Essay name: Purana Bulletin
Author:
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Faculty of Oriental Studies
The "Purana Bulletin" is an academic journal published in India. The journal focuses on the study of Puranas, which are a genre of ancient Indian literature encompassing mythological stories, traditions, and philosophical teachings. They represent Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit and cover a wide range of subjects.
Purana, Volume 8, Part 1 (1966)
115 (of 340)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Jan., 1966] THE GARUDA PURĀṆAM 107 parasite produces leprosy. The therapeutical portion of the
Samhita contains many excellent remedies which can help the art
of living a long life.
In view of additions and amplifications, it is futile to deter-
mine the time of the Garuda Purāṇa. One cannot lay down a
precise date for its composition. Garuḍa Purāṇa is mentioned in
Halayudha's Brāhamaṇasarvasvam. According to many eminent
authors Viṣṇudharmottarapuraṇa forms a portion of Garuda Purāṇa.
Garuda Purāṇa like Agni Purāṇa, Padma Purāṇa and the like
were the exponents of victorious Brahmanism. Descriptions in
the life of Buddha though meagre and the occurrance of the name
of Susruta in the medicinal portion of the Garuda Purāṇa show
that its author was acquainted with the Buddhistic literature of
the age. The recension of the Susruta Samhita was written in
200B. C. by Nāgārjuna. Susruta Samhitā gives the number of
bones in a human body as 300, Viṣṇu Smrti gives as 360 and the
Garuda Purāṇa gives as 362 (Asthnām dviadhakam proktam).
The Law book of Yajnavalkya forms the upper limit which
is 400 A.D. and in the 1st and the 3rd Adhyāyas almost the
entire Garuda Purāṇa is drawn upon." For a still later date,
there is the circumstance, that over and above the contents of the
Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa even the contents of Harivamśa
which possesses the character of a Purāṇa are given and therefore
is scarcely older than the latest portions of the Great Epics. A
surer lower limit is fixed by Alberuni" whose work about India is
composed by 1031 A. D. He knew the 18, Purāṇas as canonical
texts. Their origin ought to be thus 100 years prior. The cita-
tions of Alberuni from Purāṇas particularly form Viṣṇudharmo-
22. Jolly, Recht und Sitte p. 21.
23. They are the following: Garuda. P. Adhyāya 93-Yajña. I. 13, Adhy.
94 Yāj. I. 14-50, Adhy. 95=Yaj. I. 51-89, Adhy. 96=Yaj. I. 91-
180, Adhy 97-Yāj. I. 182-96, Adhy. 98=Yāj. I. 200-216, Adhy. 99=
Yāj. I. 217-269, Adhy. 100-Yaj. I. 270-291, Adhy. 101- Yāj. I.294.
305, Adhy. 102=Yāj. 3. 45-53, Adhy. 103-Yāj. 3.56.,ff, Adhy, 104=
Yāj. 3. 208-218, Adhy. 105-Yāj. 3. 219-328, Adhy. 106 Yaj. 3. 1-43.
24. S. O. S. I.
