e probable, therefore, that they appropriated
Smriti material just as they did epic material; and though it is now
received opinion that legal Smritis are evolved out of S[=u]tras, this
yet can be the case only with the oldest, even if the statement then
can be accepted in an unqualified form. In our own opinion it is
highly probable that Pur[=a]nas and later legal Smritis are divergent
developments from the same source.[12] One gives an account of
creation, and proceeds to tell about the social side; the other sticks
to the accounts of creation, goes on to theology, takes up tales of
heroes, introduces speculation, is finally wrenched over to and
amplified by sectarian writers, and so presents a composite that
resembles epic and law, and yet is generally religious and
speculative.

A striking instance of this may be seen in the law-book of 'Vishnu.'
Here there is an old base of legal lore, S[=u]tra, interlarded with
Puranic material, and built up with sectarianism. The writer is a
Vishnuite, and while recognizing the trinity, does not hesitate to
make his law command offerings to Krishna V[=a]sudeva, and his family
(Pradyumna, Aniruddha), along with the regular Brahmanic oblations to
older spirits.[13] Brahmanism recognized Hindu deities as subordinate
powers at an early date, at least as early as the end of the S[=u]tra
period; while Manu not only recognizes Vishnu and Civa (Hara), but
recommends an oblation to Cr[=i] and K[=a]l[=i] (Bhadrak[=a]li, here,
as elsewhere, is Durg[=a]).[14]

In their original form the Pur[=a]nas were probably Hesiodic in a
great extent, and doubtless contained much that was afterwards
specially developed in more prolix form in the epic itself. But the
works that are come down as Pur[=a]nas are in general of later
sectarian character, and the epic language, phraseology, and
descriptions of battles are more likely taken straight from the epic
than preserved from ante-epic times. Properly speaking one ought to
give first place to the Pur[=a]nas that are incorporated into the
epic. The epic M[=a]rkandeya Pur[=a]na, for instance, is probably a
good type of one of the earlier works that went by this name. That the
present Pur[=a]nas are imitations of the epic, in so far as they treat
of epic topics, may be presumed from the fact that although they often
have the formulae intact of the battlefield,[15] yet do they not
remain by epic descriptions but add weapons, etc., of more modern date
than