Cultural Study of Matsya-Purana (An Old and Rare Book) Only 1 Quantity Available

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It is only in the very recent past that the Puranas attracted the attention of the scholarly public, after a period of long neglect or ritualistic recitation, and were hailed as of immense value to the sociologist and the historian. They were for long branded as sheer gossip and poor Pauranika was more a laughing-stock of the scholarly grammarian, the dialectician or the catechiser. However, thanks to the numerous, ardent Puriņic scholars, Puranas are hailed today as an important branch of literature, especially in constructing social history.

It was in 1963 that I was advised by my Guide, Dr. P.N. Kawathekar, and the Research Expert of the Vikram University, Μ.Μ. Mirashi, to study the Puranas closely and write the Thesis on the lines of Dr. D.R. Patil's studies in Vayu Purana.

For long I felt as if I had lost my way in the wilderness the mountain fastnesses of allegory, phantasy and incredible anecdotes, but soon the darkness disappeared and I found myself on the solid earth, talking, walking, buying, selling, attending courts and witnessing punishments and rewards. I felt that Keats felt on "first looking into Chapman's Bomer". mine of gold and I stuck to the task of digging out the ore, which I had discovered a is here in its humble form.

While I was engaged in my work, Dr. V.S. Agrawal's scholarly work on Matsya came to be published, so also Dr. Kantawalla's erudite work from Baroda, which was immediately made available to me by my colleague, Prof. K.K, Budholia, from his personal library, for which he deserves my thanks. It was he again who gave me D.R. Patil's book on Vayu Purana. Dr. S.M. Ali's scholarly and newly published work, "Geography of the Puranas", was sent to me by my kind friend, Prof. Abbasi, with the words "you can keep it for any length of time". I have no words to thank him for this kind gesture. Equally kind and cooperative have been my previous colleagues, the Staff of the Indore Christian College, Indore, people "a truly quiet college" as Stephen Leacock would wish for. a wonderful set of Prof. Sapre, the Head of the Department of Sanskrit, has been s constant well-wisher. The library facilities I got at this College and my present College, Maharaja College, Chhatarpur, have gone a long way in the writing of this Thesis, especially the mental peace and tranquillity I enjoyed at both these places a pre-requisite to all serious study.

I am to thank Dr. B.R. Mishra, M.A., D.Litt., the Principal of the latter College for sixteen years, who, a profound Sanskrit Scholar, crested a Research Centre at Chhatarpur College and a worthy library. I could get most of the books in it, credit for which goes to Dr. Gokul Prasad Tripathi, previously Head of the Department of Sanskrit there. Dr. Tripathi was kind enough to go through the typed sheets of this Thesis and suggest improvements. Equally painstaking has been Shri K.K. Khare of Panna in checking the typed papers. Shri Garg of the Indore Museum allowed me to work in the Museum Library and Dr. S.S. Nigam too lent me some rare volumes for which I am deeply indebted to them both. Dr. в.в. Nigam, Principal, Degree College, Mhow, forthwith replied to a query regarding pan-entheism by post, which dispelled doubts.

There have been numerous other friends, who have done their mite to help this Thesis see the light of the day. They are all worthy of respectful remembrance, especially my Guru, the late Govindlalji Shastri of Indore, but for whose constant encouragement and enthusing words, I might have given up the work half-way.

A word about this Thesis: I have here presented the pattern of sex-behaviour in ancient India, not in the Idealistic setting, but in its realistic tones, as gleaned from literature. I have traced the cult of the Godharam, right from the Puranic Dirghatamas to the present-day Vishnoi in the Ganganagar District of Rajasthan. Adultery, marriage, human relationships have all been discussed threadbare.