, a Siva Rahasya Khanda, a Himavat Khanda, and others. Of the Samhitas the chief are the Suta Samhita, Sanatkumara Samhita, Saura Samhita, and Kapila Samhita: there are several other works denominated Samhitas. The Mahatmyas are more numerous still. According to the Suta Samhita, as quoted by Colonel Vans Kennedy, the Skanda Purana contains six Samhitas, five hundred Khandas, and five hundred thousand stanzas; more than is even attributed to all the Puranas. He thinks, judging from internal evidence, that all the Khandas and Samhitas may be admitted to be genuine, though the Mahatmyas have rather a questionable appearance. Now, one kind of internal evidence is the quantity; and, as no more than eighty-one thousand one hundred stanzas have ever been claimed for it, all in excess above that amount must be questionable. But many of the Khandas, the Kas'i Khanda, for instance, are quite as local as the Mahatmyas; being legendary stories relating to the erection and sanctity of certain temples, or groups of temples, and to certain Lingas; the interested origin of which renders them, very reasonably, objects of suspicion. In the present state of our acquaintance with the reputed portions of the Skanda Purana, my own views of their authenticity are so opposed to those entertained by Colonel Vans Kennedy, that, instead of admitting all the Samhitas and Khandas to be genuine, I doubt if any one of them was ever a part of the Skanda Purana," (Vishnu Purana, Vol. I, p. lxxii.). Beginning. srikrsnaya namah | vyasa uvaca | amrte'pyuddhrte tasmin visnunatmasvarupina | daityasca danavascaiva kinca krustadanantaram || sanatkumara uvaca | te krodhadvancitah sarvve yuddhartha visnumucire | viphalam dhikkrte sauryyam cakram dhik te parakramam ||