In Hinduism, Itihasa-Purana, also called the fifth Veda, refers to the traditional accounts of cosmogeny, myths, royal genealogies of the lunar dynasty and solar dynasty, and legendary past events,

Purana, ; , ' literally means "ancient, old."

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

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| Position

| Krishna, Buddha<br>(common list)<br>

| Balarama, Krishna<br>(Vaishnavites)<br>

| Balarama, Buddha<br>

| Krishna, Vithoba<br> According to the Shatapatha Brahmana, Pururavas was the son of Budha (himself often described as the son of Soma) and the gender-switching deity Ila (born as the daughter of Manu). Pururavas's great-grandson was Yayati, who had five sons named Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu, Anu, and Puru. These seem to be the names of five Vedic tribes as described in the Vedas.

Influence on classical Indian poetry

Many classical Indian poets derive the plots of their poetry and drama from the Itihasa. The rules of classical Indian poetics prescribe that the themes of the mahakavyas (ornate epics) and natakas (drama) should primarily be selected from the itihasa. In accordance, great mahakavyas such as Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsa, Kumaradasa’s Janaki-harana, Bhatti's Ravanavadha (or Bhattikavya) have drawn their themes from the Ramayana, and Bharavi’s Kiratarjuniya, Magha’s Sisupalavadha and Sriharsa's Naisadhiyacarita from the Mahabharata.

Historical consciousness

The belief that South Asian society lacked historical consciousness until colonial times persists, as colonial writers like Robert Orme and James Mill argued that rational, factual history emerged in India only with the British Raj. They claimed pre-colonial Indian history, seen as mythic, did not meet modern standards because it was too formulaic and lacked historical context. But this notion has also been challenged. Kumkum Chatterjee, focused on a vernacular tradition of Itihasa/Purana in early modern Bengal, argued that these narratives are based on historical experiences derived from Mughal rule in Bengal and much of India during the 17th and 18th centuries. Puranas have evolved over time, constantly updated to reflect changing social conditions. They traditionally cover creation myths, cosmic cycles, genealogies, divine exploits, and royal histories, but they also include additional content like sectarian deities and social norms.

See also

  • Epic-Puranic chronology
  • Epic-Puranic royal genealogies
  • Hindu units of time
  • History of Hinduism
  • Janapada
  • List of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes
  • List of Ikshvaku dynasty kings in Hinduism
  • List of monarchs of Magadha
  • Mahabharata
  • Puru and Yadu Dynasties
  • Ramayana
  • Turvasu Druhyu and Anu dynasties
  • Yuga cycle

Notes

References

Sources

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Further reading

  • Pargiter, F.E.
  • Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. Delhi. 1972.
  • The Purana Text of the Dynasties of the Kali Age. Oxford. 1913.
  • Winternitz, M. History of Indian Literature. Vol. I-II. Delhi. 1987.
  • Rapson, E.J. The Cambridge History of India. Vol. I Cambridge. 1922.
  • Warder, A.K. Indian Kavya Literature, Vol. I-VII. Delhi. 2004.
  • Smith, R. Morton Dates and dynasties in earliest India: translation and justification of a critical text of the Purana dynasties, Shastri, J. L. (ed.). Delhi. Motilal Banarasidass. 1973.
  • Smith, Mary Carroll The core of India's great Epic. Harvard University. 1972.
  • Thapar, Romila
  • "Puranic Lineages and archaeological cultures" in Ancient Indian Social History: some interpretations. New Delhi. Orient Longmans. 1978.
  • "Origin Myths and the early Indian historical tradition" in Ancient Indian Social History: some interpretations. New Delhi. Orient Longmans. 1978.
  • "Genealogy as a source of social history" in Ancient Indian Social History: some interpretations. New Delhi. Orient Longmans. 1978.