Previous Year Question
With reference to the Puranas, which one of the following statements is correct?
Information about the Mauryan dynasty is found in the Vishnu Puran.
Vayu Puran throws light on the Gupta's governance system.
Both 1 and 2
Only 1
Only 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is correct. The genealogies contained in the Puranas are important literary sources for reconstructing the political history of ancient India. The Vishnu Purana contains an account of the rise of the Mauryan dynasty after the Nandas.
According to the Vishnu Purana, after the overthrow of the Nandas, Kautilya installed Chandragupta on the throne. It subsequently gives the dynastic succession of Chandragupta, Bindusara, Ashokavardhana and later Mauryan rulers. Thus, the Vishnu Purana is an important source for information regarding the succession and duration of the Mauryan dynasty.
It is important to note that the Puranas are not historical works in the modern sense. Religious traditions, mythology, genealogies and historical traditions are interwoven in them. Therefore, Mauryan history is also corroborated through inscriptions, Buddhist and Jain texts and other sources.
Statement 2 is also correct. The Vayu Purana, Vishnu Purana and Brahmanda Purana are important literary sources for the history of the Gupta period. The Vayu Purana provides information relating to the early territorial extent, political order and kingship of the Guptas.
The Vayu Purana refers to territories such as the Ganga region, Prayaga, Saketa and Magadha under the Guptas. Parts of the Puranic material also discuss kingship, the obligations of rulers and their duties towards their subjects, and such material has been used for understanding Gupta governance and political institutions.
Therefore, the Vishnu Purana provides information about the Mauryan dynasty, while the Vayu Purana is useful for studying Gupta governance and political organization.