Studies in the Upapuranas (Review)
Summary
This review summarises the second instalment of R.C. Hazra’s 'Studies in the Upapurāṇas'. The volume deals with the Saura (solar) and Vaiṣṇava Upapurāṇas and provides critical accounts of major and minor texts. It discusses the antiquity, provenance and contents of works such as the Saura Purāṇa, Nāradiya Purāṇa and Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa. The reviewer notes that Hazra examines the interrelationships between Upapurāṇas and Mahāpurāṇas and evaluates their historical and theological significance. He also includes summaries of many lesser‑known Upapurāṇas and appends bibliographical notes. The review emphasises that Hazra’s meticulous research lays the foundation for a comprehensive encyclopaedia of Purāṇic literature and that his work is comparable in importance to P.V. Kane’s treatise on the Dharmaśāstras. The volume thus represents a major contribution to the study of Sanskrit religious texts.
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Conclusion
Hazra’s second volume on the Upapurāṇas receives high praise for its comprehensive coverage of Saura and Vaiṣṇava texts. By critically evaluating both major and minor Purāṇas and providing extensive bibliographical notes the work advances the study of Purāṇic literature and paves the way for an encyclopaedic reference comparable to Kane’s classic.