1899.] 
THE N TEAM AT A AND MAHATMYAS. 
49 
The Mahatmyas. 
caritacintamani is of great value. Its plain and authentic narrative 
enables us often to trace the numerous modifications which the various 
local legends as well as the names of the localities connected with 
them have undergone in the extant Mahatmyas. 
29. Reference has already been made above to the numerous texts 
known as Mahatmyas which we possess of 
all the more important Tirthas of Kasmir. 
They claim with few exceptions to be extracted from Puranas or 
Puranic collections ( Samhitcis). 1 Ordinarily they set forth in detail 
the legends relating to the particular pilgrimage place, the spiritual 
and other benefits to be derived from its visit, and the special rites 
to be gone through by the pilgrims at the various stages of the itinerary. 
The abstract given of the S'aradamahatmya in Note B, on Rajat. i. 37, 
may serve to indicate the manner in which these subjects are usually 
treated in the average texts of this class. 
Prof. Biihler was the first to recognize the value of the Mahatmyas 
for a systematic study of the old topography of Kasmir. Among the 
Sanskrit Manuscripts which he acquired during his tour in Kasmir, 
there are sixteen distinct texts of this kind. 2 My own search in this 
direction, facilitated by successive visits to the various Tirthas them¬ 
selves, has enabled me to collect altogether fifty-one separate Mahatmya 
texts. The list of my collection which has been given in a supple¬ 
mentary Note, 3 may be considered fairly to exhaust the present range 
of this literature. 
In extent the Mahatmyas vary greatly. By the side of texts like the 
Vitastamdlidtmya with its fifteen hundred STokas, we have legendaries 
of more modest dimensions amounting only to a few dozens of verses. 
Equally marked differences in the matter of age become apparent on 
closer examination. 
Unmistakeable indications prove that many of the Mahatmyas now 
in actual use are of late composition or redaction. Among the texts so 
characterized, the Mahatmyas of some of the most popular pilgrimage 
places, like the Haramukuta lakes, the cave of Amaranatha, Isesvara 
(Isobar), are particularly conspicuous. The indications here referred to 
are furnished chiefly by the local names which in their very form often 
betray a modern origin. This may conveniently be illustrated by a 
1 Most of the Kasmir Mahatmyas allege to be portions of the Bhrnglsasamhitd. 
Others claim special authority by representing themselves as parts of the Adi, 
Brahma, Brahmavaivarta, Varaha and Bhavisyat Puranas. 
2 See Report, pp. iv. sqq. Nos. 48, 51, 52, 55, 62, 75, 82, 84, 99, 100 there quoted 
as separate texts are only chapters of the Amarandthamdhdtmya. 
3 See Supplementary Note AA. 
J. i. 7 
