LITERATURE OF BRAHMINISM 253
assumed the form of a third edition, it was again, like the Mahabharata, made a repository of legends, knowledge, learning, philosophy and other arts and sciences.
With regard to the date of the composition of the Ramayana, one proposition is well established namely that the episode of Rama is older than the episode of the Pandus. But that the composition of the Ramayana has gone on peripassu along with the composition of the Mahabharata. Portions of Ramayana may be earlier than the Mahabharata. But there can be no doubt that a great part of the Ramayana was composed after a great part of the Mahabharata had already been composed. [1]
PURANAS
The Puranas [2] today number 18. This is however not the original number. According to traditions, there is no reason to doubt, there was only one Purana to start with. Tradition alleges that this Purana was older than the Vedas. The Atharva Veda refers to this Purana and the Bramhanda Puran says that it is more ancient than the Vedas. It was a lore which the King was expected to know for the Satapada. Bramhana says the Adhvaryu was required to recite the Purana to the ‘King on the 10th day of the Yajna.
The origin of the 18 Puranas is attributed to Vyas who it is said recast the original single Purana and by additions and substractions made 18 out of one. The making of the 18 Puranas is thus the second stage in the evolution of the Puranas. The edition of each of these 18 Puranas as published or uttered by Vyas is called the Adi [3] Purana i.e. the original edition as brought out by Vyas. After Vyas composed these
18 Puranas, he taught them to his disciple Romaharsana. Romaharsana prepared his own edition of the Puranas and taught it to his six disciples. Romaharsana’s edition of the Puranas thus becamethe third edition of the Puranas. Of the six disciples of Romaharsana, three: Kasyapa, Savarni and Vaisampayana, made three separate editions which may be called the fourth edition of the Puranas which we call by their names. According to the Bhavishya Purana, the Puranas came to be revised sometime during the reign of King Vikramaditya. [4]
1 See the Appendix A to Hopkins “The Great Epic of India” for Parallel phrases in the two epics.
2 For the account of the Puranas which follows I have drawn upon Kale’s Purananirikshana (Marathi) and Partigar’s Ancient Indian Historical Tradition.
3 Adi Purana does not mean a separate Purana of that name. It means the first edition of each of the 18 Puranas.
4 Who is Vikramaditya ? No one can say.