1832.] Analysis of the Purdnas. 541 



as several other details to be found in the same chapter, differ materi- 

 ally from the notions more generally received. We are not yet pre- 

 pared to say how far they are peculiar to this Purdna. 



Some curious, and as far as yet known, peculiar mythology, follows 

 describing the different kinds of Agni or fire, and particularising the 

 Pitris, as the same with the Ritus or seasons of the year. A mytholo- 

 gical description of the divisions of time then ensues ; it is clearly an 

 attempt to allegorise the year, and its divisions, in common with the 

 worship of collective ancestors by fire ; hence the year is called A<rn? 

 the seasons the Pitris, and the five portions of animate and inanimate 

 creation of men, birds, beasts, reptiles, and trees, &c. are the five.4r- 

 tavas, the sons of the seasons or progeny of time : the allegory how- 

 ever is rather perplexed, and the whole description mystified and ob- 

 scure. The names given to the months and seasons here are double. 

 One set being the usual terms, and the other being peculiar : the name 

 of the months are the same as those cited by Sir William Jon s from 

 the Vedas, as the names of the solar months (A. R. III. 258.) The sea- 

 sons as the Pitris are called Kasa, Agni, Jiva, Sudhdvdn, Munyamdn 

 and Ghora. 



The Pitris are distinguished into two classes, the Vdrhishadus and 

 Agniswdttus ; these are said to have had two daughters, Mend and Dhd- 

 rini • the former became the wife of Ilbndvut, the latter wedded Merit 

 and from her was descended Daksha, the mention of whom gives occa- 

 sion for the narration of his celebrated sacrifice, and for a number of 

 stanzas in praise of Siva's supremacy. 



The 30th chapter contains a very summary account of some royal 

 dynasties,and then particularises the duration of the four ages as 12,000 

 years. This calculation implies that the years are years of the gods, 

 such being the period of a Mahayugu, agreeably to Pauranic chrono- 

 logy, at thesame time the text does notspecify what years are intended*. 

 As analogous to the divisions of time, the Purdna itself is here stated 

 to consist of 12,000 stanzas; a number different from that stated in 



* The proportion in which the years are divided are, 



Krita 4800 



Treta 3600 



Dwapara ~ 2400 



Kali 1200 



12,000 

 the same is given in the Paulisha Siddhanta, as cited by Bhattatpala. (A R. 

 XII. 249.) 



